This pre-planned closure is based on maintenance work and seasonal variations in the Koli area. During the closure, annual maintenance work will be carried out at the hotel.

– "Although Koli has been one of Finland’s busiest tourist destinations for years, the area’s tourist seasons fluctuate significantly. When Break Sokos Hotel Koli Kylä opened during Midsummer 2023, we anticipated that seasonal variations would mean that during the quietest times, the hotel might need to close temporarily for maintenance. During the absolute quietest periods, the Koli area has enough customers to sustain only one hotel. For this reason, we have decided to temporarily close Koli Kylä for maintenance. Break Sokos Hotel Koli in Upper Koli will remain open as usual, and its booking rate is strong," says Juha Kivelä, CEO of North Karelia Cooperative Society (PKO).

– "The temporary closure of Break Sokos Hotel Koli Kylä will not result in layoffs. Some staff members will have the opportunity to work at Break Sokos Hotel Koli in Ukko-Koli or at other PKO locations. Some employees will take their agreed annual leave. A total of 40 PKO employees work at Koli Kylä," says Satu Näsärö, Business Area Director at PKO.

– "A major cycling event will take place in Koli on May 24. Break Sokos Hotel Koli Kylä will reopen on May 19 to ensure that tourists attending the event and visiting the area receive excellent service," says Lauri Koukkunen, the hotel’s manager.

Break Sokos Hotel Koli Kylä opened in Koli village, near the hiking trails of the national park, on Midsummer’s Eve 2023. The atmosphere of the nature trails continues into the hotel, whose interior design draws inspiration from Koli's different seasons. The four-story village hotel has 130 rooms, two restaurants, a program service office, a physiotherapy reception, its own distillery, and a stylish sauna area. PKO invested over 20 million euros in the hotel’s construction, creating the equivalent of 340 person-years of employment for local contractors.

– "The investment in Break Sokos Hotel Koli Kylä is part of our tourism strategy for the Pielinen basin, which aims to double the number of tourists staying in the region by 2030. According to our vision, North Karelia will increasingly be seen as an alternative to Lapland," states Juha Kivelä, CEO of PKO.

Koli serves as a practical example of PKO's long-term efforts to develop the region's vitality. When the Finnish Tourist Association ceased its hotel operations in Koli in 1995, PKO recognized that developing Koli was crucial for the future of the entire region. Since 1996, PKO has leased the area from the Finnish state, developing Break Sokos Hotel Koli and the Ukko-Koli ski slopes according to sustainable tourism principles. The new Break Sokos Hotel Koli Kylä continues the development of tourism in Koli. Koli Kylä is the first hotel investment in the area in 50 years.

– "We are developing tourism in the Koli area in close cooperation with the Ministry of the Environment, Metsähallitus (the Finnish forest administration), the City of Lieksa, and Koli Tourism Ltd. From the perspective of responsible tourism, we wanted to build additional accommodation in Koli village rather than at the summit of Ukko-Koli, as this helps to distribute tourist flows more evenly across the area. Developing tourism in Koli is part of our vision to make North Karelia a better place to live. It also demonstrates that for the cooperative, a quarter lasts 25 years," says Kivelä.

The first hotel in Koli, and the only one until the opening of Koli Kylä, (now Break Sokos Hotel Koli) opened at the summit of Ukko-Koli in 1970. A tourist lodge had operated at that location since 1893.

For more information:

PKO, Business Area Director, Satu Näsärö, Tel. +358 10 762 2036