Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection, in Tallinn, Estonia [In-Depth Review]

My friend and I planned a multi-destination Scandinavian adventure originating in Helsinki, Finland. This gave us a few possibilities for other countries to travel to, but none is perhaps closer or more convenient than the Baltic state of Estonia. Its capital, Tallinn, is a quick, affordable ferry ride from Helsinki. Its airport is also well-connected to the rest of Europe through low-cost carrier AirBaltic.

With Tallinn settled as our second destination, the challenge was on to secure a bed for the night. Learn why we picked Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection, what amenities the hotel offers, and whether it’s worth staying at when you stop in Estonia’s capital.

Booking Hotel Telegraaf

There aren’t many points-oriented hotels in Tallinn Old Town, but Marriott’s Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection, caught my eye because of its central location. The hotel is priced at the high end of the range for 5-star hotels in the area, mirrored by the nearby Schlössle Hotel, an SLH hotel (bookable through Hilton Honors).

Because I had a stash of OneKeyCash to work with, I booked a Comfort Room, 2 Twin Beds, Non Smoking (Courtyard View) on Hotels.com for $145 total, including taxes and fees. This rate was just slightly above the direct Marriott.com rate. Points redemptions weren’t attractive, as they required more than 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points for the night, meaning I’d get less than 0.5 cents per point in value (what we value Marriott Bonvoy points at).

I redeemed $80 in OneKeyCash earned through Hotels.com price matches and completed stays. I charged the balance to my Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card to earn 2x Ultimate Rewards points. I also earned $1.30 OneKeyCash for the stay.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome Offer

Earn 60,000 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

60,000 75,000 points

UP's Offer Valuation*:

$1,500

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.74% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.

Good to Excellent

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
• 3x points on dining purchases, online grocery purchases, and select streaming services
• 2x points on all other travel worldwide

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

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Card Highlights

• Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
• Enjoy benefits such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases
• Earn up to $50 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays through Chase Travel℠
• 10% anniversary points boost - each account anniversary you'll earn bonus points equal to 10% of your total purchases made the previous year.
• Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
• Complimentary DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees & lower service fees for a min. of one year when you activate by 12/31/27. Plus, a $10 promo each month on non-restaurant orders.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.74% - 27.99% Variable
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

If you have elite status or care strongly about earning hotel loyalty points, booking directly with the hotel is best. I have Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite status as a benefit of the Marriott Bonvoy Business^® American Express^® Card, which doesn’t typically reward me generously during stays. Because the room’s cash cost was low, I wouldn’t have earned a ton of points, so I put more value on redeeming my OneKeyCash than earning any Marriott Bonvoy benefits on the stay.

Hot Tip:

Double-dipping on hotel reservations is one of my favorite ways to earn extra cash-back! On this reservation, I earned nearly $13 thanks to a RetailMeNot offer of 10% cash-back.

Location of Hotel Telegraaf

We arrived in Tallinn via a 2-hour $47 Tallink ferry from Helsinki. We missed our $23 Eckerö Line ferry by a few minutes and opted to take the next available ferry, but that’s another story for another day. Hotel Telegraaf is an easy 20-minute walk from the ferry terminal, but we opted for an Uber, which cost $5 with a tip.

Should you arrive at Tallinn Airport (TLL), the journey takes about 15 minutes by car (a Bolt ride-share from the hotel to the airport cost us $10 with a tip). Several bus lines, including the 2, 15, 135C, and 138, also connect the airport with Tallinn Old Town for €2 ($2) in under 30 minutes.

The hotel is incredibly well-located in Tallinn Old Town. We found everything we wanted to visit within easy walking distance, such as Tallinn Town Hall, the 15th-century Kiek in de Kök Fortifications Museum, Alexander Nevsky Cathedral, and Linnahall. Plenty of restaurants and grocery stores are also nearby.

Hotel Telegraaf opened in 2007, though the original building was constructed in 1878. The property has a striking gray façade amongst its colorful neighbors.

