20 November 2025
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Legend has it that the devil celebrated his wedding atop a medieval merchant's house at 16 Rataskaevu Street in Tallinn's Old Town. Just steps away, a mermaid is said to control the historic Estonian capital’s water supply from her dwelling in an ancient well. Across the way, the Baltic's most celebrated Renaissance master, Michel Sittow, spent the final years of a career painting European royalty across the continent.
In the heart of these intertwining legends — mere meters from the devil’s wedding, the mermaid’s well and the painter’s home — sits the Burman Hotel and its intimate adjoining casino. The winner of MICHELIN Inspectors’ 2025 Opening of the Year Award, presented by United Overseas Bank (UOB), the hotel is historic in its own right. Having opened for the first time in 1850, it is among Tallinn’s oldest hotels. But after closing in 2021, four years passed until its doors would open again.
They finally did, revealing what might be the most luxe hotel in the Baltics: a place where guests have access to a private jet for shopping trips in European capitals, where hyperluxurious Amouage bath products stock its 17 rooms, and where mattresses — the same once found on the famous Orient Express — are handcrafted in Paris. A pillow menu includes stuffings that range from down feather to buckwheat, and a subterranean spa offers deep-tissue treatments and a Jacuzzi. MICHELIN Inspectors called the bathroom “stunning,” complete with spacious shower and electronic bidet.
But despite the amenities, it is the meticulous renovation that exemplifies the spirit of the award. Paying careful attention to an earlier renovation, executed by mid-19th-century Estonian architect and painter Karl Burman in 1930, the latest retains such features as Burman’s asymmetrical balconies and varied window boxes, innovations that were years ahead of their time. Interiors preserve the Burman’s legendary curved lobby staircase and its elegant wooden handlebar, while the most painstaking restoration of all was the century-old Estonian wood parquet floors, found in select Heritage Suites.
All this in a 17-room hotel, where staff remembers your name and how you take your coffee, and little things — like the lengthy handwritten welcome notes and daily weather forecasts — remind you of the benefits of a tiny hotel executed at the highest levels.
The effect is of a highly distinguished, complete hideaway from which to experience a city with an ever-growing appeal, one that remains relatively undiscovered despite featuring among the best-preserved medieval city centers in Europe. The Burman is a destination all its own, even more so with its MICHELIN-recommended Shang Shi and Koyo restaurants, not to mention Maison Francois — the on-site Belgian bakery — but it is also the very picture of a door to its setting, a perfectly designed hideaway from which guests discover every secret corner of this fascinating city.
Nuts & Bolts
A bite-sized breakdown of your most frequently asked questions about The Burman.
Who comes here?
Business travelers, leisure travelers, and those mixing the two. The hotel, with its ultra-luxury amenities, setting in the heart of Old Town, and intimate casino, makes this an appealing choice for any visitors to Tallinn — and a great fit for A-List guests in particular.
When’s the best time to visit?
While summer offers alfresco dining and coastal excursions, December reveals Tallinn's true magic — charming Christmas markets and vaulted-ceiling wine cellars that provide intimate refuge from winter's chill. The shoulder seasons in May and September offer the perfect balance of pleasant weather and fewer crowds.
What else is there to do in the area?
Besides the excellence of the medieval setting, at The Burman Hotel you’re literally steps from the Town Hall, Niguliste Church Museum and multiple viewing platforms with sweeping city views.
Best room for a couple?
It’s a hotel with the sense of privacy appreciated by any couple, but the hotel recommends the Kellalac Heritage Suite for couples in particular, a top-floor suite with a larger bathtub, bedroom and a separate living room.
What’s the spa experience like?
In short, lavish. Minimalist in design, the spa features a 43°C Japanese pool, hydromassage Jacuzzi, and a partnership with Biologique Recherche provides access to cutting-edge therapies.
What’s the ideal length of stay?
At least three nights. You’ll want to try both MICHELIN-recommended restaurants, enjoy multiple spa treatments, take guided tours of Old Town's hidden corners, and arrange day trips to places like Muhu Island for bird-watching or Estonia's pristine nature reserves.
What's the final word?
A luxe gem that’s more affordable than almost any comparable Two-Key hotel in the world. The Burman should put Tallinn on everyone’s radar for trips in 2026 and beyond.
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Hero image: The lobby at the Burman, with main staircase preserved from the original 1850 hotel. © The Burman
