Unique accommodation close to nature – 29 sustainable places to stay in Sweden

All accommodations are listed from north to south. Click to go directly to:

• Northern Sweden
• Middle Sweden
• Southern Sweden

Northern Sweden

Swedish Lapland

Nature’s Best is Sweden’s only sustainable label for nature-based experiences. In short, it’s ecotourism for responsible companies working with nature and cultural tourism, and for conscious travellers. Many of the approved accommodation providers can be found in northern Sweden, including the following three:

Sample glamping with a twist at Sápmi Nature Camp. At this eco-lodge, situated in the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Laponia, you’ll sleep in ‘lavu’ (small tepee-like tents) and learn about the Sámi way of life as well as the history of reindeer herding from families who have grown up here.

Similarly, the Vinka family, who have lived in the area for centuries, have welcomed guests to the secluded Geunja The Sámi Eco Lodge for decades. Located beyond Ammarnäs, literally at the end of the road, they only take in a maximum of 12 groups a year, and those who stay here can immerse themselves in Sámi culture, food and traditions.

At the eco-lodge Arctic Retreat, you’ll stay in log timber cabins with private jacuzzies next to Sweden’s largest forest river, the Råne River. A range of activities linked to the river and adapted to the seasons are offered – from kayaking and fishing in the summer to skiing and husky tours in the winter.

Huuva Hideaway is not a member of Nature’s Best but has a sustainable philosophy and strives to leave as few footprints as possible. The concept combines Sámi history with an arctic lifestyle, and you’ll stay in a cabin on land or the Liehittäjä Lake. Huuva Hideaway also offer wild dining as a part of The Edible Country. Fun fact: Liehittäjä is old Finnish for ‘Seductive’ and a small village with 10 inhabitants and 22 saunas.

Västerbotten

Västerbotten County has developed its own quality label for companies working together for more sustainable nature and culture experiences in the region. The initiative is called Västerbotten Experience and gathers several accommodations, including Granö Beckasin and Svansele Wilderness Center.

Granö Beckasin is most known for its luxurious birds’ nests, where you stay up in the trees, overlooking the Umeå River. But the property also offers cabins, a campsite and an eco-hotel that is fully recyclable. A range of nature activities are available, and multi-day excursions such as rafting and a Lapland Triathlon are for those feeling adventurous. Granö Beckasin also has a restaurant that is KRAV certified.

Svansele Wilderness Center, on the other hand, serves up a range of accommodations where the wilderness camp is the largest and most unique. Located in the middle of a pine forest, with no electricity or running water and 100 torches as the only light source when night falls, this is an authentic wilderness experience. Svansele Wilderness Center has invested in electrical snowmobiles, and their goal is to become completely self-sufficient.

Jämtland

For those looking for a sense of adventure in combination with a relaxing spa, Jämtland is hard to beat. Åre is the largest ski resort in Sweden and Copperhill Mountain Lodge, located right at the tree line, is a jewel. Mainly built from wood and with panoramic spa windows, this hotel offers majestic views year-round. Copperhill Mountain Lodge holds an ISO 14001 certificate, and for those who wish to make their stay even more sustainable, a Travel Green package is available during summer and autumn.

Even though it’s the oldest mountain hotel in Sweden, Fjällnäs works with the most modern technology to minimise the use of resources. The hotel, with its traditional wooden buildings, has welcomed guests since 1882 – while the surrounding nature has been untouched since the last ice age. Here, 10 kilometres from Tänndalen, you live in symbiosis with nature and its eight unique seasons. If you want to be pampered, pay a visit to the spa, ‘Mii Gullo’ (meaning ‘How are you?’ in Sámi).

Hälsingland

Hälsingland is Sweden’s densest forest area. At Vallen Remote Hotel in the forests of Rengsjö, you can experience an authentic close-to-nature stay in a historic pasture cottage during the summer. The place has a fireplace and a wood-fired sauna but no electricity or running water. Vallen Remote is run by Växbo Lin; a Swedish linen producer focused on slow production and items crafted to last for generations – just like this pasture cottage from the mid-1800s that has been preserved and transformed into a place for peaceful recovery.