Speaking of neighbors, the surrounding area, with its cobblestone streets and historic buildings, felt like walking through a fairy tale (particularly with a fresh dusting of snow). No wonder Tallinn makes our ultimate guide to Christmas markets in Europe!

Checking In

Entering at street level, you must take the stairs or a wheelchair lift up 1 level to the main lobby. The check-in desk is immediately to the left.

We arrived around 1 p.m., and I was pleased that our room was already available. With the room prepaid through Hotels.com, we were handed our keys, given a quick tip about breakfast timing and cost, and pointed toward the elevators.

Lobby

The lobby was fun to walk through. The mix of patterns, textures, and colors created a chic atmosphere. There was also an abundance of seating options for groups of all sizes.

Symphony Lounge

A side room akin to a parlor was on the other side of the lobby. This space had even more seating and could also be reserved for meetings, events, or private dining.

Comfort Room, 2 Twin Beds

My friend and I took the elevator to our room on the third floor and then had to take a ramp or stairs to a slightly higher level. The grade of the ramp seemed a touch steep, and the width was a bit narrow by U.S. standards, so guests with mobility concerns may want to request a room that does not require ramp access.

Our room 303 was in a corner paired behind another door with room 304.

The room looked nearly identical to the pictures shown online and featured 2 twin beds with padded fabric covers over the wooden headboards.

Both nightstands had identical silver lamps, and the left side had a traditional clock.

Light controls and a Type F outlet were next to each side of the bed (if you forget a travel adapter, they are available by request at the front desk). Note that there were no USB-A or USB-C outlets in the room.

I love a good pillow menu, and if the standard pillow didn’t meet your satisfaction, you could call housekeeping to request a pillow made from foam, cherry stone, horse hair, down, or a feather-free one.

The hardwood floors were arranged in a herringbone pattern accented by a rug next to the bed.

Next to the window was a red accent chair and a small table with 2 complimentary bottles of water.

Our “courtyard view” was basically over neighboring properties and parking lots. The view improved greatly after a night of snowfall.

Along the wall opposite the beds was a desk with a mirror, a luggage rack, a minibar, and a flat-screen television.

The desk had a padded armless chair, a phone, stationery, and a kettle with instant coffee and tea.

Next to the desk was a luggage rack and a cabinet containing the minibar and glassware. The pricing menu can be found here. A QR code next to the remote led to a file with details about the property.

A small closet was near the entry door and held standard items like a shoe kit, hair dryer, flashlight, safe, iron and ironing board, and 2 sets of slippers. The safe had one of my favorite features — an outlet for charging devices within the safe. The vertical hanging rod was awkward for our winter coats. The price list for laundry and dry cleaning can be found here.

Across from the closet was a full-size mirror, ideal for last-minute checks when leaving the room.

Bathroom

The bathroom was next to the left side of the bed. Two robes were hanging on the door.

The space was compact but functional, and I immediately appreciated the heated tile floors. Demure guests may want to be mindful of the bathroom art, which showcased vintage nude pin-ups.

The vanity had plenty of space for our toiletries. The hand wash and lotion were from Collection Lalique and had a powerful scent; guests were advised that there was a €30 ($34) charge for taking a bottle home. The small collection of amenities included a wooden comb, a shower cap, and a vanity set.

The tub had a fixed glass partition that covered about a third of the space closest to the showerhead. In my experience, this tends to result in a flood of water everywhere but in the shower, but I’m pleased to report that the floor stayed quite dry. The shower had a rainfall-style showerhead on a handheld wand. Mounted bath amenities from Collection Lalique included shampoo, conditioner, and body wash.

Amenities

Pool and Spa

After enjoying our spa experience at Hotel St George, Helsinki, a Member of Design Hotels, the previous night, my friend and I were looking forward to checking out the pool and spa at Hotel Telegraaf. To access the spa, guests take the elevator to the second floor, turn left, and walk down a set of stairs. I did not ask if a service elevator was available, but it appeared that the spa was not accessible for those with mobility concerns.

