Welcome to Merilä Manor!
Peace and quiet in the countryside since 1811!
Merilä Manor offers the very best in rural tourism. By the River Oulujoki, at the end of a road lined by birches, you’ll find the old main building where you can enjoy genuine country life atmosphere and cosiness in some of the most beautiful settings Finland has to offer. The Manor provides comfortable hotel rooms for accommodation, a restaurant that serves delicious and clean local food, several sauna facilities, and diverse event and conference facilities for various occasions.
History is ever-present at Merilä – after all, tar burning has been a common activity in the valley surrounding the Oulu River area. The old, idyllic buildings have been, however, enhanced with modern conference technology and other conveniences.
In addition to the food, rooms, and accommodation, we organise many kinds of activities for our guests. We offer various experiences in nature and action both for daredevils and for those with more subdued tastes right in the Manor enclosure.
Our services
Countryside tourism at its best
Filled with natural beauty and tranquility, the environment is suitable for both official events – such as parties and meetings – and for visits by individuals and groups. The diverse offering of Merilä Manor is perfect for a number of occasions: relaxation, efficient working in a tranquil setting, and different types of parties.
Enjoy the tasty local products of the Oulu region at Merilä Manor. You’ll have a wonderful time on the gorgeous banks of the Oulu River. A high-quality restaurant open for private events and the hotel provide their services in festive and everyday occasions. Our meeting catering, festive dinners, and sauna evening snacks provide refreshment in between your outdoor activities and experiences in the nature. Merilä Manor is full of atmosphere and provides unique supporting programmes at the UNESCO Geopark, Oulujoen Tervareitistö, and Rokua National Park for the exact needs of your group.
Filled with natural beauty and tranquility, the environment is suitable for both official events – such as parties and meetings – and for visits by individuals and groups. The diverse offering of Merilä Manor is perfect for a number of occasions: relaxation, efficient working in a tranquil setting, and different types of parties.
History
The history of Merilä Manor starts in 1811. Originally, the building was not in its current location but nearby, in Ylimerilä, and it was called the Meriläinen estate. At that time, the house was occupied by the master of the Meriläinen house, Hannu Lassila and his family. At the same time, the progenitor of the Merilä family, Pekka Erkinpoika Pellikka, also grew up by the River Oulujoki, but further upstream above Utanen.
In July 1826, master Hannu Lassila drowned in the River Oulujoki and the Meriläinen estate was then put up for sale. It was bought by Pekka Pellikka together with his wife. After moving in, the Pellikka family changed its name to Meriläinen in line with the name of the estate.
Alamerilä, the future Merilä Manor, was owned by several families before becoming into the possession of its present-day owners. The deed was signed in 1986 and with it the estate became the property of the current owners, Asko and Kaisu Merilä.
The estate became known as Merilä Manor in 1993 when Kaisu Merilä started the business around the historic main building and its surroundings. The main reason for setting up the business was the high demand for the manor’s main building, and soon after the opening the first meeting guests started arriving. Already in the late 19th century, Merilä Manor provided accommodation to travellers, thus it is only natural that is continues to offer these services today.
The Merilä Manor building has largely remained almost in its original state, but an extension was built before the business launch to enable accommodation services. Some extra buildings have been added to the estate along the years. These include Aittahotelli, Savusauna and Vilpola, Kota, and the meeting and event facilities of Puoji.
Another modern addition to Merilä Manor is the geothermal heating system installed in 2013 in line with the estate’s preference for sustainable development.
Late Lady of the house
Between 1993 and early 2015, businesswoman Kaisu Merilä was the Lady of Merilä Manor. She turned Merilä Manor into the place of festive occasions and tourism as we know it today.
In addition to being a businesswoman, Kaisu was a mother of three, a wife, and had a Master’s degree in Economic Sciences. She also acted as Chairperson for the Rural Women’s Advisory Organisation and as a local councilwoman.
Social influence was close to Kaisu’s heart. In running the Merilä Manor business she was able to carry out values important to her – those of well-being and sustainable development.
Kaisu felt that it was important that all the food served at Merilä Manor was cooked on the spot, and we still uphold this tradition today. We have always endeavoured to acquire our raw ingredients from local producers – long before local food became the modern-day rage. Delicious, clean food and truly meeting people form the cornerstones of our operations. In addition to catering and accommodation services, Kaisu managed to extend the service offering to all-new experiences by engaging several new and valuable partners. Here at the Manor we respect the valuable and hard work of Kaisu and shall continue to operate based on her visions. Our best reward is the happy customers who keep coming back to stay with us.