Camping Atrain

We were a group of 20 and had a hard time finding somewhere to stay in Kuopio during the beach volleyball competition. This camping area turned out to have beautiful scenery and a peaceful atmosphere. You can stay in wooden cottages or bring your own caravan. Our host, Pasi, and his family were friendly and helpful. We stayed three nights, got to know them well, and would happily return. I'd recommend it to anyone wanting to experience a typical Finnish summer.

The staff were nice, and there’s a good sauna and a lovely little lake. It’s a small, relaxed and fairly quiet place, well worth the affordable price. The facilities are quite rural and a bit dated, with nothing new or polished, so don’t expect shiny five-star amenities. Still, I’d recommend it.

The cabin smelled awful, so we refused it. When the owner eventually arrived, he said all their cabins smell that way. That was quite a response. Reception had been left to two underage girls. After refunding us, the owner tried to give our cabin to another couple whose reservation had apparently been “lost,” even though they had their confirmation with them. Be aware that everything costs extra: pets, though they only tell you when you arrive; firewood for a barbecue; linens, which they do mention; and use of the sauna, even though it's available to all guests. Shocking customer service.

The tent area was just a random patch they'd designated for tents, with hard gravel where there was supposed to be grass. Getting pegs into the ground was difficult, and the poor soil wouldn't hold them. The showers and toilets were dirty and barely worked. Our spot was at the far end, away from the busy areas, but groups played loud music across the site all night. Shouting and crying from adults and kids added to it, then an ATV joyride went on into the early morning. Some noise is expected at a campsite, but there seemed to be no effort to stop drunken mass raves in the middle of the night. It was a terrible stay, capping off an otherwise excellent summer trip with many great campsites that had none of these problems. The two foreign visitors in the tent beside ours left in the middle of the night, loudly cursing the conditions.