Harads, Sweden

Arctic Bath

The Nordics • Stay • Arctic Bath in Harads, Sweden

What’s the hotel in a nutshell?

Arctic Bath, slowly bobbing away on the Luleälven, is a floating cold bath house with several accommodation options. The exterior of the circular open-air bathhouse, conceived by architects Bertil Harström and Johan Kauppi, is covered in logs as an ode to the river’s past as an essential route for log driving. Arctic Bath is a year-round spot: in summer, the bathhouse floats freely on the waters and in winter, it is frozen in place. Arctic Bath features a cold bath in the centre of the building, three saunas, an arctic spa with a treatment room, a restaurant, a lounge and a bar.

What are the rooms like?

In the surrounding landscape, a number of cabins are available for guests wishing to stay the night. The 24 sq m ‘water’ cabins are connected to the shore by a floating walkway, and for those prone to motion sickness, the elevated 62 sq m ‘land’ cabins offer a more anchored stay. All cabins include a double bed, a bathroom with shower (the ‘land’ cabin also features a bathtub), air-conditioning, a minibar, a spa bar, and a pellet stove.

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What else?

Aside from access to the open-air bathhouse and its adjacent facilities, the vast variety of activities on offer will keep you occupied. Aside from moose safaris, husky sledding, ice fishing and Nothern Lights-spotting, you’re invited into the home of the Eriksson family, who share the Sapmi lifestyle, traditions and history with you over lunch cooked over an open fire, followed by a visit with the family’s reindeer flock. Arctic Bath’s restaurant offers a modern take on traditional Northern cuisine using mostly local ingredients.

What’s the area like?

Norrbotten, which is in the extreme northeast of Sweden, is both a county and a province. Its 100,000 square kilometre area, which includes the coast and archipelagoes in the east as well as tall mountains in the west, borders Finland and Norway. Cities like Kiruna, Piteå, Luleå and Haparanda are located there; it is a region of Swedish Lappland. It is Sweden’s undiscovered gem; beneath its harsh Arctic climate and distant population are amazing sights and tourist destinations. The northern location results in midnight suns, arctic nights, and breathtaking Northern Lights displays. Norrbotten is a fantastic location for outdoor activities like dog sledding and trekking and offers everything from national parks to tree hotels.

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