Middle Sweden

Dalarna

Another pasture cottage can be found in the forests of Dala-Floda, at Wålstedts Gård. Upon arrival at the family-run and KRAV-certified eco-farm, you’ll receive directions and a packed lunch to enjoy during the 4-kilometre-long hike to the pasture cottage. The cottage is situated in a forest glade, and the earth cellar is filled with homemade food, which you can cook over an open fire.

Värmland

For those who prefer camping, Happie Camp can be a new experience. You won’t know exactly where you’ll be staying until the last minute, when the organisers send you the exact coordinates to find your comfortable tent. The three current camps, Lake Vänern, Hagfors and Arvika, emphasise eco-friendly relaxation far away from the city noise. Plant-based food boxes with organic produce are available, and each camp has an outdoor kitchen.

Hidden among the trees on the shores of Lake Eldan, Naturbyn (‘The Nature Village’) offers hand-built log cabins, cottages, treehouses and even a wooden houseboat. Ideal for a complete detox, this is an off-grid resort with the sights and sounds of nature providing entertainment. Relax in the wood-fired hot tub before taking a dip in the lake. Or perhaps join a fishing trip and cook your catch on one of the open fires dotted around the camp.

If you’re looking for a wilderness adventure and accommodation unlike anything else, Nature’s Best certified Vildmark i Värmland might be something for you. On the shores of Klarälven River, you start by building your raft before embarking on a 1, 2, 3, 4 or 7-day long journey on the water. This rafting adventure is inspired by the life of old-time log drivers, and you can choose to spend the nights on board your raft or in tents or cabins along the river.

Västmanland

At Kolarbyn Eco Lodge outside Skinskatteberg, guests stay in rustic grass-covered huts reminiscent of real-life hobbit holes. The twelve charcoal huts have no electricity, no showers, and nothing fancy at all – Kolarbyn Eco Lodge takes pride in being called Sweden’s most primitive hotel. Kolarbyn is a Nature’s Best certified company and offers, apart from accommodation, an array of adventures. Why not take a bushcraft and survival course?

Sörmland

Lindeborgs Eco Retreat, located by the end of the road outside Nyköping, is more than sustainable. Here, you’ll be staying in a hundred-year-old barn, surrounded by natural materials and sleeping in organic beds, overlooking the nearby lake, sheep pastures and vegetable gardens. There is also an on-site sauna and relax area made with recycled tiles. Thanks to the farm’s innovative and thriving ecosystem, staying at the Eco Barn is directly climate-positive and reduces your carbon footprint.

Southern Sweden

West Sweden

West Sweden – gathering the provinces of Bohuslän, Dalsland and Västergötland – has created ‘Hållbarhetsklivet’ (Stepping up Sustainability), a joint initiative for a sustainable tourism industry. Many accommodation companies have joined, including the following four:

In Köpmannebro, the KRAV-certified farm Swedish Country Living offers several types of accommodation overlooking a lake on the edge of the forest. The off-grid wooden hermitage cottages with Scandinavian interiors are the most petite, perfect for a tranquil back-to-nature break. In 2021, Swedish Country Living was awarded Sweden’s Best Sustainability Experience by the 360° Eat Guide.

Salt & Sill (meaning Salt & Herring) on the islet Klädesholmen is for those who prefer the coast over the forest. This modern, internationally acclaimed design hotel is Sweden’s first floating hotel. The location on the water is not just a perk for bath-loving guests; Salt & Sill uses the ocean’s underwater currents as the basis for the hotel’s energy needs. Salt & Sill also features a renowned restaurant serving fresh seafood and specialising in – you’ve guessed it – herring.

Can’t choose between the sea and the woods? Family-run Anfasteröd Gårdsvik nestles on a forest-clad slope overlooking the Bohuslän archipelago. Here, you can check in for a glamping experience in furnished safari tents, with heating, or stay in one of the carefully renovated historical buildings. Anfasteröd has been a holiday destination for over a hundred years, and the owners are firm in not taking in more guests than the area can sustain.

