About Us
Hideout Villas
Hideout Villas is founded by Tommi Lehtonen and Eerik Rusanen, who bring together a decade of villa rental and luxury travel market expertise. Our extensive background equips us with invaluable insights into the details of luxury vacation rentals and the nuances that truly enhance the guest experience. Our aspiration to create a service that goes beyond mere accommodation stems from our desire to provide guests not only with a place to stay but also the opportunity to craft cherished lifelong memories. We achieve this by offering a hospitality experience that surpasses the offerings of traditional rental platforms.
Our Approach
In today's world, we firmly believe that Finland possesses the innate attributes that people inherently crave. From the crisp Arctic climate of winter to the fresh and inviting summers, our country offers a diverse range of experiences. The tranquility and natural beauty, whether it's witnessing the mesmerizing Northern Lights or enjoying endless summer nights, create an idyllic backdrop for families and friends to bond and create lasting memories.
Our distinctive approach involves blending these natural wonders with the luxury villa experience and an array of exciting activities to create a total, unparalleled experience for our guests.
Our Office Team
Tommi Lehtonen
CEO / Co-Founder
After spending over a decade building villa rental and luxury travel businesses across the Nordics and Europe with my partner Eerik, we realised our home country, Finland, held something truly special—something the world had yet to fully discover. We saw an opportunity to raise the bar for luxury here, hand-picking extraordinary properties and transforming them into one-of-a-kind retreats for travellers from around the globe.
Day to day, my job is to keep an eye on the big picture while staying close to what’s happening on the ground—and, most importantly, making sure we understand what our guests want. My goal is simple: create the best possible setup for our team so they can deliver unforgettable, once-in-a-lifetime moments. Our mission is to make every visit unique, personal, and unforgettable.
What I love most about Lapland is its quiet, untouched nature. The wilderness is always just around the corner—it’s an incredible feeling to head out for a hike or ski trip through the forest and hear nothing but your own footsteps. That sense of stillness and space is rare, and it’s a big part of what makes this place so special.
Eerik Rusanen
COO / Co-Founder
I grew up in Arctic Lakeland, where the surrounding wilderness shaped both my love for nature and my sense of adventure. After doing entrepreneurship studies in Cambridge, my career path took me across the Nordics and Europe, building villa rental and luxury travel businesses alongside my partner Tommi. Over the years, we came to realise that Finland had something unique—an untouched beauty and character the world hadn’t yet experienced in full. That’s when we decided to create Hideout Villas.
As Operative Director, I oversee all daily operations in Lapland, ensuring every guest experience runs like clockwork from check-in to checkout. I also lead and support our team of 40+ talented professionals, making sure they have everything they need to deliver our signature five-star service. My role is all about keeping the engine running smoothly so our guests can focus on making memories.
I’ve always had a need for speed—first as a ski jumper and snowmobile racer, and now through winter adrenaline adventures like ice rally driving and snowmobiling. For me, Lapland is the perfect playground to combine the thrill of adventure with the beauty of untouched nature.
Susanna Jokkala
Head of Guest Experience / Travel Designer
I grew up in Lapland, surrounded by forests, lakes, and long winters—which might explain why I’ve always felt at home in nature and a bit restless to explore. That curiosity took me far: I spent a decade working on luxury yachts as a stewardess and private chef, sailing through the Mediterranean, Caribbean, and Pacific. Along the way, I learned the true value of personal service, attention to detail, and how unforgettable experiences are often shaped by the people behind them.
At Hideout Villas, I now work as Head of Guest Experience and Travel Designer. My role is to make sure every guest’s journey is thoughtfully planned and personally tailored—from the very first message to the final detail on site. I work closely with our partners and team to ensure everything runs smoothly behind the scenes, so our guests can just relax and enjoy.
Even after all my travels, the rhythm of the seasons in Finland still feels like home. I might skip lake swims in the summer, but once the temperature drops and the first signs of ice appear, I’m the first one in the water. There’s a certain clarity that comes with the cold—both mentally and physically—and it reminds me why I returned.
