Treehotel/Brittas Pensionat, Edeforsväg 2 A, S-960 24 Harads, Sweden.
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Here is a new hotel concept, quite strange but fanciful and exotic. Initiated by Swedish achitects, (Tham and Videgaard Hansson, Sendell Sandberg, the Cyren Brothers and the Inredningsgruppen), this extravagant project is in fact a child’s dream.
Well, with the help of this group of well known designers and architects, we have now turned the idea into a reality. We have a group of unique rooms created in harmony with nature, and with our ecological values. They are all set in the forest where we live, a refinement of the local conditions. “Dig where you stand” as the saying goes.
It is important that we find another way to value the forest, rather than to cut the trees for industrial use. This Boreal forest is one of the Earth’s lungs. We need to look after it.
Our inspiration came from the documentary film “Trädälskaren” (Treelover) by Jonas Selberg Augustsen. It is the story of three men from the urban environment who look to get back to their roots by building a tree house together. It is a philosophical film about what “the tree” means to us humans, both historically and culturally. It has been our inspiration to expand the idea into a hotel, with the added dimension of innovative modern design. We are working to make the construction and daily running of the Tree Houses as green as possible, which is consistent with our values and, we hope, yours too.
Undoubtedly, as the models suggest, the architects and designers have put a lot of fun in the project. And the result is astonishing: a UFO-like tree house, inspired by bird nests, also similar to a cloud, made out of textile, and finally a cubic mirror-hut made out of aluminium. Entirely made out of mirror glass, the hut is reflecting all the surrounding natural elements in order to melt into the forestry world.
The tree houses include a room, a kitchen, a living room, and a terrace. The bathrooms remain a mystery! Despite these imperfections, these phantasmagorical structures bring back to mind all the childhood memories and supernatural universe, where magic is possible. The futuristic tree houses are ran by the Brittas group, and six of them are going to be up (literally) and going by the end of 2009. We shall wait for reservations to be available, so that we can finally find out where the toilets are!
The hotel is just 60 kilometers below the Arctic Circle which means there’s a good possibility to have the northern lights in the winter and during the summer you have the midnight sun
During summer you have almost unlimited time to explore the countryside, thanks to the long hours of daylight. Here you will find wilderness areas and countryside suitable for fast-paced, action-packed adventures as well as private spots where you can just "be". During summer and autumn you can enjoy outdoor activities such as cycling, hiking and cross-country running. The Lule River is a vast playground for those who enjoy kayaking or canoeing.
The Swedish legal right of access to private land grants endless opportunities to discover a wilderness packed with wild animals and fascinating plants. In the surroundings of Harads you will find the chance to launch your spirit of adventure.
Winter transforms Harads into a sparkling white landscape. There are days where temperatures can drop to minus 30 degrees, but there are also pleasant and sunny days offering wonderful skiing opportunities. Excellent cross-country skiing tracks can be found just around the corner. Should you wish to try downhill skiing, Storklinten, with a number of good slopes, is located just 20 minutes from Treehotel. Or perhaps you simply want to experience the silence of a winter forest? You can make your way on snowshoes or by wide touring skis. Why not take a dog sled tour on the frozen Lule River? The choice is yours.
Guests at the Treehotel in Harads, 60km south of the Arctic Circle, are guaranteed a room with the leafiest of views when they check into one of the four treehouses.
The rooms, known as the Cabin, the Blue Cone, the Nest and the Mirrorcube, vary in size from 15 to 30 square metres and are positioned in pine trees between four and six metres from the ground.
They have all been constructed from wood and glass and feature an electric floor heating system, a state-of-the-art eco-friendly incineration toilet and a water-efficient hand basin.
The interior of each tree house will be uniquely designed using furniture and lighting that complements an individual theme.
There are plans to build another 20 over the next five years.
