Kolbe, Kämp - The Hotel and its City

Hotel Kämp, located beside Helsinkis downtown Esplanade Park, is inseparably bound up with the history of Finland and its capital. Artists, writers, and composers from Finlands late-19th century Golden Age found inspiration at its tables, along with countless other cultural and political figures helping to shape the new republic. Its private dining rooms have witnessed intense discussions on Finlands very future, and its plush bedrooms and suites have played host to international stars from the 1890s right through to today. Kämps long history has seen many transformations to Finland and to Helsinki, but some things remain unchanged: peoples desire to meet one another in convivial surroundings and travellers needs to find a comfortable bed for the night in an unfamiliar town. Professor Laura Kolbes book about Kämp describes life inside the walls of a luxury grand hotel that became a cultural artefact. At the same time, it is a narrative of the city around it and of the impact on the hotel itself of changes in Finnish society down the years.