Two New Spa Hotels Rising on the Shores of Pärnu

Text Timo Raussi
Photos Kamp Arhitektid, Brackmann Arendus OÜ

Pärnu’s status as the second favourite Estonian travel destination for Finns after Tallinn rests on a remarkably solid foundation. The same seems likely for the future too, as the city known for its numerous spa hotels and beach life is set to welcome even more providers of accommodation and spa services.

The landmark of Pärnu Beach, the Rannahoone built in 1938—with its mushroom-shaped balconies, nightclub, and side pavilions housing various kiosks—is being renewed. The building will not only be renovated but expanded and transformed into a spa hotel. The architectural competition for the project was recently concluded, and according to Pärnu city architect Siim Orav, it produced an elegant result that respects the old structure and is feasible to implement within the next few years.

The design competition was won from among 25 entries by KAMP Arhitektid with their proposal “Alt Pernau”. In the plan, the existing beach building will house the new hotel’s reception, some guest rooms, and restaurant spaces. Part of the second-floor restaurant will serve hotel guests, while the ground-level area along the beach promenade will remain open to beachgoers.

The sales pavilions will be demolished and replaced with accommodation and spa facilities. A new pathway from the beach park and the street to the shoreline will also be created between the old and new buildings. The second floor of the extension is expected to include about 65 rooms. The spa areas will occupy the first floor and will also include a courtyard-style outdoor pool area.

According to Orav, the winning proposal caught his positive attention from the start. It preserves the architectural solutions of the beach building thoughtfully, and the rest of the structures planned for the plot and its dividing public space will not visually dominate the view. “The extensions fit well with the existing Rannahoone, stepping respectfully a little back from it and from today’s modern architectural language,” he says. The construction works, costing around 20 million euros, are set to begin in roughly a year and a half.

The Beachfront Skyline Will Change

Around the same time, another spa hotel—distinctly larger than Rannahoone with its 210 rooms and extensive entertainment, indoor event, and conference facilities—will also be completed on Pärnu Beach. The four-storey complex, consisting of two separate buildings, currently carries the working name “Hotel Brackmann,” and is led by Finnish hotel industry veteran Sari Sopanen.

Construction of the spa hotel is already in full swing, and Sopanen recently told Estonian Public Broadcasting that the 70-million-euro project will continue through the coming summer. “We won’t be taking a summer break; that’s actually when the building frames will rise to their full height. I see it as an opportunity for beach loungers to follow our work like a free show,” Sopanen said in an interview with ERR.

And That’s Not All

Construction noise can also be expected in the coming years in central Pärnu. According to the building’s owner, Hotel Pärnu, located on the edge of Independence Square, has reached an age where demolition and full reconstruction is the wisest solution. The city council is already scheduled to review the new zoning plan in February. By around 2030, the area now occupied by the hotel and the surrounding block is intended to host a spa hotel, commercial premises, apartment buildings, and an underground parking facility.

The council is also reviewing a broader zoning plan concerning Pärnu’s city centre and the surroundings of the newly built bridge across the river. If the proposed plans are implemented, the coming years may see the planning and construction of both an extension to the Port Artur shopping centre’s hotel and a completely new tower building—up to 15 storeys tall—housing commercial spaces and apartments.

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Architecture conference centre Hotel Pärnu Rannahoone Rannahotell Sari Sopanen Spa