In the section Pure Place we take you to special remote places in the world. With the dark months approaching, this time we have selected 6 special Northern European winter stays for you where you can sleep in an igloo or a tree house in the middle of the wilderness.
Text: Angelique van Os | Photos: Harrinvia Hotels & Safaris| Straw Igloo Hayema Heerd | Iglu Village Khütai | Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Lapland-Igloo Village
1. AuroraHut Glass Igloo & Arctic Fire Fox Lodge, Finnish Lapland
Beautifully situated on the edge of Lake Jerisjärvi and Torassieppi, there are a number of special accommodations that are part of the Jeris Lakeside Resort . From this igloo and lodge you have a beautiful view of the Finnish forests and/or the vast frozen landscape. The Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park is also a stone’s throw away.
Romantic evening
You don’t need more than a heated wood stove, candles and thick blankets here for a romantic evening. And when the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights) appears, a magical evening is assured. Because the walls are protected with a special coating, the glass does not fog up and the insulation is optimal. You have to brave the cold for the sanitary facilities, the sauna and breakfast, because they are located 50 meters in the lodge of Hotel Jeris. You can go to the toilet inside the igloo.
The Fire Fox Lodge also has a sauna with an amazing panoramic view. And you have free access to the exclusive Arctic Sauna World , which includes five different saunas.
Winter excursions
During the day there are numerous winter excursions to undertake, such as horse riding, snowshoe walks, and safaris with reindeer, huskies or snowmobiling.
It is also possible to combine this stay with overnight stays in a log cabin and/or snow igloo. By the way, you can come here all year round.
For more information, see Sundowner and Harriniva Hotels & Safaris .
2. Straw Iglo Hayema Heerd – Groningen
It started more than ten years ago with a family bed in the hayloft. Thanks to the children’s imagination, the idea for a straw hotel and straw igloos was born. The couple Wil Hoogeboom and Hans Reinders have been running their own campsite, straw hotel and three straw igloos around their farm Hayema Heerd, in Oldehove, Groningen , for quite a few years now.
Winter coat
The warmth and good insulation of the straw make it possible to spend the night in the igloos even in winter. And wrapped in a winter coat with internal heating, you feel like an Inuit.
Springy straw bed
The large roof dome offers a view of the stars. Inside, the straw walls are covered with transparent fabrics and a stove simmers. And you sleep on a springy straw bed with a topical mattress. The straw is changed every year and goes back to the local farmer. That’s how it used to be, nostalgia par excellence. Outside there is nothing but space and extensive Groningen views.
Costs: €97-€122 pppn | children up to 12 years: €21, including breakfast. Winter coat rental: €25 | hayemaheerd.nl
3. The Bird’s Nest, Sweden
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to sleep in a bird’s nest? Norbotten, Swedish Lapland, may have the largest ‘bird’s nest’ in the world. As a guest you can stay here almost invisibly. You might even get birds to visit.
The Bird’s Nest was designed by Inredningsgruppen, Bertil Harström , so that it completely blends in with the natural wooded environment. Even the electronic ladder can be folded and then it is completely unrecognizable as a cabin. Inside it is nice and compact and you can peek outside through the hidden round windows. There is room for up to four people.
Look here for more info.
4. Mirrorcube, Sweden
Like The Birds Nest, the Mirrorcube is a special tree house. On the same site is this amazing two-person reflective cube that completely blends into the landscape. It is one of nine uniquely designed treehouses by Treehotel owners Kent Lindvall and Britta Jonsson-Lindvall.
Hanging above the ground, you look out at the vast surroundings from six windows. However, those windows are small, because although the exterior suggests otherwise, the interior consists mainly of wood and there is even a tree growing through the cube.
In the evening you can reach the balcony unseen by the outside world via a staircase to admire the starry sky. You can have breakfast and dinner at the nearby Treehotel Guesthouse. Relaxation at its best.
Another favorite of ours is Biosphere , a tree house whose facade consists of 350 bird nests. How special is that?! ->
For more information see HERE.
5. Igloo Village Khütai , Austria
About a 45-minute drive from Innsbruck, Austria, is the Khütai winter sports area, which has its own igloo village, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters. This winter village is rebuilt every year. You can choose from a basic igloo, romance or a combination with the nearby four-star Sporthotel Khütai. The walls of the igloos are beautifully decorated with snow art every year and to warm up you can sit at the ice bar for a strong drink, take a hot shower or literally crawl into bed early. Furthermore, ‘Eskimo’ sports such as snow golf and frisbee, snowshoeing are on the menu and you can eat cheese fondue.
In addition to Innsbrück, there are also four comparable locations in Switzerland: Davos-Klosters, Gstaad and Zermatt. And the Iglu-Dorf Zugspitze is located on the highest mountain (2600 meters) in Germany and has beautiful views over the Alps.
The igloos are suitable for two (€329) to six (€124) pppn| Look here for more info.
6. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, Finnish Lapland
The special winter resort Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is located in Finnish Lapland , near the Urho Kekkonen national park . Here you will find various chalets and authentic Finnish houses, but the glass igloos and Kelo-glass igloos steal the show. The former is almost completely surrounded by glass, which undoubtedly gives you the feeling of being immersed in nature. A blanket of snow and a low curtain provide privacy. There are double and four-person igloos. The large variants have their own sanitary facilities.
The Kelo glass igloos consist of a comfortable chalet (including sauna), with an attached glass igloo. So you have the comfort and space of a house, combined with the romance and beautiful views of the Northern Lights. You can also undertake sustainable activities from reindeer, husky to horse riding safari and of course there are various winter sports activities.
More info: kakslauttanen.fi/en
