Historic countryside schoolhouse for gatherings, retreats & celebrations
🇫🇮 In Finnish below Welcome to a former Finnish village school built over 100 years ago, now converted into a spacious countryside residence in Hartola. The building proudly carries its history and offers a warm, unique atmosphere you won’t find in modern houses. Surrounded by peaceful rural scenery, the property provides privacy, space, and a memorable setting for gatherings, retreats, celebrations, or relaxed holidays with family and friends. The main building offers approximately 300 m² of usable space and accommodates up to 15 guests. Upstairs, there are three separate sleeping areas. The largest suite consists of three rooms with flexible sleeping arrangements, including a double bed, single beds, loft beds, and an alcove sleeping area, as well as a private chemical WC. The second sleeping area is a spacious bedroom with a double bed, single bed, and a children’s travel bed. The third suite includes two rooms with a double bed and three single beds and also has its own private chemical WC. In total, the house provides 15 sleeping places, making it ideal for extended families, groups of friends, or guests attending nearby events. Downstairs you will find generous common areas designed for spending time together, including a fully equipped kitchen, dining room for shared meals, comfortable living room, utility room, hobby or activity space, and two separate WCs. These shared spaces allow everyone to gather comfortably for dinners, celebrations, workshops, or relaxed evenings together. There is a children's play corner in the attic for children to enjoy. However, you have to climb steep stairs with no gate, so the presence of adults is essential. The property also features a separate sauna building, where guests can enjoy a traditional Finnish sauna experience. The sauna building includes a sauna, shower room, dressing room, and WC. After a day outdoors, it offers the perfect place to relax and enjoy a classic Finnish sauna evening. Outside, the spacious yard provides plenty of room to enjoy the countryside. Guests can gather in the pergola for outdoor dining, spend evenings by the fire at the laavu and campfire area, or use the open lawn areas for games, outdoor activities, and summer gatherings. The property can also serve as a beautiful setting for small countryside weddings, retreats, and group celebrations. Guests have access to the main building, sauna facilities, and the surrounding yard area. Some spaces on the property, such as the wood workshop, certain storage rooms, and parts of the sauna building (including the kitchen and main room), are not part of the guest area. The house is located in Ruskeala in Hartola, surrounded by quiet countryside and nature. Despite the peaceful setting, the property is conveniently located close to Highway 4 (E75), making it easy to reach by car. The center of Hartola, with grocery stores and other services, is about a five-minute drive away. Arriving by car is recommended, as public transportation options in the area are very limited. There is plenty of parking space available on the property. This historic building has over a century of history, and its character reflects that. The toilet facilities are ecological bio or chemical toilets rather than standard plumbed toilets, which is common in older countryside buildings. The property offers a charming rural atmosphere rather than a modern hotel environment. Guests will have the property to themselves during their stay, but we are always available through call or email if you have any questions. If needed, assistance at the property can also be arranged, but please note that we do not have instant response available due to the remote location Whether you are planning a family reunion, retreat, birthday celebration, workshop, or an intimate countryside wedding, this former village school offers a unique and memorable setting in the Finnish countryside. Tervetuloa yli 100 vuotta vanhaan entiseen suomalaiseen kyläkouluun, joka on kunnostettu tilavaksi maaseutukodiksi Hartolassa. Rakennus kantaa ylpeästi historiaansa ja tarjoaa lämpimän, ainutlaatuisen tunnelman, jota ei moderneista taloista löydy. Rauhallisen maaseutumaiseman ympäröimänä kiinteistö tarjoaa yksityisyyttä, tilaa ja viihtyisän ympäristön kokoontumisille, retriiteille, juhliin tai rentoon lomailuun perheen ja ystävien kanssa. Päärakennuksessa on käytettävissä noin 300 m² tilaa, ja siellä voi majoittua enintään 15 henkilöä. Yläkerrassa on kolme erillistä, lukittavaa makuutilakokonaisuutta. Suurin kokonaisuus koostuu kolmesta huoneesta, joissa on joustavat nukkumajärjestelyt: parisänky, erillisiä sänkyjä, parvisänkyjä sekä alkovissa sijaitseva nukkumatila. Tilassa on myös oma kemiallinen WC. Toisessa makuutilassa on tilava makuuhuone, jossa on parisänky, erillinen sänky sekä lasten matkasänky. Kolmannessa makuutilassa on kaksi huonetta, joista toisessa on parisänky ja toisessa kolme erillistä sänkyä, sekä oma kemiallinen