The story

When the Finnish Holiday Association searched for a place for a holiday resort in Central Finland in 1948, “an area of ​​a particularly suitable holiday resort was found in Keuruu”. The magnificent lagoon of Keurusselkä’s Karpinlahti with its sandy beaches bathed in the sun, the back of the lake opening to the west bore far to the horizon.

The attitude of the Serlachius family was crucial for the Holiday Hotel to be born in Keuruu. As early as the 1870s, Gustaf Adolf Serlachius had admired Lake Keurusselkä and designed a waterway from Tampere to Keuruu. This did not materialize, but in 1948 the lands donated and leased to Holiday Association by R. Erik Serlachius laid the beginning for the development of tourism in the area.

There were enough skeptics for the project. “What’s the point of making a hotel in the wilderness, in the middle of the woods and by the lake?” Construction work progressed rapidly and Holiday Hotel Keurusselkä was inaugurated on 15 July 1949. The spacious two-storey building comprised 32 accommodation rooms, spacious social rooms and other necessary facilities. Immediately after opening, the holiday hotel was a really popular, scenic holiday destination.

The holiday hotel also established itself as a meeting place. Internationality was opened by the 1951 Tourism Conference, which was attended by more than 50 professionals from 8 countries. In 1952, a two-week, international Social Work Seminar was held with 62 participants from 15 countries.

The operations of the Holiday Association grew steadily and hotels were also acquired elsewhere in Finland. At the end of the 1970s, Lomaliitto received public support of FIM 3.3 million from the state budget and two million from RAY, a total of more than any other organization in Finland. With the money, about 4,000 families received a completely free vacation and 15,000 families received a substantial discount on their vacation.

As demand increased, the Holiday Hotel premises became too small.

The holiday association strongly believed that investing in a new hotel in Keuruu was worthwhile. In this way, more holidaymakers can be received and even large conferences can be held.

Mänttä’s paper lords again played a significant role when the expansion was planned. Additional plot land was required for construction, which was again purchased by G.A. from Serlachius Oy. In 1972, construction began on a new hotel building next to the Holiday Hotel, which expanded until 1977. The official opening of the new hotel and restaurant complex was held in April 1977. At the same time, the name was changed from Lomahotelli to Hotelli Keurusselkä.

A vibrant travel center for entertaining at work and in leisure

Hotel Keurusselkä’s reputation was phenomenal and the occupancy rate was really high. In extreme distress, even small group meeting rooms were harnessed for accommodation use.

The spectrum of meetings and conferences was huge: various seminars, talent days, planning days, election ceremonies, trainings, product launches… Versatile facilities indoors and outdoors were widely used by the groups. Customers consisted of almost all areas of society in Finland and internationally.

In 1986, the ship Elias Lönnrot was inaugurated, thus starting regular scheduled traffic. The ship of the same name sailed on Lake Keurusselkä as early as the end of the 19th century, and the novelty was hugely popular at the beginning.

Accommodation services diversified when the first phase of the Keurusharju cottage village was completed in 1991.

Many remember how there was a growd on the hotel’s dance floor every day of the week. Monday’s fast-paced evenings drew entertainment around the province, as the performers were Finland’s top names. Likewise, the summer grill and barbecue evenings on the terrace are a classic that is still talked about. The reputation of Keurusselkä chef’s pepper steak was unbeatable.

The holiday union’s finances practically relied entirely on Hotel Keurusselkä’s income throughout its operation. The association eventually owned seven hotels from Espoo to Ylläs and Kalajoki to Savonlinna, in addition to numerous campsites throughout Finland. The losses of all other resorts were paid from Keuruu. The economic equation was ultimately impossible and the Holiday Association went bankrupt in 2009.

Since June 2020, the original Lomahotelli est. 1949, Hotel Keurusselkä and Keurusharju holiday homes welcome you again. In total, the area offers accommodation in hotels for more than 200 people and in cottages for 180 people. Comfort, great natural surroundings and good services come as standard. Activities are offered from the nature’s silence to engaging sports, from cultural attractions to shopping.

The functionalistic Lomahotelli est. 1949 designed by architect Aulis E. Hämäläinen exudes authentic 50s elegance. Several of our guests have said they slept the best dreams of their lives right here. And if the building could speak, amazing stories would be told. It is known that presidents… politicians… singers… artists… adventurers… from both Finland and the world have enjoyed this sturdy stone house.

Hotel Keurusselkä offers the best pieces in both delicacies and entertainment. In summer, our terrace invites lovers of good food to enjoy the lake view; we continue to cook delicacies with charcoal, fire and grill heaters. Top performers bring their light to the darkening weekend nights of autumn. Several of them consider Keurusselkä to be one of the best venues in Finland.

But Keurusselkä in particular is known as a center for parties, events and meetings. We make it happen!