Strawberry to Convert Former Frenckell Paper Mill into 168-Room Hotel with Stage and Courtyard

Property owner Aare Invest bought the Frenckell paper mill building in spring 2023 and plans to convert it into a 168-room hotel to be operated by Norwegian chain Strawberry, YLE reports. The hotel will include a suite, two restaurants, a large lobby with a bar, a shop and a performance stage. About 800 square metres of conference and event space will be available, and a summer courtyard will be used for outdoor dining and events. Designers Fyra and Neva & Co are shaping the project to reflect Frenckell's industrial past, and the hotel will have a direct connection to Teatteri Frenckelli. In June, Tampere's community committee approved several deviations from the zoning plan, including a two-storey glass extension into the inner courtyard and moving the main entrance toward Frenckell Park. The decision came despite objections from the Pirkanmaa Provincial Museum. No appeal has been filed. Aare Invest outlined the details in a press release.