My Stay at Tallinn’s Metropol Spa Hotel

On my fifth trip to Tallinn, I wanted to spend longer exploring the Estonian capital. I’ve been here multiple times on day trips from Helsinki, along with overnight trips. Each time I had stayed overnight in the past, I based myself in the Old Town. 

I wanted to change that this time, though, for two reasons. Firstly, I wanted to explore Tallinn’s other neighborhoods in more detail—such as Kalamaja and the Rotermann Quarter. Beyond that, I was visiting during the peak summer season. Rather than staying right in the Old Town and constantly dealing with crowds, I was on the lookout for something close enough but more peaceful.

Enter the Metropol Spa Hotel. 

Upon learning that I would be visiting Tallinn again, I was offered a room here. At first glance, it seemed to tick the boxes I was looking for; it’s close enough to the Old Town that you can see it from your room, but not right in the middle of everything. 

But does it live up to these expectations? Is it worth staying here, and would I stay here again? 

In this comprehensive review, I’ll share my full thoughts on Tallinn’s Metropol Spa Hotel—with original images from my stay. You’ll discover both the pros and cons, allowing you to make a more informed decision. 

I stayed at the Metropol Spa Hotel in Tallinn in exchange for a review. However, all views are my own. 

My First Impressions of Our Hotel Room

We had just spent a few weeks in Finland with my girlfriend’s family before arriving in Tallinn, so we took the ferry from Helsinki. After arriving in Estonia just after 9 pm, we made our way to the hotel. It was around 20 minutes away on foot and pretty easy to find. 

The hotel is in an orange building and right next to the Metropol Hotel, which is in a green building. I’ve gotten mixed up with hotels in previous cities, namely when I visited Uppsala in Sweden the summer before, so I’m glad that I clearly learned my lesson this time 😄. 

After arriving, we were checked in with no issues whatsoever. We had the Superior room, which has a view of the Old Town. I was amazed at how big the suite was… I’m talking bigger than our apartment in Copenhagen 🤣. 

We had two bathrooms, one of which had a shower. There was also a large living room area, and the balcony was huge, too. From the balcony, we had great views of many Tallinn landmarks, such as Alexander Nevsky Cathedral and St. Olaf’s Church. 

The bed itself was very comfortable, and we had blackout curtains, too. Since we visited in the summer, and it doesn’t get fully dark in the Estonian capital at this time, this was a huge plus. I’ve stayed in some places in Finland that do not have this, and let’s just say that trying to get some sleep is an uphill battle. 

The Location

The Metropol Spa Hotel is located in the Rotermann Quarter, which is one of my favorite districts in Tallinn. It’s full of trendy restaurants, including Stalker and Bruxx. The latter serves New Belgian cuisine and was the culinary highlight of our Estonia trip; I wrote about our experiences in a different article.  

In the Rotermann Quarter, you’ll find various shops, too. It’s a pretty lively district, and I also like that it’s very easy to get everywhere else in Tallinn on foot or by public transport. Besides various restaurants, you’ll find RØST—an excellent bakery—in this part of town. 

We spent most of our time in Tallinn in other districts, but when we needed to get to the Old Town, it couldn’t have been easier. Walking to Viru Gate, where the Old Town starts, took just under 10 minutes. 

Trying the Spa

Wellness is a big part of Estonian culture, and like neighboring Finland, you’ll find saunas dotted throughout the country. As a visitor, you don’t need to miss out on some relaxation, either. We went to the spa after a day of walking over 20,000 steps in 30ºC heat, and it was some welcome respite. 

The spa has multiple saunas of varying temperatures. Since we’re both used to Finnish saunas, we spent most of our time in the hotter one. There was a cold shower, too, so we could still do the hot/cold exposure—even though we didn’t have direct access to the nearby Baltic Sea. 

In addition to the saunas, we spent some time in one of the pools here. You’ll also find some deckchairs where you can relax with a drink if you want. 

The hotel has a fitness center, and you can also book massages for an additional fee. 

What Was Breakfast at the Hotel Like?

The hotel’s breakfast was pretty standard. One thing I did like, however, was that we could have Karelian pies. These are my favorite Finnish dish, so I was pleasantly surprised to see them offered in the Metropol Spa Hotel, too. I didn’t see these elsewhere in Estonia (we also went to Tartu), so it was good to have some more of them before continuing our trip. 

We also had the choice of cold cuts and hot food. Various cheeses, meats, and fish were in the cold section, while mushrooms, eggs, and more were served warm. There were also some sweets to choose from. 

The breakfast itself was okay, but I wasn’t staying here for breakfast, so I didn’t mind. We just wanted something to fuel ourselves before going out to explore Tallinn, and on this point, it did the job. 

What I Did and Didn’t Like

The main thing I liked about the hotel was its location. Like I mentioned earlier, I really did not want to stay right in the heart of the Old Town on this trip. Besides the noise, I knew I’d find it easier to make excuses to not explore other parts of Tallinn. At the same time, I didn’t want to be too far away from the city center. The Metropol Spa Hotel is an ideal middle ground, and since we also tried out the Tallinn Card on this trip, it was easy to reach many of the attractions included in this pass.

I also really liked the wellness facilities. Having multiple saunas was great after a long day of exploring Tallinn, and the swimming pool was a bonus. It was also cool that we had the option to order drinks here, had we wished to do so. 

The breakfast wasn’t amazing, but it was good enough for what we wanted. Other than that, I’d say that the elevators were a bit too slow for my liking. At busy times, it often took a while for these to arrive on our floor; I think that an extra one or two would be ideal. 

Final Thoughts

Overall, I was really happy with our stay at the Metropol Spa Hotel. It’s close enough to Tallinn’s Old Town for convenience, but at the same time, we weren’t right in the center of everything. The staff were friendly and helpful, and the district it’s in has lots of cool restaurants. We were also within easy walking distance of the ferry terminal, while the airport is a short public transport ride away. 

I would happily stay here again in the future, and if you’re visiting Tallinn, you should strongly consider doing so. Estonia’s capital might be a day trip for many, but it warrants a lot more of your time. The Metropol Spa Hotel is the ideal place to base yourself while exploring its many wonders.

A huge thank you to Metropol Spa for allowing me to stay. As mentioned earlier, all views are my own. If you’re ready to book, you can do so here. Use my code DANNY20 to get 20% off your stay when booking directly via the Metropol Spa Hotel website 🤠