The family-owned Sahanlahti Resort is located on the shore of Lake Saimaa in Puumala, in a sawmill milieu of cultural and historical value. At Sahanlahti, guests and the area are looked after with the dignity they deserve.
We care for the environment
The culturally and historically unique sawmill environment by Lake Saimaa and its modern facilities are carefully maintained.
The company’s buildings are made from Finnish timber, a renewable and sustainable building material. Some of the cottages are located in areas in their natural state.
The company’s facilities are partly heated with renewable energy (about 1/3 of the buildings are heated with bioenergy and air-source heat pumps). We keep the temperatures in empty rooms and cottages low. This way, we don’t waste energy unnecessarily.
We sort and recycle mixed, bio, glass, and metal waste. We also encourage our customers to do the same.
We use only environmentally friendly detergents for cleaning and laundry. We also aim to use fabric napkins in our restaurant and fabric seating protection in our saunas.
We prefer local
Supporting the local economy is important to us. We are happy to tell our customers about the services offered by entrepreneurs in Puumala. By recommending and using the services of local businesses, we support local entrepreneurs.
Our full-time employees are local and from neighbouring municipalities. We employ 35 people during the high season. This is how we keep our region vibrant.
Restaurant
Located in the old sawmill manager’s residence, Koskivahti Restaurant’s menu consists of fresh, high-quality ingredients from small-scale producers and fishermen in the area. Depending on the harvest season, natural ingredients such as berries and mushrooms are also used to highlight the region’s food culture. Local food producers are featured on the menu and are also highlighted on the local map on the restaurant wall.
The restaurant’s menu uses pure, high-quality Designation of Origin Saimaa (D.O Saimaa) labelled ingredients. D.O. Saimaa is Finland’s first regional quality and origin label. For these products, ‘good’ means not only high quality and responsibility, but also a positive impact on the environment, culture, and the vitality of the region. D.O. Saimaa’s origin-labelled products are a good choice both ethically and for the local community.
Sahanlahti Resort is one of the four companies in the Saimaa Gastronomy network. The network’s food weekends, based on clean local ingredients and seasonal produce, won the ‘Best Food Tourism Product in Finland 2019’ award.
The four companies in the Saimaa Gastronomy network; Sahanlahti Resort, Hotel Punkaharju, TeaHouse of Wehmais, and Tert Manor, form an attractive thematic package based on the strengths of the region, from which it is easy for a tourist to choose the one they like or to create packages or tour components to suit different needs. Each company is family-owned. The companies are located in different parts of the Saimaa region, giving it a diverse representation. Their business model includes not only locally produced food products, but also the employment of local businesses. Saimaa Gastronomy food weekends offering a variety of activities and local food are organised outside the busiest summer season. Saimaa Gastronomy is an excellent example of cooperation between companies.
Finland’s Best Food Tourism Product 2019
Hungry from Finland jury
We respect local culture and traditions
Sahanlahti Resort is located in the culturally and historically significant and valuable milieu of the Miettula sawmill, founded in the 1700s. Sahanlahti is also the birthplace of Elsa Heporauta, the founder of the Kalevala jewellery brand and the Kalevala Women’s Association. The entrepreneurial couple cherishes the old sawmill buildings by restoring and maintaining them. The newer buildings in the area have been built to complement the old milieu. Some of the old buildings in the area serve as museums, showcasing local history. The sawmill museum’s escape room is based on the stories and history of the sawmill.
The Finnish sauna tradition was inscribed on UNESCO’s List of Intangible Cultural Heritage on 17 December 2020. At Sahanlahti, you can get to know the Finnish sauna tradition. We have an electric sauna, a smoke sauna, and a traditional wood-heated sauna. As a winter speciality, we have an ice sauna built from ice from Lake Saimaa.
The power of cooperation
Sahanlahti Resort has been involved in several business group projects to develop tourism in the Puumala area together with other entrepreneurs in the area. The company is also a member of the Saimaa Coop, which aims to create conditions and promote good cooperation in the Saimaa region. The entrepreneurs of the cooperative are developing an electric bike rental network in Puumala, which Sahanlahti is responsible for operating together with other entrepreneurs.
We take care of nature
At Sahanlahti, non-motorised mobility is encouraged by sharing information about nearby nature sites and muscle-powered activities. We are happy to rent out recreational equipment to our customers for this purpose.
Sahanlahti Resort is also involved in the protection of ringed seals. The Saimaa ringed seal is a native species that occurs only in the Saimaa region. It is classified as critically endangered. The Saimaa ringed seal is a species of special conservation concern under the Nature Conservation Decree and is designated as a species in need of protection under the EU Habitats Directive.
All are welcome to join us
We treat our employees, our guests, and the residents of our region with equality and respect, regardless of their background. We take people’s specific needs into account in our work. We train, guide, and encourage our staff to act responsibly.
Prizes
Sahanlahti was awarded as the South Savo Food Tourism Business of the Year 2014 and the Guest Marina of the Year 2015 in the Vuoksi watercourse. The Finnish Tourist Association SMY chose Sahanlahti as the top destination for domestic tourism in 2019.
