Media release 22.2.2024

The goal of the renovations is to meet evolving customer expectations and improve the suitability of the hotel for various customer groups. The hotel will not be expanded during the renovations, so only the existing premises of the hotel property will be affected.

“The renovation will provide us with more rooms in the Superior class, as their demand has increased the most of all the room classes in recent years. Similarly, we will have significantly more rooms suitable for accommodating four people, which are favoured by families and sports groups. Our hotel has always been known for its excellent service and high customer satisfaction. With this renovation, we want to ensure this continues in the future, as well,” says hotel manager Tiina Rimpiläinen.

The focus areas of Osuuskauppa Maakunta in the travel industry and hospitality business are competence development, improving employee and customer experience, and growth and partnerships. “Vuokatti is the flagship of tourism in Kainuu, and it is now growing and developing well. We want to be part of this growth and use this investment and continuous operational development to ensure our hotel is attractive for both our customers and our partners,” says business director Pasi Tolonen.

PARTNERSHIP WITH FRANZ DESIGN

The drivers behind the renovation are sustainability, ease, comfort and adaptability to the seasons. The project’s design partner is Franz Design Oy.

“Throughout the design process, we worked in close cooperation with the hotel’s representatives, who gave us direct and valuable information about the hotel’s practices and requests from customers. With these methods, our goal was to create a functional and rich customer experience tailored to Break Sokos Hotel Vuokatti’s customers, while also ensuring the important functionalities of the premises from the employees’ perspective. Our design was greatly inspired by the property’s surroundings and beautiful tall pine forest, which will now also be reflected in the tones, shapes and even the lighting of the interior design. The appearances of the different room classes will use different tones and materials, which brings something new to every stay at the hotel. The natural landscape visible from the balconies and the rooms’ big windows is absolutely a part of every space at this hotel,” says the head of the Franz design team, interior architect Johanna Alaraasakka.

A BETTER CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, RESPONSIBLY

The hotel property’s building systems have been examined as part of the renovations. “In 16 years, technology has improved quite a lot. The measures related to building systems will include a system scale assessment and modernisations to improve functionality and energy efficiency. This will include adjusting the heating network, examining the ventilation and cooling simulations (increasing efficiency), and the building automation system controlling the building systems will be entirely overhauled,” says property manager Keijo Tuikka.

Responsibility and sustainability have been visible in all the design work. “Right from the beginning there has been a clear and shared view that we are not going to demolish everything in the name of change. As such, some of the functional frame structures of the existing furnishings will be left in place and updated for the present day by giving them new surfaces. The changes to the look of the rooms is going to be striking, and naturally, we have considered the long-term durability in our choices for new materials. Also, the lighting in the renovated areas will be modernised to be more energy-efficient. Sustainability is in the DNA of our designs and the Sokos Hotels chain, so it’s great to be able to make such a big investment in it in practice,” says Franz’s Johanna Alaraasakka.

“Our hotel has already held the Green Key certificate and the Sustainable Travel Finland (STF) label for years. With our personnel, we want to continue our journey of developing sustainability in our daily work. It’s great to see the positive development this renovation brings to the entire hotel property, so that we can enable even more sustainable travel,” says hotel manager Tuula Seppänen. After the renovation, floor attendance employees will have more space to work with on the second floor, which will make floor attendance work smoother in the future. “The increased amount of fixed beds in the rooms will also make work more efficient, particularly during the family holiday seasons,” says Tuula.

WORK STARTS IN APRIL, HOTEL OPEN FOR THE WHOLE RENOVATION PERIOD

The renovation work will be done in stages from April 2024 onwards in such a way that the hotel’s day-to-day operations are disturbed as little as possible. The completion target is February 2025 The budget for the renovation investment is around 4.5 million euros.

Break Sokos Hotel Vuokatti after the renovation:

• 144 renovated hotel rooms (numbers by room class: 89 Standard rooms, 45 Superior rooms, 4 Su-periorX rooms and 6 Suites) and 36 holiday apartments, total capacity of 600 beds
• Restaurants Amarillo and Kippo
• Renovated meeting facilities for 5–150 people, 110-seat auditorium, breakfast room Hella
• New sauna facilities for hotel guests on the second floor
• Gym
• Beach sauna built with logs and the Kammi experience space on the shores of Lake Särkinen

Further information:

Tiina Rimpiläinen
general manager
Tel. +358 10 7636 015
tiina.rimpilainen@sok.fi

Pasi Tolonen
business director, travel and hospitality
Tel. +358 10 7636 005
pasi.tolonen@sok.fi