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Wine in the Woods

The historic Hotel Punkaharju, established in 1845 and located in Finland’s national landscape, is a phenomenon experienced by all senses, a place where love for the forest and lake nature combine with art and culture. The Punkaharju hotel ensemble consists of three main areas: the Main building, Villa Keisarinna and the Forest Rooms down by the lake. Main Building features 11 hotel rooms: 2 single rooms, 2 twin rooms, 6 double rooms and a suite. Villa Keisarinna features 9 hotel rooms: 5 double rooms and 4 suites, a meeting cabinet and the hair salon Hilda Holm. All rooms are well-appointed, the uniquely decorated rooms offer high-quality accommodation all year round. The forest cabins (13) are located right by the Lake Saimaa, nestled in the woods of Punkaharju esker, about 500 meters down from the hotel. The Forest rooms are available during summertime and allow you to experience a night amidst nature. Hotel Punkaharju provides guided activities for each of the four seasons: sauna yoga, mushroom and wild herb excursions, forest bathing, guided trips to the ridge area or in the nearby arboretum, yoga courses, art classes of Johanna Oras guided trip just to mention few examples. Hotel’s equipment rental service offers bikes, SUP-boards, canoes, rowing boats, tennis rackets and balls, yoga mats and snowshoes. Hotel’s own activity guide is available for both groups and individual visitors upon prior arrangement. The hotel is run by Saimi Hoyer (née Nousiainen) who has a well-established reputation as one of Finland’s first and most successful supermodels. Saimi is also available for groups, and she will gladly host a tour at the hotel or lead you on a mushroom hunting trip to nearby forests. Alternatively, she can tell you stories about her life as an entrepreneur and a model or offer some excellent tips on how to be an inspirational speaker. The Hotel’s beautiful lakeside sauna is just a short walk away from the Main Building. It comfortably fits 10 people. A sauna in the morning is included in the room price during the summer season and the sauna and the hot tub at the sauna can be booked for private use as well. Restaurant Punkaharju, located in the Main Building, has a seating capacity of 120. During summer, the outdoor terrace offers additional seating up to 70 people. Restaurant Punkaharju celebrates rich local culinary traditions with a modern twist. Local producers and natural ingredients play a key role in Hotel Punkaharju’s Restaurant menus. Talented kitchen team create delicious and imaginative dishes using organic ingredients sourced from local producers and Saimaa lake nature: fresh fish from the fishermen and Lake Saimaa, meat and vegetables from the local farms, and wild herbs, berries and mushrooms picked the same day from nearby forests by our trusted gatherers. Organic herbs from our herb garden are also used to season the dishes of our restaurant. A breakfast buffet is served daily in the restaurant. Lunch and dinner are also served within hotel’s opening hours and the Hotel Bar at the entrance to the restaurant serves drinks and coffee.