Saimi Hoyer withdraws from Hotel Punkaharju plans

Saimi Hoyer is withdrawing from the operation of Hotel Punkaharju in Savonlinna after failing to reach agreement on commercial matters with the other party, she said on social media. Yle reported that Hoyer had been expected to take a leading role in the hotel’s future operations.

Hoyer was due to run the hotel as an entrepreneur under a rental arrangement and lead event production built around it. “I sincerely wish the hotel and those continuing its story a happy future,” she wrote on Facebook.

Hotel owner Thomas Zilliacus told Yle that Hoyer’s promise to return was why he bought the building at the beginning of this year. “I would never have bought the hotel, even though it is a beautiful and fantastic place,” he said.

Zilliacus said Hoyer showed no signs of commitment as the year progressed, and he came to understand that she did not have the resources to launch the planned operation. In the spring, he offered to lend her a large sum to get it underway, but she declined.

The hotel has no operating company for next year. Zilliacus said he told Hoyer in October that matters needed to move forward, after which they stopped communicating. Last week, he signed a letter of intent with what he described as a highly capable group. He said Hoyer appeared upset after he told her about it and had not answered his calls since.

Zilliacus said he regretted that the disagreement became public after Hoyer’s social media post. He said he did not want a dispute and wished her well. Yle was unable to reach Hoyer for comment.