Naava Resort

At the start of July, Naava chalet 103 was definitely over 30°C. By the time we arrived at 4 pm, the curtains were open and the sun had been beating into the room all day. It felt like a greenhouse. The room hadn’t been cleaned, the awning didn’t work, and there was no fan. To get any sleep downstairs, we had to leave the terrace door open overnight. For €300 a night, I’d expect air conditioning.

The location and rooms deserve five stars. The facilities were clean, the rooms were nice, and you could see the lake even from the lowest floor. Ähtäri Zoo and a new restaurant are within walking distance. We heard a lot of banging in our room, apparently from changes being made to the upstairs layout, though luckily it didn’t continue until midnight. The information boards were incomplete, with clear directions only for rooms in the 200 series. The booking confirmation should have said where to collect the keys, and at this price I expected the children’s bed to be made up.

The views are great, and the location across from the zoo is convenient. Everything feels luxurious, but it would help to have instructions for the equipment in the rooms. For example, people might not spot the sauna timer, which is down near floor level beside the first staircase. We couldn’t find any air conditioning in the room. There was some in the outdoor corridors.

We stayed at a villa called Laaka. It was clean and high quality, with good beds, a sauna, and washing facilities. Towels and bed linen were provided. A couple of things brought the rating down: the jacuzzi water hadn’t been changed between guests, and it seemed the oven, cooker hood, and grill hadn’t been cleaned in a long time. Be prepared for all-night parties in one of the cottages on weekends. The arrival instructions should also explain how to get the keys.