Finnish Eco-Agrotourism Association – ECEAT Finland

Sahanlahti Resort offers accommodation, restaurant services and tourism activities in the sawmill environment of Miettula, which dates back to the 18th century and has high cultural history value.

Some of the buildings, including the sawmill director’s official residence and working families’ homes, were constructed in the late 19th century during the operative period of the sawmill that spanned almost two centuries. The architecture of the more recent buildings was designed to fit in with the old sawmill village, however with modern details.

In Sahanlahti, accommodation is available in a small hotel, six villas and three outbuildings as well as two old working families’ homes:

HOTEL. The welcoming hotel with lake views offers ten hotel rooms and a meeting room for 60. The price includes a delicious breakfast made from the best local ingredients. The hotel’s reception, breakfast room, information point and shop are found in restaurant Koskivahti, where you can also book sports equipment.

VILLAS. The five villas of Sahankylä by the rapids are ideal for couples or small families. The villas are also popular with those travelling for business. All villas have a fully equipped kitchen, while some also have a sauna and a sleeping loft. You can plunge straight into the cool waters of Saimaa from your private dock. There is a barbecue shelter nearby. Restaurant Koskivahti can be reached along a wooden bridge leading across the small rapids. We also have a new villa with eight beds.

OUTBUILDINGS. The simplicity of accommodation in the traditional outbuildings charms the guests. The old log outbuilding contains three rooms. The bed linen, towels and breakfast at the hotel are included in the price.

JALLU’S HUT Jallu’s hut contains two working families’ homes which have been renovated and furnished respecting life in the past. The apartments in Jallu’s hut can accommodate at most five persons. The bed linen, towels and breakfast at the hotel are included.

CAMPING. You can also spend the night in your own tent, campervan or caravan.  Our camping ground has 60 pitches.

GUEST MARINA. The guest marina offers side-on and buoy docking. Electricity and water are provided in the marina. The overnight price includes access to toilets and showers and daily use of the sauna.

RESTAURANTS: The three artisan restaurants of Sahanlahti prepare their food from a scratch with seasonal produce. Local ingredients are used whenever possible.  In the summer season, 90% of the ingredients come from local producers. Organic and local foods are labelled on our buffet and in the menu. They also have designation of origin Saimaa labels.

Restaurant Koskivahti is open all year. Some of its wines, potatoes, beef for burgers, muesli, spelt flour and barley for the porridge served at breakfast are organic. Our shop sells spelt and malt bread, jams, juices, buckthorn muesli and much more. Local crafts are on sale in the lobby.

Summer Restaurant Rantamakasiini is suitable for large parties, or just dropping in for a Saimaa pizza. Pajapirtti restaurant with its open fire is also ideal for atmospheric private parties. Sahanlahti can organise occasions for 200 and meeting services for 100.

Surroundings and activities

From Sahanlahti Resort, ten kilometres of Lake Saimaa landscapes open out. The surroundings of the resort also feature the rapids, scenic shoreline cliffs and forests.

An old workers’ home contains a museum where you can see how the sawmill’s working families lived in the early 20th century. You can also immerse yourself in local history and stories in an escape room. The entrepreneurs will be happy to tell you more about the history of the site.

The enterprise also markets local tourism services’ environmentally friendly activity products, including yoga courses and sauna retreats. Sahanlahti is also a good starting point for the award-winning 60-km cycling route of Saimaa.

Other activities:

• guided tours in the local environment
• in winter, cross-country skiing, tour skating, kick-sleighs, old-fashioned sleigh carousel; in summer, surfing, supping and more
• fishing round the year
• boats, canoes, bicycles (also electric bikes), snowshoes and tour skates etc. available to rent
• sauna experiences: different types of saunas and a hot tub

Directions

• Train: Mikkeli, 60 km. Travel centre with a railway station and bus station side by side. For train connections, see VR’s site.
• Bus: Sahanlahti, 200 m. Recommendation: take a train to Mikkeli and change to a bus at the travel centre.  For timetables see the website of Puumala Municipality.
• Motorists/cyclists: Sahanlahti is located on Trunk Road 62. When arriving from Mikkeli direction, the scenic road of Lietvesi charms visitors.
• Free parking. If you only wish to go for a hike, we recommend the parking area of Sahankylä holiday village. Electric connection points in winter. Free charging point for electric vehicles for our guests.

Opening times and prices

Open: round the year. Advance booking.

Prices:

• single room EUR 80 to 100, double room EUR 110 to 139.
• tent, campervan and caravan pitch/night: EUR 23, electrical connection EUR 5/day.
• breakfast is usually included. Breakfast only EUR 18
• lunch EUR 27, dinner from EUR 28
• for details of the prices, check the company’s website

Our actions for the environment

• a Guide to responsible tourism is available in the accommodation rooms and on our website
• we take landscape values into consideration when managing the environment. Some areas have been left untouched to foster biodiversity.
• we require our partners who organise tourism activities to commit to ensuring the welfare of the environment. Ready-made trails are used.
• we use rain and lake water for the plants in our yard. The staff are familiarised with saving water.
• we only rent environmentally friendly means of transport.
• we encourage our guests to travel emission free by sharing information about nature sites and physical activities in the local area.

Cultural actions:

• the buildings on the culturally valuable site are partly protected by the Finnish Heritage Agency. The old buildings are serviced and maintained actively, following the Finnish Heritage Agency’ protection regulations and respecting the history of the old sawmill.
• when constructing the newer buildings, the architecture of the old sawmill environment was taken into consideration.  This has ensured a uniform look in the area.
• the old buildings are painted with red ochre.
• we provide information about the area’s cultural history on our guided tours.
• in Sahanlahti, visitors can familiarise themselves with the life and stories of Elsa Heporauta, an author who was born here. Both the jewellery business Kalevala Koru and Kaleva Women’s Association were founded on her initiative. In summer 2022, Sahanlahti open air theatre shows a play about Elsa Heporauta’s life.

Future

• the company is involved in Saimaa Coop, which creates preconditions for enterprising and promotes cooperation in Saimaa area. The entrepreneurs are developing a bicycle rental network in Puumala. Sahanlahti manages the network’s business together with other entrepreneurs.
• we engage in closer cooperation with other local entrepreneurs through the business group project Four seasons in Puumala.
• we participate in developing sustainable tourism in Visit Finland’s Sustainable Travel Finland programme.
• we will continue to look after and maintain the buildings on the site.