Finland, a Nordic gem nestled between Russia and Sweden, is a land of breathtaking landscapes, vibrant culture, and unparalleled natural beauty. This country, often dubbed the “Land of a Thousand Lakes,” is a haven for tourists seeking a unique blend of wilderness adventures and modern urban experiences. In this blog article, we will explore what makes Finland an enticing destination for travelers.
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La Bahia (The Beautiful) is an 8000-sq-metre, floor-to-ceiling extravagance of intricate marquetry, plasterwork and zouak (painted wood), and certainly one of Marrakesh’s most eye-popping sights.
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The most accessible of Petra’s High Places, this well-preserved site was built atop Jebel Madbah with drains to channel the blood of sacrificial animals.
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Downhill from the Theatre, the wadi widens to create a larger thoroughfare. To the right, the great massif of Jebel Al Khubtha looms over the valley.
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The Dana Biosphere Reserve is the largest in Jordan and includes a variety of terrain, from sandstone cliffs more than 1700m high near Dana to a low point of 50m below sea level in Wadi Araba. Sheltered within the red-rock escarpments are protected valleys that are home to a surprisingly diverse ecosystem. About 600 species of plant (ranging from citrus trees and junipers to desert acacias and date palms) thrive in the reserve, together with 180 species of bird.
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The Netherlands’ top treasure house, the Rijksmuseum (pronounced ‘rikes’), is among the world’s finest art museums. With over 1.5km of galleries, it packs in around 8000 artworks with paintings by homegrown heroes Rembrandt, Vermeer and Van Gogh, as well as plenty of other masterpieces.
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The museum of the Dutch Resistance brings the horror of German occupation in WWII vividly alive, using personal stories, letters, artefacts, films and photographs to illuminate local resistance to (but also collaboration with) the Nazis.
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This is the big one. At 3454m above sea level, Jungfraujoch is Europe’s highest train station: a once-in-a-lifetime trip, with views of the deeply crevassed Aletsch Glacier and a never-ending ripple of sky-high Alpine peaks to make you gasp out loud.
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Pilgrims have been making their way on foot (and cycle) to the great cathedral at Santiago by various “Ways”, the most popular being the Camino Frances, or the French Way. These days it’s difficult to avoid the crowds so the Camino del Norte is a more strenuous alternative with less people.
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Tucked away in Warwick Street in London’s famous Soho region is the Karma Sanctum Hotel. The building has been created out of two Georgeon townhouses and turned into a funky place to stay.
A buxom gorilla meets you at reception, with vast images of Jimmy Hendrix that seem to ooze out of brooding colors.
The Karma Sanctum Hotel is the brainchild of Mark Fuller, a nightclub owner and restaurateur, who opened the hotel with Andy Talor, manager of Fleetwood Mac, and Rod Smallwood, who looks after Iron Maiden. They wanted a place to meet and have a snifter out of hours alongside their members and residents.
So Karma Sanctum has all the credentials of being a rock n’ hotel at its core, and in case there is any doubt, there are several artworks dotted around of rock stars you are bound to recognize.
Bizarrely, there is a full-size Dalek of Dr. Who fame on the second floor.
Who for
Based in Soho, the clientele is bound to be an eclectic one. A love of good design, rock and roll music, and an easy vibe helps.
Accommodation
There are 30 rooms over four floors with door handles encrusted with diamante. Room range from Compact to large Delux Loft.
Ours was a Superior Compact room 205, which, though one of the smaller rooms, still has wardrobes and comes with a size bed with Egyptian cotton sheets, bathrobes, slippers, a huge TV, and Temple spa toiletries in the spacious, clean white wet room.
There’s a mini bar, complimentary still water, a Nespresso machine, and plenty of phone charger ports and plug sockets.Food & Drink
Hotelier Mark Fuller and Michelin-starred chef Garry Hollihead have inked a new partnership to open a new restaurant at Karma Soho Hotel in London: Wild Heart Bar & Shokudo. The style is a casual Japanese-inspired sharing concept for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
There’s also an afternoon tea with chicken katsu sliders, steamed vegetable gyozas, and sweet treats, including matcha panna-cotta with freeze-dried raspberries, mini yuzu, and red fruit tarts.
Unfortunately, we didn’t get to dine there, but if three-times Michellin-starred Garry Hollihead is at the helm, you can be sure of the finest dining.
On the 5th floor, there’s a roof terrace, both inside and al fresco (lorded over by the gorilla), for cocktails or wine and snacks supplied by the Michelin restaurant. There is another party place called the Inner Sanctum in the basement.
How much
Rooms at Karma Sanctum Hotel start from £399 per night.
