Staying small at locally owned and operated hotels, lodgings and other accommodations in The Nordics can pay off in dividends with bespoke experiences, immersive activities and some of the most unique accommodation styles available.
The Nordics comprise Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden. It's in these countries that travelers can stay in a hotel built entirely of ice, enter the Iron Age with period costumes to match, stay in a treehouse tent, learn about local cultures and traditions and much more.
In this blog, you'll learn about the small-stay options in Denmark, Finland and Greenland.
Denmark
In Denmark, travelers have a wide range of small-stay options in cities, coastal towns and parks. Bornholm's Green Solution House is partially constructed from recycled materials and is powered by solar electricity. Even its lawn maintenance is green: lawn mowers are replaced by hungry sheep!
A former coal crane has been repurposed into a luxury one-room hotel with stunning vistas of Nordhavn Harbour. THEKRANE offers a personal concierge, spa, bikes and a BMW. The Scandinavian Wildlife Park offers Sami tent rentals for immersive camping experiences, while the Land of Legends is a 106-acre archaeological open-air museum that encourages participating in artisan workshops, sailing and even shooting with a bow.
Finland
Finland offers 41 national parks and more than 40,000 islands waiting to be explored. Located near Suomenlinna Fortress is the Tentsile Experience EcoCamp Vallisaari, where guests sleep suspended in tents in the trees.
In Rovaniemi, the Arctic TreeHouse Hotel offers arctic glasshouses and treehouse suites, as well as plenty of excursions, including snowshoeing, hiking, wine tastings, and even a visit to the Santa Claus Secret Forest.
Another great option for travelers wanting to explore nature is the family-run Hotel & Spa Resort Järvisydän, which has been run for eleven generations. Suite options include outdoor jacuzzis and saunas, panoramic views of the wilderness and more. Another luxury escape is the 15-room Kylmäpihlaja Lighthouse, which is located on its own island on the Bothnian Sea.
Greenland
Travelers wanting to experience a different part of Nordic culture can enjoy staying small in Greenland. Ilimanaq Lodge offers two-starred Michelin restaurant KOKS for the summer, while some of its buildings date back to the 1700s. Guests at the lodge can enjoy staying in bungalows powered by solar energy.
Igloo Lodge Eqi offers traditional Inuit accommodations: six igloos built from snow and ice. Hotel Arctic offers igloos, too, but they're made out of aluminum from May through October. All of them look out toward Disko Bay and the Ilulissat ice fjord.
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