Kolin Mattila B&B

This is not a hotel, and when you set out on a trip with an open mind, the experience is a positive one. A peaceful rural idyll with chickens and sheep, located near a national park. The rooms have beds, an outdoor toilet, and access to a shared sauna.

Kolin Keidas is a very different style of accommodation! Great location in the national park - it’s literally on the trails - and ten minutes walk to the main road, where there’s a couple of food places, a pub, a supermarket etc…. We stayed in the old building which has four rooms for use in summer. Two up and two down. The room was basic. One single bed and a bunk bed. A small dressing table, lamp, fan/heater and a plug socket. That’s it. Our room was up a very steep flight of stairs. This would definitely be an issue for some less mobile people. It was the only room with a window, which was great, except there was no blind or curtain, and it was midsummer! We had to cover the window as best we could with a sheet. The kitchen in the main building was ok for making simple food, but the fridge was packed, so not a place to arrive with lots of groceries. Breakfast was included in the rate. It was great. Perfect before a day’s hiking. The sauna was awesome. As other people have said, it really is the stand out feature of the property. We had a 45 minute session to ourselves. Drawbacks: The mosquitoes, flies and other biting insects were a total pain. They really affected our enjoyment unfortunately. Wifi is poor - it only works in the main building, so of limited use to us. The bathroom situation isn’t good - there are two compost toilets in a separate block for everyone to use. This is ok, but that’s all there is. No bathroom or shower. There are bowls of water in the sauna for washing but it didn’t seem appropriate to be using soap in there, and this was only in the evening. Nowhere to wash in the morning. And nowhere to brush teeth. I asked the owner and she told me to use the kitchen sink. This really didn’t feel right when others were using it! Our stay would have been enhanced by some clearer instructions. Because of the property’s eco credentials, there’s nowhere to wash clothes. For more than an overnight stay, these things would definitely become a problem. With a bit of thought and not very much work, these obstacles could be overcome then it really would be a great place to stay for more than a night. But for an overnight stay, it was fantastic!