For a close-to-nature experience without any neighbours, stay off-grid in a tiny house with minimal climate impact in the deep forests outside Hjo. Inforest offers three hand-built and self-sufficient cabins with large windows that reinforce the feeling of being in the middle of the woods. Guests are recommended to stay four to seven nights to unwind and enjoy nature to the fullest.

Östergötland

The southeast part of Sweden offers many eco-lodges too. In the Wood hermitage part of Urnatur, guests live off-grid in harmony with nature. The forest cottages and treehouses – with names like The Moss Temple and The Air Castle – lie some 500 metres from the organic farm and are all unique, built of timber from storms that hit Sweden in the 2000s. Urnatur works with nature conservation, and one of the farm’s sustainable goals is to be self-sufficient in vegetables from 1 July every year.

In the region, you can also find Naturlogi, offering a variety of forest rooms – from a rustic windbreak with only a mosquito net between you and the surrounding nature to suites with private hot tubs. All accommodations have a fireplace, and guests cook sustainably produced food, provided in a basket, over the fire. Naturlogi has made a sustainability pledge and operates within the forest’s capacity, with only a few guests per night.

Gotland

Sweden’s largest island, Gotland, has gathered many local companies under the initiative Sustainable Plejs. The idea is to work locally and organically to make the region a living and sustainable place year-round. One member of Sustainable Plejs is Surflogiet, which offers glamping experiences in tents with luxurious beds right on the beach. A stay here can be combined with a surfing course, yoga on the beach or a few relaxing hours in the sauna.

Stora Karlsö, an island just outside of Gotland, is also a member of Sustainable Plejs and Nature’s Best. This nature reserve is renowned for its abundant bird life and is run by an animal protection association. Stay in the old lighthouse on a cliff with sunset views or in a beach house with direct access to the bathing jetty.

Halland

Back in the south west, Stedsans in the Woods in Halland believes that luxury, true sustainability and well-being go hand in hand. This off-grid forest resort offers 16 wooden cabins with floor-to-ceiling windows, a floating sauna and a secluded restaurant serving local, foraged and home-grown produce. The cabins have a strict less-is-more philosophy, and the whole site is described as a ‘playground and laboratory for an alternative lifestyle’.

Further towards the coast, tucked away in a beech forest in a nature reserve, you’ll find one of Sweden’s most prominent vineyards. Ästad Vingård is a Nordic Eco-labelled destination, and its restaurant Äng is KRAV certified and holds a Michelin star. As for accommodation, Ästad Vingård offers a range from rustic timber cottages to luxurious suites with private saunas.

Småland

The province of Småland, with its vast forests, offers several options for a stay in nature. One is Ramoa Adventure Village, where the accommodation is an experience. Choose between a variety of cottages and tents, a floating bedroom only accessible with a kayak or the crown jewel – a pavilion on a private island in the middle of Lake Örken. Ramoa works with local suppliers and encourages the guests to share their responsibility for the environment.

Another gem is Getnö Gård, a farm located in Åsnen National Park. Choose between nature camping, secluded houses and summer cottages. Getnö is the natural waterway into the national park and Lake Åsnen, boasting some 1,000 islands. The area dates to the Viking Age, and if you’re looking for stripped-down accommodation, the rustic timber cabin ‘Vikingaborgen’ by the lake is a safe bet.

Blekinge

Situated in the Blekinge archipelago, Eriksberg Hotel & Nature Reserve lets you experience wildlife on the animal’s terms. The accommodation alternatives are luxurious and many – how about glamping in an architect-designed tent in the middle of the enclosed nature reserve or spending the night in the Illusion Villa, hovering three metres above a feeding place with a glass slab in the floor? As one of the largest game reserves in northern Europe, Eriksberg promotes biodiversity and ensures the well-being of the animals.

Skåne

Nyrups Naturhotell, in the southernmost part of Sweden, is only available via a hike into the forest. Here, you’ll stay in comfortable and colourful huts. However, this is not a luxurious glamping experience – Nyrups Naturhotell is an ecohotel with no electricity or running water. No equipment or experience is required, but the guests are wholly involved in the stay to co-create the experience together, with the mission to leave a minimal footprint.