Sustainability at Royal Ruka
A small hotel with a big heart. At Royal Ruka, sustainability means caring for our guests, our team and the nature around us. Our commitment is reflected in everyday choices. We favour local ingredients and services, work to prevent food waste, and pay attention to how we use water, energy and materials. Treating people with respect and providing a safe workplace are equally important to us.
Royal Ruka is Green Key certified
Hotel Royal Ruka was awarded Green Key certification in March 2026.
Green Key provides practical guidance for our work at the hotel and restaurant. We are committed to continuous improvement. On this page, we share our everyday practices and the goals we are working towards.
Local ingredients and northern flavours
Food is one of the ways we introduce our guests to Kuusamo. In our kitchen, we favour ingredients from local and regional producers and use the produce of nearby forests and waters according to availability.
Our suppliers include Varisjoen Lohi, Kitkan Herkku and Kuusamon Juusto in Kuusamo, as well as Suvannon Farm in Posio. We use reindeer meat, berries, mushrooms and wild herbs from the surrounding region. We pick some of the berries and wild herbs ourselves. When we need additional supplies, we continue to favour local options where available.
All the meat we use is Finnish. When choosing fish, we consider the status of the species and fish stocks. We do not serve meat, fish or shellfish from endangered or protected species or stocks. Our team will be happy to tell you where the meat and fish we serve come from.
We are members of the Wild Food Kuusamo Lapland network and the Arctic Food Lab programme. Through these partnerships, we showcase northern ingredients, food traditions and producers. You can discover local flavours in both our à la carte dishes and our traditional Lapland dinner buffet.
Preventing food waste from kitchen to plate
Preventing food waste starts with menu planning. We plan our menus so that ingredients can be used across different meals. We choose suitable order quantities and pack sizes, maintain the cold chain, store food at the correct temperatures and use older stock first.
We prepare and heat food in small batches according to demand. We handle ingredients carefully and make full use of their edible parts, including less commonly used cuts of meat. Where possible, we use surplus food in other dishes while following food safety requirements.
Our kitchen team checks food waste visually each day. These observations help us adjust quantities and working practices.
You can help too. At the buffet, start with a portion you expect to finish and return for more if you wish. Please let us know about any dietary requirements in advance so that we can prepare for your visit.
Using water and energy thoughtfully
We are committed to monitoring water and energy consumption and finding ways to reduce it. Our aim is to use resources carefully while keeping our guests comfortable.
For longer stays, we provide housekeeping every three days. Shorter stays do not include interim housekeeping. You can also let us know if you do not need your scheduled clean. This helps avoid unnecessary cleaning and the associated use of water, energy and cleaning products. Fresh towels and other supplies are available from our team whenever needed.
During your stay, you can help by switching off lights and appliances when they are not needed, using the drying cabinet only as necessary, and turning off the tap while brushing your teeth. Please tell us about dripping taps or other faults so that we can put them right.
Reducing waste and sorting materials
We aim to prevent waste through our purchasing choices. We avoid unnecessary individual packaging and choose pack sizes that suit our needs. We rarely use disposable tableware.
We reuse suitable containers and packaging where their intended use and hygiene requirements allow. These include some plastic containers and glass jars.
We separate food waste, cardboard and paperboard, plastic, metal, glass, and deposit bottles and cans. Batteries and small rechargeable batteries are collected separately for appropriate disposal.
Please ask our team if you are unsure where to put an item. We also keep our grounds tidy and collect litter from the surrounding area.
Choosing cleaning products with care
Our aim is to use ecolabelled cleaning products whenever a suitable option is available. For example, we use Nordic Swan Ecolabel products for machine dishwashing.
We have not yet found a suitable ecolabelled alternative for every cleaning task. We continue to compare products and look for alternatives, taking cleaning performance, hygiene and safe use into account.
The Dermosil Sensitive toiletries provided for our guests are free from fragrance and colourants. We also use vinegar to clean windows and mirrors.
Caring for the nature around us
Royal Ruka sits beside Juhannuskallio. We want to preserve the character of our surroundings. Apart from the road and car park, our grounds remain largely in their natural state.
We share information with our guests about access restrictions at Juhannuskallio and how to explore the area with care. Giving birds and other wildlife space is particularly important during the breeding season.
When exploring, please stay on marked trails, follow local restrictions and take your litter away with you. Check the latest guidance before setting out and avoid disturbing wildlife.
Our reception team can help you find nearby trails and places to visit. Walking and cross-country skiing routes close to the hotel make it easy to enjoy the surrounding landscape.
Supporting local businesses and traditions
By choosing local businesses, we aim to support jobs and skills in Kuusamo and the surrounding region. Alongside our food suppliers, we work with local providers for services such as maintenance, snow clearance, renovations, laundry, textiles and sewing.
Many of these partnerships go back decades. When selecting suppliers and making purchases, we consider quality, price and availability alongside local connections and evidence of responsible practices, including relevant labels and certifications. We expect our partners to comply with legislation protecting workers’ rights and address any concerns that come to our attention.
We also share the region’s food culture through events such as the Kuusamo Wild Food Festival. Where possible, we take part in joint efforts to develop tourism in the area.
A financially sound business allows us to maintain the hotel, provide employment and improve our services over the long term.
Come as you are
We want every guest and member of our team to be treated with respect. We do not tolerate discrimination, harassment or exploitation, and we act on concerns brought to our attention.
As a small team, we value a safe workplace, thorough induction and open communication. We are committed to including environmental and sustainability topics in staff induction and ongoing learning. When recruiting, we focus on skills, motivation and attitude.
We want to be clear about accessibility. Our hotel accommodation is not wheelchair accessible. Our restaurant is described as accessible in our sustainability plan. If you use a mobility aid or have other access requirements, please contact us before booking. We will discuss the facilities with you so that you can decide whether they meet your needs.
We do our best to accommodate dietary requirements. Please let us know about them in advance.
Travel choices matter too
When planning your journey to Ruka and Kuusamo, consider public transport or travelling by train with an onward connection. Seasonal local bus services can also help you get around Ruka. Please check current routes and timetables before travelling.
With outdoor trails close to the hotel, you can enjoy some of your holiday without travelling by car. In our own operations, we share journeys and combine transport where practical.
Plan your journey to Royal Ruka.
Our next steps
Our work continues. In our 2026 plan, we set a target for LED bulbs to account for at least half of all bulbs in use. We also aim to reduce water consumption and share more information about our sustainability work on our website and social media.
We are developing how we assess our climate impact. Our goal is to use carbon footprint calculations to help identify where we should focus our efforts to reduce emissions.
We will report reductions when we have comparable data to demonstrate them. As our work progresses, we will review our goals and update our practices.
Help us improve
Your observations and suggestions help us make improvements. You can share feedback with our team during your visit or contact us afterwards.
Please ask us about the origin of our food, waste sorting, accessibility or our sustainability work. We will be happy to help.
Thank you for helping us care for Royal Ruka and the nature around us.
