Home » Bella Lake Resort wants to stand out from the crowd

Bella Lake Resort wants to stand out from the crowd

9.2.2024

The opening lake view from the Bella Lake Resort suites surprises visitors. The specialty of the newly opened travel company is its 18 suites on the shore of Lake Kalalvesi, each with its own pier. The company collaborates with various partners to assemble different service packages.

Resort manager Sanni Kemiläinen lists customer-centricity and customer-driven approaches as key factors for the Bella Lake Resort’s success. They aim to stand out from the crowd.

“We are close to the customer. We can meet their needs and serve them with quality from the beginning to the end of their visit, as the reception and breakfast pavilion are in the same place as the suites. Our motto is that everything is possible,” Kemiläinen summarizes.

As a small company, they have also been able to listen to customer feedback and make small changes to the fresh suites based on it.

Unique destination

The adjacent Tourist Center Saana is a natural partner for the hotel, especially for spa and restaurant services. Both were founded by Raimo Sonninen, also known as Bellanranta’s patriarch. He describes the hotel as a unique destination unlike any other in Finland.

“Each suite has its own pier for swimming in the summer and skiing or outdoor activities in the winter. The suites are built so that you cannot see the other terraces from your own,” Sonninen describes.

The hotel is located two kilometers from downtown Kuopio but still close to nature. It is situated in an old industrial area, Bellanranta. Thanks to the adventure and activity services that have emerged there, visitors have plenty to experience.

Variety and experience in hotel tourism

The hotel began four years ago when Sonninen felt that Bellanranta needed accommodation in addition to other services. He contacted the then owner of Hotel Savonia, Tatu Naamanka, and the collaboration began. Naamanka now serves as the hotel’s CEO. His daughter, Sanni Kemiläinen, and her team run the operational activities.

“You never get tired of these views! It is a joy to work here, and the encounters have been great. Many who visited in winter have expressed a desire to come back in the summer when the suites offer a different view. People crave variety and experience in hotel tourism, which we provide,” Kemiläinen assesses.

The hotel also targets international travelers, but with the rise of lake tourism, there has been ample demand from domestic tourists as well. International customers particularly appreciate the purity of nature and the safety of the environment.

Area operators support each other

According to Kemiläinen, a new tourism company can go a long way by networking. The community helps if problems arise, and it is also enjoyable to develop various service packages for customers together. The Bellanranta Association, established a year ago, brings together area operators. The Northern Savo Lake Tourism project also connects local businesses.

“We are currently working on packages where accommodation can be combined with experiences,” Kemiläinen plans.

She finds it nice to notice that players in the same industry support each other in the Kuopio area and are not seen as competitors. Everyone benefits from this, and customers get a variety of experiences at the same time.

Bella Lake Resort Home Page

Text: Minna Akiola
Photos: Bella Lake Resort