The Best Cabins to Book in Sweden

Known as “Sweden’s most primitive hotel” – and that, as it turns out, is a very positive thing – Kolarbyn Eco-Lodge is located in a spruce forest next to a lake in Skinnskatteberg. The lodge comes with 12 traditional charcoal huts that require guests to chop their firewood for heating and sauna baths. While you can opt for a lumberjack hut – which is luxurious by comparison – prepare yourself for no electricity and no showers. Feeling peckish? A buffet of berries and mushrooms awaits, but you’ll need to pick them first.

Part of a cluster of lodgings on the island of Grinda, the Wärdshus cabin village is basic but brilliant. Situated on the southern ridge of the island, the sea is just a meander away from your cabin – or you can take in the picturesque surroundings from your own private patio. The kitchens are simply equipped: with plates, cups, cutlery and a frying pan for cooking, while earth-closets, a common shower cabin and a sauna round off the digital detox surroundings.

Located on a forest-clad slope in Bohuslän, Anfasteröd Gårdsvik is a dream for those who treat the great outdoors as their own playground. Go for a swim in the sea, jump in a boat or kayak, fish or hike one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. If you still haven’t had enough nature, forgo the comfortable cottages – built in a Victorian style that harks back to the area’s days as a seaside resort – and stay in a furnished safari tent or caravan.

A forest resort in remote East Halland, Stedsans believes luxury, sustainability and wellbeing all go hand-in-hand. And they make a compelling case. The off-the-grid restaurant uses filtered lake water and serves dishes with plants foraged from the garden or forest that day. Meanwhile, the no-harm farm uses methods based on the permaculture principles of working with – and not against – nature. And don’t feel guilty about taking a long shower – the skincare products are biodegradable and the water flows back into a lake.

Swimming, horseback riding, fishing, cycling, canoeing, bird watching – the Siljansbygden region around lake Siljan in the Dalarna province will keep you busy from dusk till dawn. The well-equipped log cabins of Gesunda Gården – charmingly named Olle and Lova, Wille and Tilde and Liten, after the grandkids of the owners – are perfect for resting weary bones. Conveniently, Lake Siljan is just 800m (2,625ft) away and its bathing place, less than a mile (1.2 km).

The Tree Hotel is not as cool as it sounds – it’s way cooler. Located in Harads near the Lule river, this collection of contemporary tree rooms – in the middle of a stretch of unspoiled nature – is about as fun as accommodation gets. Among the cabins, you’ll have the Mirrorcube that reflects and blends into nature, the Birdnest, which is a bundle of twigs, and the UFO – a silver spaceship with a ladder just waiting for ET to climb down.

It pays to look up while staying at the Arctic Bath Hotel and the location – in Swedish Lapland – means you’re under the northern lights in winter and the midnight sun in summer. The cabins, which are either on land or the Lule River, are equally eye-catching. The elevated Land cabin sits amongst the vegetation, while the Water cabin is connected to the shore by a floating walkway. Inspired by the timber floating industry, the spa is topped with a pile of pine logs and offers traditional, open-air cold baths.

With a location adjacent to one of the finest sandy beaches on the High Coast, Gullviks Havsbad is your place for those lazy seaside holidays. There’s a wide range of cottages available here – from family accommodation with bunk beds and a fully equipped kitchen to a mini hiking cottage for two people – and you can dip into a heated pool when the sea’s too cold. Basketball courts, a bike cross-track and a fenced agility course for dogs will keep the kids – and doggo – happy.

Sitting right on Lake Runn, Falun Stranbdy is a gateway to the wide variety of outdoor activities on offer in Dalarna – whether it’s sauna rafts, paddleboard yoga, World Heritage tours to the Falu copper mine or a hiking trip out into the woods. Cottages here are all top class and come with a complete kitchen, shower and toilet º while some also have underfloor heating or a wood-burning stove.

Built in the late 1800s – as a temporary home for loggers as they transported timber along the rivers and streams to sawmills on the coast – Logger’s Lodge in Swedish Lapland is now the cosiest of wood-panelled cabins with a roaring central fireplace. There’s been a slight upgrade since lumberjacks first kicked off their boots here, including a handmade bed and designer Swedish furniture. And don’t worry about privacy – about 3mi (5km) of forest separates you from the nearest neighbour.