The pool and sauna were open from 3 to 10 p.m. during our stay, though they open at 8 a.m. Friday through Sunday. The spa’s treatment hours are noon to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday through Sunday. A menu with services and pricing is available here.

The spa had changing rooms with showers, a steam bath, a sauna, a hot tub, and a heated pool. We visited at night, around 9 p.m., and I really enjoyed repeatedly bouncing between the sauna and pool.

The hot tub’s jets were quite aggressive, and the temperature was too cool for my liking. A small outdoor courtyard was nearby.

As the night inched closer toward closing time, the receptionist removed the complimentary water and made us feel it was time to wrap up and head out.

Hot Tip:

The hotel does not have a fitness center, but guests can access the gym at Kalev Spa, a 5-minute walk away, free of charge. Guests can also request items like a yoga mat or dumbbells to be delivered to the room.

Business Center

A desktop computer was available for guest use in the lobby.

Wi-Fi

The hotel’s Wi-Fi network was easy and stable to connect to, and the speeds were adequate.

Parking

The hotel has a secured underground parking lot with a nightly rate of €30 ($34). Electric cars can be charged for an additional €10 ($10), and electric bikes can be charged free of charge.

Pet Friendly

The hotel allows 1 pet per room and charges a €40 ($45) pet fee per night. It can provide a pet bed and dishes.

Food and Beverages

Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky is the hotel’s primary restaurant, serving French, Russian, and Estonian-influenced cuisine. Breakfast is served Monday through Friday from 7 to 11 a.m. and until 11:30 a.m. on the weekends for €25 ($28) for the buffet (an à la carte menu is also available). The restaurant also serves lunch and dinner, closing at 11 p.m. nightly.

We did not have breakfast included in our rate and planned to grab a bite at the airport lounge, but the hostess let me have a quick peek at what was on offer. The buffet started with fresh whole fruit, pickled vegetables and fish, fresh vegetables, cold cuts, and cheeses.

Cut pineapple, melon, yogurts, juices, and water were available.

The bread display had sliced bread, pastries, cakes, and spreads. Also in this space were cereals with milk, small cookies, raisins, and nuts.

Hot dishes included scrambled eggs, boiled eggs, boiled potatoes, cottage cheese pancakes, regular pancakes, pork sausages, bacon, meatballs, fried mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes.

Lobby Bar

The lobby bar is open daily from noon to midnight. It serves drinks and a full menu.

Summer Terrace

A seasonal summer terrace is open from May to September. Its hours are Tuesday to Sunday from noon to 11 p.m. and Mondays from 1 to 11 p.m.

Room Service

Room service can arrange breakfast via an order placed before 3:30 a.m. A lunch and dinner menu is offered daily from noon to 10:30 p.m. A service charge of €10 ($11) applies.

Service

We had a great check-in experience from someone who was happy to get us settled in early and inform us about the property and its timings. Similarly, the hostess at Tchaikovsky was happy to let me have a look at the buffet.

Our only other direct interaction with staff was in the spa. The first woman who allowed us to tour the pool before it opened was a bit cold, and that sentiment was echoed later by the closing staff member, who was clearly ready for us to leave so she could call it a night.

Final Thoughts

Hotel Telegraaf, Autograph Collection, is one of the most expensive properties in Tallinn Old Town, but is it worth the higher nightly rates compared to a local hotel?

Considering my friend and I spent less than 24 hours in Estonia, the location was superb for efficiently touring everything we wanted to see in Tallinn. We could quickly and cheaply access the hotel from the ferry port (and then onward to the airport), and all of the major sites were within easy reach on foot. Having a sauna and indoor pool to access in the middle of a snow flurry was also a treat.

If earning or redeeming Marriott Bonvoy points is important to you, you’d like to utilize your Marriott Bonvoy elite benefits, or you’re after the quality you’ve come to expect from the Marriott brand, you won’t be disappointed by Hotel Telegraaf.