Eero Kiukas
Sales Director / Travel Designer
Growing up in a family travel business, a career in tourism felt almost inevitable. Today, with over a decade of experience in tailor-made and luxury travel, countless hours hosting VIP guests, and a master’s degree in tourism, it has truly become a way of life. My deep understanding of the travel industry allows me to craft unforgettable experiences for our guests while fostering strong, lasting relationships with our team and partners.
In short, my job is to turn our guests’ dreams into reality. Most days you’ll find me in the office, connecting travelers with our exceptional villas across Finland and designing itineraries that don’t just look great on paper, but work seamlessly once the journey begins. This attention to detail ensures we deliver the highest quality experiences—memorable moments that guests will cherish for years to come.
Throughout my life, I’ve explored much of our beautiful country, yet each year I fall more in love with its endless lakes, rugged islands, and snow-covered fells. It’s a privilege to share Finland with our guests and help them discover the very things I value most.
Tinja Heikkinen
Guest Service / Villa Specialist
Ever since I can remember, I’ve loved exploring Finland—whether it’s a weekend in a small town in Eastern Finland or a skiing trip to hit the slopes in Lapland. Having lived in different parts of Finland, I’m still amazed by the variety here: From wild landscapes to charming towns, there’s always something new to experience. Promoting and developing Finnish travel is something I’m passionate about, and that passion eventually became my career. For over five years I’ve worked in tourism, helping others discover just how much our country has to offer. Over the years, I’ve specialized in truly listening to what guests want and bringing those wishes to life, right down to the smallest detail.
At Hideout Villas, I focus on sales and especially managing only-villa bookings and taking care of all the essentials that make each stay seamless. I also work behind the scenes with our systems, keeping our sites up to date and showcasing new, unique properties that Finland has to offer.
My absolute favourite Finnish pastry is Korvapuusti (preferably slightly underbaked). There’s nothing quite like enjoying a warm, buttery treat filled with cinnamon and sugar after a crisp winter day outdoors. Warmly recommended! Fun fact: I even have a framed picture of a cinnamon bun hanging on my wall.
Reetta Koskinen
Travel Designer
The idea of promoting my home country became clearer to me during a flight while working with Emirates, after nearly eight years abroad. That moment marked a turning point—I knew it was time to return home and showcase the unique beauty of Lapland. With a background in hospitality in Spain and the UAE, and years of experience designing high-end travel itineraries across the Nordics, I’m passionate about creating unforgettable journeys. I’ve worked closely with VIP guests and understand what makes a truly exceptional experience.
Currently on maternity leave, I’m looking forward to returning to work with our dedicated local team. Lapland’s pure nature, fresh air, and peaceful atmosphere offer something truly magical—it’s a place everyone should experience at least once.
One of my favourite things is the long, dark days of December and January—it feels like the day never ends. I'm also a huge animal lover, and my absolute favourite experience is dog sledding through the snowy forest. It’s simply magical!
Jussi Kallioranta
Head Chef
In Culinary school I chose the international class with students from all over the world, where I found learning from other cultures through food extremely fascinating. Today I get to keep on learning about other cultures from our international guests, while we handpick the best parts of Finnish culture to show them. I worked a decade in restaurants in Finland, Sweden and Norway gaining experience in Scandinavian, French, Italian and Southeast Asian cuisine. From Michelin-starred restaurants to hearty bistros with classic comfort food, I have found every step of my career useful to be able to make our guests happy.
My responsibility as a head chef at Hideout Villas is to give the best possible setup for all our chefs to meet the needs of every individual guest they are serving. I plan the set menus and make the prep for those dishes so that no chef has to start their work from scratch in our rapidly changing schedules. I cook for the guests throughout the season and communicate closely with the office team, hosts, and other chefs.
One of my favourite ways to recharge is to go foraging for mushrooms in our beautiful forests. Finnish nature is my favourite art show for all of the senses, in every four seasons.