The name of the hotel, Break Sokos Hotels Himos, was announced on Monday, 17 June 2024, in connection laying the foundation stone. A time capsule was, in accordance with tradition, hidden in the building's foundation.

The official name of the hotel project was made public at the foundation stone event organized by Keskimaa Cooperative Society in Himos on 17 June 2024. The apartment hotel, to be completed by November 2025, will form part of Sokos Hotels, Finland's most trusted hotel chain.

– We are pleased that the construction of the apartment hotel complex at Himos has started as planned and on schedule. This project is the result of years of planning, and we can finally witness concrete progress as the foundations of the construction site begin to take shape. This is a historic moment for us and the fact that the apartment hotel complex we have built will form part of the Sokos Hotels hotel chain is naturally a bonus, Antti Määttä, CEO at Keskimaa Cooperative Society, reveals.

Invitees consisted of key actors and partners of the project from the early stages of construction. A time capsule for future generations, with information about the current society and the building itself, was hidden in the foundations. The cylinder, which was half a meter long and 12 centimeters wide, contained, among other things, daily newspapers, an S-Etukortti card, Himos lift tickets, the current currency in the form of coins, as well as information about the construction project.

Construction of the apartment hotel has proceeded on schedule. The piling work construction has been completed and ground and foundation works are underway. General contractor Lapti Oy has estimated that the total employment effect of the construction phase amounts to approximately 200 person-years.

− Construction on the site has started according to plan. The dry spring has contributed a dry construction site and the ground reinforcement work. The cooperation with the parties to the project has also been smooth, says Samuli Heino, Regional Director for Central Finland at Rakennusliike Lapti Oy.

The apartment hotel will be named Break Sokos Hotel Himos

The starting point for the design of the apartment hotel at Keskimaa Cooperative Society was creating an accommodation complex which considers the needs of customers staying in Himos. The slopes, first snow ski tracks, golf course, cycling routes and summer events can be reached on foot from the hotel. The cozy apartments will all feature 1–3 bedrooms, a kitchen-living room and a sauna. The complex will also include a 180-seat restaurant with great views of the slopes.

− After the construction decision, the design of the service concept also progressed rapidly, and discussions on adding a new type of apartment hotel under the Sokos Hotels brand could begin. In May, we received a positive response to our chain application, which means that we are now part of the chain, with an entirely new kind of concept. We will continue the development of the service concept of Break Sokos Hotel Himos in cooperation with the professionals of the Sokos Hotels chain, says Pasi Kunelius, Vice President, Tourism and Hospitality Business at Keskimaa Cooperative Society.

Sokos Hotels is Finland's most respected and responsible hotel chain, with 46 hotels in Finland and one in Tallinn. All hotels are located in city centers or leisure destinations with good transport connections.

– Himos is currently one of the most developed tourist areas and the project is a natural continuation of our significant investments in magnificent domestic tourist destinations such as Koli, Bomba and Tahko. The apartment hotel at Himos will form an excellent new kind of service package for our Break by Sokos Hotels hotel type. Today’s travellers are looking specifically for experiences, a break from everyday life, and opportunities to combine travel for work and leisure. We want to do our part to enable this also at new destinations, says Juha Helminen, Senior Vice President, SOK Travel and Hospitality Industry Chain Management.

The apartment hotel developers and employment effect

The architectural design of the Himos complex is the responsibility of Arkkitehtipalvelu Oy, the HVAC design is by Granlund Oy and the structural design by Sitowise Oy. The main contractor of the project is Rakennusliike Lapti Oy. The HVAC contractor is Caverion Suomi Oy and Honeywell Oy has been selected as the building automation contractor. Ramboll Finland Oy is responsible for the construction supervision of the site.

The preliminary interior design plans of the apartments and the restaurant are the work of interior architectural firm Franz Design Oy. Keskimaa Cooperative Society is investing approximately EUR 32 million in the project in total, including the property and furniture. The estimated employment impact of the project’s construction phase is 200 person-years.

More information:

Keskimaa Cooperative Society, Chairman and CEO Antti Määttä, antti.maatta@sok.fi, +358 10 767 3011

Keskimaa Cooperative Society, Vice President Pasi Kunelius, pasi.kunelius@sok.fi, +358 10 767 3060

Rakennusliike Lapti Oy, Regional Director Samuli Heino, samuli.heino@lapti.fi, +358 50 3888 507