Stay Small in the Nordics: Unique Accommodations Give Visitors the Chance to Intimately Experience Destinations
The Nordics share their most unique hotels that capture the region's unique and innovative spirit.
NEW YORK, June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Travelers will find a wide selection of hotels in The Nordics' diverse landscapes, including smaller accommodations that capture the region's unique and innovative spirit. The Nordics are comprised of Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, and each offers one-of-a-kind lodging options.
DENMARK
Denmark's multitude of offerings in its cities, coastal towns, and parks contribute to the diverse accommodation available. Green Solution House in Bornholm represents the highest level of sustainable development. The property is partially constructed from recycled materials; it uses solar electricity; sheep are employed instead of lawn mowers; and more. Creatives will appreciate THEKRANE, a former coal crane turned intimate one-room hotel with views over Nordhavn Harbour, that is complete with a personal concierge, spa, bikes, and a BMW to take visitors around the city. For coastal experiences, Møn has a renovated, active lighthouse that dates back to 1845 and overlooks the Baltic Sea. Travelers seeking to immerse themselves in nature should look no further than the Sami tent in Scandinavian Wildlife Park - a tipi-like tent used by the nomadic Saami reindeer herders – and Camp Adventure for glamping, a forest tower, and Denmark's largest climbing park. Charging stands for hybrid and electric cars are available. For a unique cultural experience, the Land of Legends is a 106-acre archaeological open-air museum and reconstructed Iron Age village in the Lejre Municipality. Popular with families, many visitors dress in period costumes as they partake in historical artisan workshops, sail in traditional boats, and shoot bow and arrow.
FAROE ISLANDS
Much like the Faroe Islands themselves, the country's accommodation options are intimate, personable, and welcoming. Family-run businesses offer everything from traditional restaurants to music nights with Faroese musicians. Heima í Stovu is a family-owned boutique hotel in Hvalba that harkens back to its original days as a private home in the early 1900s. One of the country's most luxe properties is Hotel Havgrím in the capital Tórshavn. Referred to as the Commodore's House in 1950s after it was purchased by the Danish Navy, the historic building is now comprised of 14 beautiful hotel rooms. Plaques with the names of all 21 commodores that have lived in the building since the 1950s hang in the lobby, and all of the hotel's energy comes from its own geothermal source. Hotel Hafnia is the latest property to get a third-party sustainable certification and is now a four-star Green Key hotel as of Spring 2022. The furniture for the rooms is custom-made out of recycled materials, and the walls are decorated with historic images of local life. There are more sheep than people in the Faroe Islands, so it's no surprise that grazing sheep are a common view at Hotel Føroyar outside Tórshavn. The hotel's traditional grass roof blends the building in with its surroundings. New spa facilities will be available in 2023 that include indoor and outdoor pools, steam bath, stone bath, ice bath, rooftop pool, and outdoor jacuzzi.
FINLAND
Helsinki is a compact city easily explored on foot or by bike, and, outside the city, with 41 national parks and more than 70,000 islands waiting to be explored. Along the wooded hillsides of Rovaniemi, the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel offers treehouse suite and arctic glasshouses with panoramic windows. Guests can book a tour to the property's hidden forest wine bar for a two-hour experience of hiking and wine tasting. Other activities, depending on the time of year, include the use of bikes, toboggans, kicksleds, snowshoes, and skishoes, as well as wellness exercises and the Santa Claus Secret Forest. In the north, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is a world of glass igloos and chalets. While it's open year-round, the glass igloos are only available August – April. The activities are endless depending on the time of year, and range from reindeer safaris, snowmobile excursions, and ice fishing to foraging, gold panning, and husky dog visits. Visitors interested in history will find the Arctic Light Hotel of interest. Located in Rovaniemi, the establishment was first created as a city hall before it was destroyed during World War II and rebuilt as a city hall in 1949. The 57-room hotel is now a protected building with many of its historic attributes saved and restored over the years, including a vintage elevator and starred balconies. Away from the arctic circle is the 15-room Kylmäpihlaja Lighthouse on the Bothnian Sea. Located on its own island, the lighthouse has 12 floors with guest rooms in the tower, outdoor hot tub, sauna, and a restaurant on the ground floor.
GREENLAND
A majestic country of ice fjords and mountains, Greenland is brimming with culture and indigenous history. Ilimanaq Lodge is the place to be for the summers of 2022 and 2023 when two Michelin-starred restaurant KOKS relocates from the Faroe Islands. Ilimanaq Lodge's buildings are some of the oldest houses in the country as they once belonged to the son of Hans Egede who founded the colony of Greenland in the 1700s. Guests can stay in one of 15 solar-paneled bungalows, complete with views of Disko Bay. Located in the art hub of the Eastern Settlement, the 17-room Hotel Qaqortoq in southern Greenland is notable for its local art throughout the 17-room hotel. Built from snow as the Inuit have practiced for many years, Igloo Lodge Eqi features six igloos with built-in cold traps, insulated sleeping mats, and cold-reflecting thermal mats. Unlike many igloo hotels, Hotel Arctic offers unconventional aluminum igloos from May to October. Each overlooks the Ilulissat ice fjord and Disko Bay. There are also many multi-day mobile tours allowing travelers to overnight in camping sites along the way with transport including snowmobiling, helicopter, dog sledding, or snowshoeing.
