Our story

On the shores of a girl

I am Alexandra Paulomo, born and bred in Helsinki. I have spent my adulthood in Salzburg, Austria, where I worked as a self-employed travel agent and event organiser. I had travelled to the ends of the earth and back until I came to an ancestral forest in the village of Saariharju in Ranua for the first time in my life in the summer of 2018. I became sensitive and I felt that this is the place where I belong to...

After some changes in my plans and with some luck, I bought the family forest with my partner - in a roundabout way. During the next year we travelled frequently between Salzburg and Ranua. In October 2019 I packed my son and the most necessary things into the van, and so we sped through Central Europe to the Finnish Lapland.

At Easter 2020 we bought the housing estate of Metsä Kolo and since then, renovation has been in full swing so that I could welcome those free spirits that like to come to Lapland and stay here in the middle of the forest, on the shore of the very beautiful Lake Saarijärvi. If you don't happen to see me when you arrive here, you will find me in the forest (on bike), picking berries and mushrooms or in sauna.  

Welcome to Metsä Kolo in Ranua!
- Alexa

Our values

 
Wreaths in a wooden boat

The lake and the forest with their bounty are our thing, nature-centered values are naturally an important part of our business. We deeply respect nature and the animals there.

Our respect extends to other people as well. We want to be genuinely good and do good - also pay it forward, so that everyone would feel well.

We always give priority to quality in our operations. Sustainability values are the foundation of our business, throughout the entire chain down to the very last detail. Our goal is to be happy and healthy, to feel well together.

We serve a return to nature, to simple things. We aim at downshifting life. We encourage you to switch off your smart devices, grab a great book in your hand, quietly listen to what the forest wants to tell you and calm down by the lake, without any pressure of performance. Our goal is that everyone would find their own "forester" inside them and this way get relief to their lives. We encourage curiosity because continuous learning keeps you at your best. So we boldly encourage you to try something new, learn and fail. We are happy to tell about the challenges of the countryside, the work to be done according to the annual cycle and a life worth living close to nature.

We shoulder our responsibilities and serve with our hearts so that our guests would feel at home in Metsä Kolo.

We prefer high-quality and ecological domestic alternatives in our materials

Finnish design beds

We want to pamper our guests with luxurious nighttime sleep, so we have chosen Hilja beds by the Finnish family business MATRI. The beds have been handmade in their own factory using 100% natural materials. MATRI also has material safety at heart, which is why all of their products use only environmentally friendly, certified materials produced in Europe. This ensures an exceptionally clean, breathable and safe sleeping environment.

Horsehair futons

We want to pamper our guests with soothing sleep. The futon mattress gives the body proper support so that the muscles do not have to tense while sleeping. The perfectly breathable mattress is made only of pure natural materials. With horsehair, a very durable and airy layer can be created in the futon, which brings a little surface softness together with the layers of organic cotton and wool. The futons are handmade in Pori by the same family business where the ecological blankets and pillows we have chosen also come from.

Duvets and pillows

We want to pamper our guests with natural Finnish products. Duvets and pillows of Finnsheep wool are an ecological choice, as they biodegrade in soil. Wool is inherently fireproof so it does not require the addition of fire protection chemicals and is also otherwise a chemical-free product. The bedding does not make you sweat even in hot weather as it efficiently evaporates the moisture it absorbs and stays comfortably warm in the cold and damp. Our impressive bedding is handmade in Finland by the company called Porin Villa ja Peite, using surplus raw materials produced nearby.

Duvet covers and pillowcases

We want to pamper our guests with soft linen sheets. Jesus linen sheets are made to last, experience and see a lot, even for generations. The material of linen is beautiful, durable and environmentally friendly natural fiber. Linen is heavy, smooth and stiffer. Breathable linen retains its coolness when hot and warms even in cooler places.
The comfort and softness of the fabric only increase with washing. Finlayson wanted to make the most durable sheets in the world, for which they took the model of the Turin shroud that has survived to this day.

Towels

We want to pamper our guests with the best towels. The weaving at Lapuan Kankurit, the manufacturer of our towels, is of Nordic design, inspired by Finland's pure and rugged nature. The fourth generation family business weaves responsibly, while respecting the environment. Only natural raw materials such as linen and wool are used. High-quality textiles last for decades when properly cared for.