A new owner is being sought for the barracks building, which was vacated by the Defense Forces at the end of 2005. Current owner Mikko Fagerroos believes in Utö's appeal.
Defense forces the barracks built in the late 1970s is looking for a new owner. The hotel that operated in the building for the past few years has been sold.
The building complex for sale is located far out at sea, on the island of Utö, which is part of the city of Parainen. Utö is Finland's southernmost permanently inhabited island. The property of the Utö Havshotel hotel located on the island, the buildings located on the property with movables and business operations are for sale Shortcut at a price of 1.4 million euros.
CEO of Archipelago Lines, the company that runs the hotel Mikko Fagerroos and his wife Mia Salomäki decided to sell the hotel last year after five years as a hotel entrepreneur.
“There is no drama involved in the decision. We are interested in the next project, which, however, we cannot overlap with Utto. The maritime industry continues to take us strongly and there are many things we want to do in the future,” says Fagerroos.
Fagerroos' company currently operates the Korppoo route area with the connection vessel Fiskö and also operates the tourist icebreaker Sampoa in Kemi.
The barracks building with a flat roof, i.e. the hotel's main building, dates from the late 1970s.
The main entrance of the hotel and restaurant.
With the defense forces has a long history on the island of Utö.
Fortification of the island began in the 1910s as part of Peter the Great sea fortress. After independence, the Finnish Armed Forces kept the island as an occupied standby fortress until the end of 2005.
With the army, Utöh got, among other things, drinking water, electricity, a sewer network, waste management and street lights.
The apartments on the civilian side of the island were sold to the Utö home district association after the army left. Instead, an architect Mikko Heliövaaran designed by the pearl of concrete architecture, the barracks with a flat roof and other buildings had to wait for their owner a long time longer.
The Senate, which bought the buildings left over from the defense forces, had the idea that the buildings would not be sold to private people, but to, for example, a company engaged in tourism and accommodation. It would help to maintain the infrastructure and also bring jobs and activities to the island.
This is what happened and a hotel was established in the premises vacated by the army.
The army still has three areas in Utö where unauthorized persons are prohibited from moving.
The corridors of the hotel are wide.
Most of the rooms are double rooms, but other types of rooms are also available.
The hotel's restaurant is located in the main building of the barracks.
Hotel entrepreneur According to Mikko Fagerroos, running a hotel in Utö makes a living. Last year, the turnover of the hotel was around 760,000 euros and the result was around 120,000 euros.
“Yes, this completely sustains. Of course, it has an effect on how much you can participate yourself. If you have skills as a cook and can run a restaurant, then even stronger.”
According to Fagerroos, the hotel is in good condition. Massive renovations are not needed. Oil heating is a crown of sorrows of its own. It consumes around 40,000 liters of oil every year.
“We would like to get rid of it, but it is a big investment. Here, nature offers alternative forms of energy, enough wind and sun. We have already installed air heat pumps in the rooms.”
Fagerroos says that the hotel has attracted interest from potential buyers, but the purchase intentions have so far hit a wall. Times are bad, sales take a long time.
“Many people would have a lot of willingness, but in the end, who has the opportunity to invest money in this? Now we just wait. The hotel will still not close, but will open at the beginning of April and run at full capacity until we find a buyer.”
The only change from last year is that the Fågelli hostel, which is part of the hotel, is in need of renovation and is therefore closed for tourist use. It will be renovated into staff apartments. In place of Fågell, a smaller cabin will be opened for tourists.
Tourists mainly stay in the hotel's main building, which has 15 rooms, and in the adjacent Kalkas building, which has nine rooms.
The Kalkas building belonging to the hotel has nine rooms.
Reservation book according to Fagerroos, it already looks good for spring. Could two television series, Estonia and Utö, whose events are also set in Utö, have an impact?
“I don't think so, even though Mariska's Utö song is incredibly catchy. Probably a lot of people are humming it. However, these reservations have already been made before the Utö series began to be shown. Utö has always been popular and
on everyone's lips. It is familiar, for example, to those who listen to the sea weather and to many who completed their military time on the fortress island.”
Fagerroos sees Utö as a place of opportunities in the future. However, foreign tourists could be more actively attracted, as well as, for example, domestic Christmas celebrants.
“Utö is a different place. It is an official island with the army and the Meteorological Institute. They may have needs too.”
Fagerroos reminds us that in terms of defense, Utö is still an important place. The island is located next to a major shipping channel leading to Turku.
“In addition, it is the last fort that watches over Åland. Åland's water border goes right next to Utto. The world is changing and we cannot know what Utto's role will be in the future.”
But until things are resolved, Fagerroos is renovating the hotel and investing in tourism. The pipelines are currently being renovated, new shower facilities will be opened for boaters in the coming season.
I told you about the sale earlier Åbo Underrättelser.
The hotel's main building is a large building complex on the right side of the picture. The long white building visible behind it is Kalkas, which is used as a hotel. On the left side of the picture, parallel to the road, is a yellowish terraced house. It is Fågelli, which was removed from hostel use this year. The gray tin-roofed, red-earthed cottage in front of it will be used as a new accommodation this year. The beach saunas of the hotel can be seen behind on the beach.
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