ICELAND
There is accommodation for every type of traveler in Iceland in each of the country's seven regions. A romantic bubble for two can be booked with Bubble Hotel Iceland in its two southern Iceland locations. Guests can go one step further and overnight in a hanging bubble, suspended in the air between trees. Luxe travelers will be drawn to Reykjavik EDITION by Marriott, Reykjavik's first five-star hotel which opened in November 2021. Located next to Old Harbour, the hotel's 253 rooms are complemented by restaurants, bars, and rooftop. Blue Lagoon Retreat lies just south of Reykjavik with 62 suites that either look out over the Blue Lagoon or lava fields with floor-to-ceiling windows. Set on an 800-year-old lava flow in the heart of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark, the biggest perk is the easy access to the Blue Lagoon, one of Iceland's top attractions. Guests can opt to be woken up if the Northern Lights appear after they go to sleep. In northern Iceland, Deplar Farm is a remote luxury retreat tucked away in the Troll Peninsula. This area sees some of the highest average snowfall on the planet, making it a dream spot for skiers. Located on a converted sheep farm with two helipads on property, Deplar Farm blends into the natural landscape with its black timber cladding and living roof, and its geothermal-heated outdoor pool, and Isopod flotation tanks provide total relaxation. Torfhús Retreat is a sustainably-focused hotel inspired by the architecture of the Icelandic Viking farm at nearby Stöng. Complete with living turf roofs that hug the guesthouses and basalt stone hot pools, the property runs entirely on geothermal and hydroelectric sustainable energy. Antique décor includes an Icelandic fishing boat repurposed as a sofa and a battery powered vintage taxi for short local excursions.
NORWAY
Norway's fjords and dramatic landscapes are reflected in many of its stunning accommodations. Guests of The Arctic Hideaway leave cars and shops behind as they enjoy the solitude of one of the four sleeping houses of Fleinvær. They can enjoy saunas, dips in the Arctic Ocean, and fishing with locals. Creatives from around the world are also drawn to the property's artists-in-residence program which hosts four working artists at a time. Manhausen is located on a 14-acre island in Lilands Fjord with seven small, modern sea cabins jutting over the water and floor-to-ceiling windows. The historic island used to be an integral part of the Grøtøya old trading post. Outdoor enthusiasts will flourish with fishing, kayaking, snorkeling, biking, snowshoeing, and eagle safaris available to guests. Those who want the best views can book a stay at Fannaråkhytta, Norway's highest lodge. Located on the peak of Fannaråken at an elevation of 6,785 feet, hiking enthusiasts and those ready for gorgeous views will hike five hours from Skogadalsbøen or six hours from Sognefjellhytta, Krossbu, or Turtagrø to reach the lodge. Isfjord Radio Adventure Hotel offers solitude as a historic radio outpost far from civilization. The 22-room hotel is located on Svalbard which is also home to approximately 3,500 polar bears making for some thrilling sightings. In winter, guests arrive by dogsleds or snowmobile and during summer by crossing the Arctic ocean on a boat safari. More history can be enjoyed at Nusfjord Arctic Resort comprised of 22 high-end cabins in one of Lofoten's best-preserved fishing villages. For a different scene, glass igloos surrounded by verdant green trees will greet visitors at each of Hvilepust's six destinations, all 23 to 68 miles outside of Oslo.
SWEDEN
From elaborate ice halls to a glamorous castle, Swedish accommodations will make any experience memorable. Usually ice hotels are seasonal; however, Sweden's Icehotel 365 is the first hotel in the world to offer ice experiences year-round. The specially designed ice hall houses individually themed, hand carved suites, an ice bar, and an experience room where visitors can learn about Icehotel's history through art and video. The building runs on renewable energy, mainly solar power, in the summer months. Equally enticing is the floating Arctic Bath on the Lule River just south of the arctic circle. The hotel is comprised of cabins and suites that are either on the water and connected to the shore by floating walkways or elevated on poles along the shore. A fairytale experience can be had at Södertuna Castle outside the town of Gnesta. Only 90 minutes from Stockholm, Södertuna Castle offers modern double rooms in the wings of the historic building which houses relics from different periods in history. Guests have the option to hike, canoe, bike, croquet, swim in the indoor pool, and in the winter, ice skate on the grounds.
ABOUT THE NORDICS
Located in Northern Europe and the North Atlantic, the Nordics are comprised of seven countries: Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. In this open and welcoming region, diversity, equality and respect for all people are paramount. It is a place where creativity has the opportunity to grow and where dreams and new ideas can be realized. Living traditions and cultural heritage are both protected and respected. In the Nordics, visitors can interact with nature, learn from nature, and eat what is found in nature. The Nordics are not just a beautiful background but the essence of a transformational trip.
Media Contact
Christina Koontz, The Nordics, 1 973-600-4510, [email protected]
SOURCE The Nordics
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