WC. Yhteensä talossa on 15 vuodepaikkaa, mikä tekee siitä erinomaisen vaihtoehdon suuremmille perheille, ystäväporukoille tai esimerkiksi tapahtumavieraille. Alakerrassa on yhteisiä tiloja yhdessä olemiseen, kuten täysin varusteltu keittiö, ruokasali yhteisille aterioille, olohuone, kodinhoitohuone, harraste- tai oleskelutila sekä kaksi erillistä WC:tä. Tilavat yhteiset tilat mahdollistavat mukavan yhdessäolon esimerkiksi illallisten, juhlatilaisuuksien, työpajojen tai rentojen iltojen merkeissä. Lapsien viihtymisen takaa ullakolta löytyvä lapsille suunnattu leikkinurkkaus. Siihen on kiivettävä kuitenkin jyrkät portaat, joissa ei ole porttia, joten aikuisten läsnäolo on välttämätöntä. Pihapiirissä sijaitsee myös erillinen saunarakennus, jossa voi nauttia perinteisestä suomalaisesta saunasta. Saunarakennuksessa on sauna, pesuhuone suihkulla, pukuhuone sekä WC. Päivän ulkoilujen jälkeen sauna tarjoaa täydellisen paikan rentoutumiseen. Tilava piha-alue tarjoaa runsaasti mahdollisuuksia maaseudun rauhasta nauttimiseen. Vieraat voivat kokoontua pergolaan ulkoruokailua varten, viettää iltaa laavulla nuotion äärellä tai hyödyntää nurmialueita peleihin ja ulkoaktiviteetteihin. Kiinteistö soveltuu myös kauniiksi ympäristöksi pienille maaseutuhäille, retriiteille tai juhlatilaisuuksille. Vieraiden käytössä ovat päärakennus, saunatilat sekä piha-alue. Osa tiloista, kuten puuverstas, tietyt varastotilat sekä saunarakennuksen keittiö ja tupa, eivät ole vieraiden käytössä. Kohde sijaitsee Hartolan Ruskealassa, rauhallisen maaseudun ja luonnon keskellä. Sijainti on kuitenkin helposti saavutettavissa, sillä valtatie 4 (E75) kulkee lähellä. Hartolan keskustaan, jossa on kauppoja ja muita palveluita, on noin viiden minuutin ajomatka. Paikalle saapuminen omalla autolla on suositeltavaa, sillä julkisen liikenteen yhteydet alueelle ovat rajalliset. Kiinteistöllä on runsaasti pysäköintitilaa. Rakennus on historiallinen ja yli vuosisadan ikäinen, mikä näkyy myös sen luonteessa ja rakenteissa. WC-tilat ovat ekologisia bio- tai kemiallisia vessoja, eivät tavallisia vesivessoja, mikä on tyypillistä vanhemmissa maaseuturakennuksissa. Kohde tarjoaa aidon maaseututunnelman pikemminkin kuin modernin hotellimajoituksen. Vieraat saavat majoituksen ajaksi koko kiinteistön omaan käyttöönsä. Olemme kuitenkin aina tavoitettavissa puhelimitse tai sähköpostitse mahdollisia kysymyksiä varten. Tarvittaessa voimme järjestää myös apua paikan päälle, mutta syrjäisemmän sijainnin vuoksi välitön reagointi ei aina ole mahdollista. Olitpa suunnittelemassa sukukokousta, retriittiä, syntymäpäiväjuhlia, työpajaa tai pieniä maaseutuhäitä, tämä entinen kyläkoulu tarjoaa ainutlaatuisen ja mieleenpainuvan ympäristön Suomen maaseudulla.
The space
Upstairs has three connected rooms offering flexible sleeping arrangements: Suite 1 – Family Suite (approx. 70 m²) This spacious suite consists of three connected rooms with flexible sleeping arrangements. One room includes a double bed and a baby crib, the second room has a single bed and a loft bed, and the third room features a single bed along with an alcove sleeping area with two additional beds. The suite also includes a private chemical WC. Suite 2 – Large Bedroom (approx. 50 m²) This large and comfortable bedroom offers a double bed, a single bed, and a children’s travel bed, making it a convenient option for families or guests traveling with children. Suite 3 – Two-Room Suite (approx. 30 m²) This suite includes two separate rooms. One room has a double bed, while the other contains three single beds. The suite also has its own private chemical WC. In total, the house offers sleeping arrangements for up to 15 guests. Spacious Common Areas The downstairs level is designed for gathering and spending time together. It includes a fully equipped kitchen, a large dining room for shared meals, a comfortable living room, a utility room, and a hobby or activity space, along with two separate WCs. The generous common areas provide plenty of room for groups to cook, dine, relax, and spend time together, making the property well suited for family reunions, retreats, workshops, celebrations, and group stays. Traditional Finnish Sauna The separate sauna building (approx. 45 m²) offers a classic Finnish sauna experience. It includes a wood-heated sauna, a shower room, a dressing room, and a WC, providing everything needed for a relaxing sauna evening. It is the perfect place to unwind after a day outdoors and enjoy an authentic Finnish tradition. Please note that the kitchen and main room in the sauna building are not in use. Outdoor Spaces & Summer Events The large yard offers many possibilities for enjoying summer days and evenings in the countryside. Guests can gather in the charming pergola for outdoor dining, spend relaxed evenings at the cozy laavu by the campfire, or use the spacious lawn areas for games and outdoor activities. The property also provides a beautiful and atmospheric setting for small countryside weddings, summer celebrations, and group events.
