Männikkölän pirtti — Hotel in Pielinen Karelia

This was the final of four guest house on our Ski tour, and we arrived via a 15km ski from Majatalo Pihlajapuu / Aksyt Ammat Oy (see separate review). As seemed to be the norm, we were immediately felt to feel very welcome with food and drink appearing as out of no-where. ||||Set above the lake with a view down to it along a avenue of trees it consists of a main house and satellite accommodation. We were accommodated in a house adjacent to the main building which had four bedrooms (two upstairs and two on the ground floor). All bedrooms were somewhat small, with just two single beds and a bedside cabinet. There was however a kitchen/sitting area downstairs and a sitting area upstairs, both with sofas and a large entrance area where we could store our skis and outdoor clothing. There was a shared toilet and a separate shower and sauna, which the propietress, Ritva, prepared for us on the afternoon of our arrival. The main building had larger bedrooms and a sauna on the lower floor. There was reasonably good wifi in the main building, but only intermittent in our accommodation (a repeater would of course solve this issue). ||||The main area in the main building was tables and benches – as with one other guest house there was a lack of comfortable seating. The area was however very airy with good views. The food was again locally sourced, traditionally prepared and very tasty. Ritva was continuously on hand and attentive to all our requests and indeed seemed to very much enjoy our company (as we did hers). || ||The location was an ideal one to end our ski tour and conveniently located to the train...

I spent 2 nights here on the last leg of my trip to Finland - I spent the nights in a little lodge and had my main meals in the larger building - excellent food and breakfasts. The hostess, Ritva, is something of a legend in these parts for her Karelian pastries - she showed me how to make them and I scoffed a fair few. There is a sauna by the lake and there is nothing nicer than having a beer before you take a dip in the lake and then back to the sauna. A very relaxing 2 days - partly because Ritva invited me to join her in morning...

Clean rooms. Toilet has a bidet, which is a plus!!! Location is not near any lakes, and in the middle of a forest but with accessible road to reach there. If one loves to find peace and quiet, this is the place. Food is offered by a very charming and competent...