Kolin Kajo's story
Welcome to Arja's and Heimo's guest at Kolin Kajo
We are a nature-loving married couple living on a farm in Juuka. Tending to the garden is one of our favorite hobbies, and in our free time, we enjoy being in nature all year round: skiing in winter and wandering in the forests and nature trails at other times. The surroundings here are magnificent: the Koli National Park, located near our home, has often been our hiking destination, and these landscapes are where we invite our guests to enjoy themselves as well.
In the picture the founders of the company and Kolin Kajo are Arja and Heimo Lehikoinen from Juuka.
Impressed by the beauty of the environment, we began searching for a place where we could build a vacation home. We found such a place during skiing trips - on top of Räsävaara where we always stopped to admire the view. During berry-picking and mushroom-picking trips, we came to this small small square to enjoy our picnic. When the landowner expressed interest in selling this plot in the fall of 2010, we were immediately ready for the deal. That's when the path of a new builder as a vacation cottage entrepreneur began. There was no road to the plot, nor water or electricity. The nearest settlement was three kilometers away.
The place was so magnificent that we decided to build a villa suitable for rental. We wanted to offer others a place where they could find their own moment of tranquility. Construction began in 2011. Initially, the site was accessed via a cross-country ski trail, and goods were transported by tractor and trailer. When the compressor for the excavation contractor was taken along a forest path, the contractor remarked that he had never been in a similar siruation before. Construction work took several years, after the erection phase, Heimo did construction work during vacations and after regular work hours in the evenings. The villa was almost ready for occupancy in 2014 and was officially opened at the end of 2015.
Our operations are customer-oriented. We prepare everything before the guests arrive and personally welcome them. This way, guests get to know us, learn to trust us, and can easily get in touch with us during their stay if needed. As part of the welcome, we provide guidance on villa living practices, and guests can immediately get into the holiday mood. We inform them about local services and recreational opportunities. The surrounding nature is an important part of Kolin Kajo, and we consider taking care of nature and ethical tourism to be very important.
We always ask guests for feedback on what made them enjoy their stay at the villa and on possible areas for improvement. The feedback we have received has been overwhelmingly positive and encourages us to continue our operations. The best part of renting out the villa is meeting different people, hearing their stories, and helping them fulfill their dreams.
The marketing company, in addition to Kolin Kajo, owns a property called Kultaranta in Vinkarinniemi on the shore of Pielinen. There is a small log cabin with yard buildings on the plot. The cottage is mainly rented for summer use.
We founded the company in 1990. Throughout its 30-year history, Heimo has worked as a representative for prefabricated houses. Arja has worked in administrative roles throughout her entire career.