Regional S-Group co-operative Arina and Keva have entered into an agreement regarding the sale of shares in Kiinteistö Oy Rovaniemen Pohjanpuistikko. This real estate company owns the building housing Arina’s Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna. The deal was signed on December 31, 2024, paving the way for Arina to invest approximately €2 million in 2025 to upgrade the hotel and its associated restaurants.
The hotel is located at Koskikatu 4, which is the main street in the center of Rovaniemi. The street features shopping centers such as Revontuli, Rinteenkulma, and Sampokeskus, as well as numerous tourism-related businesses. Part of Koskikatu is a pedestrian area, which is decorated with festive lights during the Christmas season.
Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna first opened its doors 32 years ago under the ownership of SOK’s subsidiary, Sokotel Oy. Arina acquired the hotel and its restaurant operations in 2006. Until now, the hotel has operated as a tenant in Keva’s property.
“This share deal presents an excellent opportunity for us to enhance the facilities and services of the hotel complex to meet the growing tourism demands in Rovaniemi. We aim to revamp our restaurants to offer new experiences for our customers and renovate the hotel rooms to better cater to their needs. These changes will further improve the overall customer experience,” said Ulla Peltoniemi, Director of the Travel and Hospitality Division at Co-Operative Arina.
Carl-Henrik Roselius, Head of Real Estate Investments at Keva, commented, “We are grateful for the close and fruitful collaboration with Arina over the years, as well as during the negotiation process. The sale aligns with our active portfolio management strategy regarding direct real estate holdings. Rovaniemi is an emerging and dynamic tourism destination, offering a promising outlook for future operations. We are confident that the property is in excellent hands moving forward.”
The purchase price for the shares remains undisclosed.
Keva owns several other hotel properties such as Clarion Hotel in Aviapolis, Vantaa, Sokos Hotel Vantaa in Tikkurila, Sokos Hotel Ilves in Tampere and Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Tampere