Published 24.2.2025
A new pedestrian village will be built in Ruka – Construction of the Saarua village begins this summer
Rukakeskus Oy is building an entirely new pedestrian village in Ruka. The construction of the Saarua village will begin next summer with the building of an apartment hotel. In the future, the area is planned to feature a total of 1,500 beds, an international hotel, the Valtavaara Chalet safari center offering experiential services, an ice skating area, and four saunas by the pond. The overall construction of the area is expected to take 5 to 10 years.
– The first plans for Saarua village were made in connection with the Ruka Masterplan back in 2004. For the past two years, we’ve been refining the final village plans, and now we can proudly share how our fell is developing, says Ville Aho, one of the family company owners and chairman of the board of Rukakeskus Oy, responsible for the Saarua development project.
The Saarua pedestrian village will be the second of its kind in the Ruka area. The pedestrian village in Ruka's centrum has gained significant popularity over the years, and now Ruka Village will have a counterpart in the Saarua village on the other side of the fell. The two pedestrian villages will be connected by the Ruka Village-2-Valley gondola lift, making it easy for visitors to access services in both villages.
The planning of Saarua village has been carried out in close cooperation with the landowner, Metsähallitus, and the City of Kuusamo.
–Ruka’s investments and development are very welcome in Kuusamo after a quieter period in the construction sector. Ruka’s significance for the city’s vitality is crucial, says Kuusamo’s mayor, Jouko Manninen.
A total investment of 50 million euros – additional land area from Metsähallitus
The Saarua village will be implemented by the family company Rukakeskus Oy, which owns plots in the Saarua area amounting to approximately 5,000 square meters (k-m²) of building rights. This building right is set to double, as Rukakeskus Oy reached an agreement with Metsähallitus last week to purchase new plots. These new plots will add another 5,000 square meters (k-m²) of building rights.
–The construction of the area will be done as carefully and steadily as its planning, so the construction will take 5 to 10 years in total, Aho says.
Rukakeskus has extensive experience with similar real estate development projects. The company’s largest real estate projects have included the Ruka pedestrian village (approx. 80 million euros), Hotel RukaValley (approx. 20 million euros), and Pyhä’s Kultakero (approx. 20 million euros).
Construction begins this summer – 1,500 new beds in the future
In total, approximately 1,500 new beds will be created in the Saarua village in the coming years.
Construction of the Saarua village will begin this summer with Rukakeskus Oy’s Parkside apartment hotel, which will have 24 apartments.
–The modular hotel is expected to be open to guests by Christmas 2025. The value of the Parkside investment is approximately 3 million euros, Aho says.
The majority of the apartments in Saarua village will be built using the popular Ski-Inn model, which has already been used to build over 600 apartments in Ruka and Pyhä.
–The owner can use the apartment for 7+7 weeks per year. During the other times, the apartments will be rented to Ruka’s customers, ensuring a steady flow of customers for the area’s services year-round, Aho explains.
Saarua village will also include apartments and villas that are fully privately owned and can be rented out by the owner if desired.
A plot for an international hotel chain in Saarua
Saarua village is also planned to feature an international hotel. Metsähallitus is currently in talks with potential investors and operators regarding the construction of the international hotel.
–We are pleased that we can provide our long-term partner with the conditions to develop Ruka. This also supports the search for a developer for the international-class hotel plot located in the heart of Saarua village, says Kari Männistö, Sales Manager at Metsähallitus.
Currently, the Ruka area has an estimated 28,000 beds, with 4,800 in commercial use in hotels, apartments, and 3,100 bed spaces in rental cottages.
Of the approximately 1,500 new bed spaces in Saarua village, around 700 will be Ski-Inn apartments, 500 will be in the new hotel, and 300 will be in other vacation homes.
Nature and experiential services to meet international demand
Saarua village will be located between the slopes of Ruka and the Valtavaara Nature Reserve.
–Kuusamo’s unique nature right outside the door is a significant selling point, especially for international customers. Untouched nature, combined with comprehensive services within walking distance of the accommodations, is a rare combination internationally, Aho says.
The planning of Saarua village has also considered internal routes and paths that connect the area to the Valtavaara Nature Reserve and Oulanka National Park. The area’s pond and water features will be expanded to offer ice skating in winter.
–A cozy café will be built by the pond, along with four rentable saunas. Together with the recently opened BASE Eat&Heat restaurant with sauna at the top of Saarua, these saunas will enhance Ruka’s already extensive sauna offerings, Aho adds.
Experiential services, especially for international customers, will be implemented at the Valtavaara Chalet safari center, which is planned to begin construction in 2026.