Villa Red House

The sauna was a hit with all of us, kids included, and we even found oak leaf brooms there. The children also enjoyed having Russian-language films on DVD. We were two families with four children looking for a comfortable place by a lake in July 2019, and this house suited us perfectly. The room layout worked well, and the kitchen had what we needed to make fish soup and other meals and eat together around the big table. Having a washer and dryer made a huge difference. We brought our own linens and cleaned before leaving; there were cleaning supplies in the house. There’s forest in front and the lake behind. The owner had improved the way down to the water, making it a gentle slope instead of a steep one. We had a good boat to use, which made it possible to swim with the children safely and go fishing. The men caught pike, perch, and zander. Matti also arranged predator fishing permits for 15 euros per person per week. Rod fishing is free. Please keep about 50 meters from neighboring houses, both on land and on the water. The swimming area by the house was awkward because of all the plants, and the lake bottom hasn’t been cleaned. We drove about 10 minutes to the local beach, which has changing rooms and restrooms. Look for “Haljakka” on the map. We didn’t grill in the gazebo, but we did have fires. The house is used year-round, though it isn’t a hotel: there are a few rough edges and it wasn’t perfectly clean, but those were minor things. The windows need a special handle to open, and we opened them in the daytime because it gets stuffy. There were hardly any mosquitoes indoors, though we used insect repellent outside. Matti was very responsive and handled requests right away. We took the kids to Savonlinna and learned a lot on the free Russian-language fortress tour. You can only go up the tower with a guide. We also spent a day in Imatra, went to the “Magic Forest” water park, which we liked even though it isn’t the biggest, and watched the dam being released. We picked berries, but it was the wrong season for mushrooms. We had an unforgettable stay and hope you enjoy yours.

There’s a small sauna and a comfortable living room alongside the cottage’s two bedrooms. It’s a cozy place by the lake, with everything we’d need even for a longer stay: kitchen utensils, a toaster, coffee maker, fridge, washing machine, and dishwasher. A great stay for a reasonable price.

I’ve booked this cottage twice and would happily recommend it. It’s close to the highway, so the location is convenient, and six people can easily stay here. There’s a large kitchen, a sauna, and all the amenities right at the cottage.

Kids can play in the sandbox or on the swings, and there’s a gazebo for barbecues. You can swim or fish from the dock, and there’s a boat too, although one of its rowlocks is broken. A cool little house.