Sleeping arrangements
What this place offers
Available add-ons
Optional extras for this apartment. Prices are for your current party size — add them in the booking panel.
Guest access
Guests have access to the main building and the surrounding yard area during their stay. Most indoor spaces in the main building are available for guests to use. However, a separate wood workshop located on the property is not accessible to guests. In addition, some storage rooms and utility spaces within the buildings are reserved for private use and are not part of the guest area. Guests are welcome to use the sauna building, including the sauna, shower room, dressing room, and WC. Please note that some rooms within the sauna building, such as the kitchen and the main room, are not in guest use. The yard, pergola, laavu, and outdoor areas are fully available for guests, providing plenty of space to relax, gather, and enjoy the countryside surroundings.
Where you’ll be
Vuorenkyläntie 7, 19600 Hartola
Getting around
Arriving by car is recommended, as public transportation options in the immediate area are very limited. The property is located in the countryside just outside Hartola, and most guests will find driving the easiest and most convenient way to reach the house and move around during their stay. The house is located close to Highway 4 (E75), which connects Helsinki, Lahti, and Jyväskylä, making the location relatively easy to reach by car from many parts of Finland. The center of Hartola is about a 5-minute drive away, where you can find grocery stores, restaurants, and other basic services. There is ample parking space available on the property for multiple cars.
The neighbourhood
The property is located in Ruskeala, a quiet rural village in Hartola, surrounded by forests, fields, and typical Finnish countryside landscapes. The area is peaceful and sparsely populated, offering privacy and a calm environment that is perfect for relaxing stays, retreats, and gatherings away from the city. Despite the rural setting, the location is conveniently just off Finland’s main north–south highway, Road 4 (E75), which connects Helsinki, Lahti, Jyväskylä, and further north. This makes the property relatively easy to reach by car while still maintaining a secluded countryside atmosphere. The center of Hartola is about a 5-minute drive away, where you will find essential services such as grocery stores, cafés, restaurants, and fuel stations. Hartola is a small municipality in the Päijät-Häme region, known for its lakes, outdoor activities, and relaxed rural character. The surrounding area offers opportunities for enjoying nature, including nearby lakes, forests, and countryside roads that are ideal for walking, cycling, and exploring the Finnish lake district.
House rules
📕 House Rules: Please respect the property and its surroundings during your stay. Breaking the rules may result in additional charges or the cancellation of your stay. 👥 Guests and Events: Only the number of guests included in the reservation may stay overnight at the property unless agreed in advance. If you are planning a gathering, celebration, or event, it must be communicated and approved beforehand. There may be an extra fee for events. 🔊 Noise: The property is located in the countryside, and there are no strict quiet hours. However, guests are expected to behave responsibly and avoid excessive disturbance. 🚭 Smoking: Smoking is not allowed inside any buildings on the property. Smoking is permitted outdoors in the yard area. Please dispose of cigarette butts responsibly. 🐶 Pets: Pets are welcome, but guests are responsible for their pets at all times. The pets must be added to the booking. There is an additional fee for bringing the pets. Any additional cleaning or damage caused by pets may result in extra charges. 🔥 Fire and Outdoor Areas: The yard includes outdoor areas such as the pergola, laavu, and campfire place. Please use fire carefully and ensure that fires are fully extinguished after use. Whenever there is a forest fire warning, use of the campfire is strictly forbidden 🧹 Cleanliness: Please leave the house in reasonably tidy condition. If excessive cleaning is required or damage occurs, the cost of cleaning or repairs may be charged. 🚫 Restricted Areas: Some spaces are not part of the guest area, including the wood workshop, certain storage rooms, and parts of the sauna building. These areas are not accessible to guests. 🕒 Check-in and Check-out: Please respect the agreed check-in and check-out times unless otherwise arranged in advance.
Cancellation policy
Strict
- 50% refund if you cancel at least 7 days before check-in.
- No refund if you cancel within 7 days of check-in.