The airy lobby is furnished with ample seating areas

As Helsinki continues to top travel lovers’ lists of can’t-miss destinations, the recently opened Original Sokos Hotel Tripla in the Pasila district—a quick train or car ride from the capital—makes the case for staying outside the city and exploring this lesser-known Finnish neighborhood.

While the expansive hotel, which is situated inside the Mall of Tripla, features 430 guestrooms, local design firm Fyra strived to create a feeling of intimacy. “[It] is a big hotel that will surprise you with its cozy, home-like atmosphere,” says interior architect Eva-Marie Eriksson, cofounder of Fyra. “The hotel offers a peaceful haven to the hustle and bustle outside.”

As such, guests are welcomed into an airy, light-filled lobby decorated with potted plants, sofas, and communal work tables ideal for gathering or enjoying refreshments from a conveniently located café. Careful attention was given to conceiving a lobby where guests would be inclined to linger and meet with friends, she says.

The pared-down guestrooms feature spacious foyer-like entries and large windows offering unobstructed city views. “The simplicity is like a blank background that allows each guest to be the content in the room,” Eriksson says. Meanwhile, suites include canopy beds, glass-enclosed closets, in-bathroom saunas, and luxe wood-paneled sitting rooms.

Suites are outfitted with canopy beds and glass-enclosed closets

Uniting both the public and private spaces is a classic Scandinavian design sensibility with a predominantly neutral color palette and ample use of natural materials like wood and stone. The minimalist interiors are punctuated by colorful and graphic artwork by local artists. The lobby, for instance, features a rotating gallery wall with pieces by graffiti and street artists available for purchase. “The different artist collaborations give color and life to the interior, just like in a home,” she adds.

Works by local artists Linda Linko and Robert Lönnqvist hang in the ballroom

Guests can retreat to one of several intimate seating areas in the bar, which is decked out in a dark, moody color scheme, while the hotel’s third-floor restaurant, awash in shades of camel and cognac, “follows the same principles as the rest of the interiors,” says Eriksson. “[It’s] simple, timeless, and functional.”

The hotel’s third-floor restaurant is swathed in shades of camel and cognac

Hotel suites feature spacious seating areas