The Amazing Story of Treehotel
Treehotel in Harads, Sweden is an aerial canopy hotel situated in northern Sweden’s austere pine forest– the physical manifestation of the childhood treehouses of our dreams. Since its completion in 2010, Treehotel has grown to offer six unique tree rooms designed by some of Scandinavia’s leading architects and designers, whose inhabitable work now hangs 4-6 meters above the ground among the centuries-old pines.
The project was inspired by Jonas Selberg Augustsen’s film, Trädälskaren (or “The Tree Lover”), a story about three men from the city who want to go back to their roots by building a tree house together.
Taking their cue from the film’s philosophy and bare bones ecological musings, founders Britta and Kent Lindvall created Treehotel as a way to offer a unique hotel experience in the middle of unspoiled nature: contemporary, ultra-modern tree rooms that blend seamlessly into the surrounding environment.
A total of 10 rooms have been planned for the forest area around Harads tree complex– a roster that includes the iconic “Mirror Cube” (shown above), the “UFO” (shown below), and the “Tree Sauna”– a traditional Swedish bathhouse designed by Bertil Harström, which is currently a favorite among visitors. All rooms incorporate elements of integrative design that acts as a sort of camouflage to the surrounding environment: the exteriors of some units are lined with mirrors; others are made of native wood designed to age into the color of the local landscape.
Guests of the hotel check in at Britta’s Pensionat (a 1930’s-style abode where guest meals are served) before making the 5-minute walk to the Treehotel complex, which boasts spectacular views of the Lule River from deep in a forest of centuries-old pine trees. Each of the hotel’s six unique rooms are suspended 4-6 metres above the ground and were designed by some of Scandinavia’s leading architects– right down to the furniture, lighting, decor, and fabrics.
Much like a traditional tree house, the suspended rooms vary in size between 15-30 m², with the largest rooms accommodating up to four people. The complex is designed around a physical and metaphorical approach to sustainability: between the water-efficient bathrooms, the hydroelectricity that powers the facilities, and the use of traditional, ecologically-sourced wood, the goal of Treehotel is to give guests a serene and magical experience of nature without taking away from it.
Treehotel’s on-site restaurant offers delicacies from the northern pantry as well as traditional Swedish home cooking. (Their specialty is wild-caught game dressed with ingredients from local suppliers.)
Between the wholesome meals and the even-more-wholesome views, Treehotel offers an exquisitely-calming Scandinavian getaway whose ethical approach to nature and relaxation cannot be beat.
Watch a short video on the story of Treehotel and how it came to be:
