The Best Hotels in Scandinavia 2026

Juvet Landscape Hotel — Norway's most architecturally significant hotel

The hotel that put Norwegian landscape architecture on the world map: seven glass pavilions cantilevered over a river gorge in the Valldal valley, each one a meditation on the relationship between shelter and nature.

Juvet Landscape Hotel was designed by Jensen & Skodvin Architects and opened in 2010, quickly becoming one of the most photographed hotels in the world — and one of the most influential. The hotel's seven glass pavilions are positioned individually in the landscape, each one oriented to frame a specific view of the Valldal river gorge, the surrounding mountains, or the ancient birch forest. The pavilions are deliberately minimal: a bed, a bathroom, floor-to-ceiling glass, and the landscape. There is no television, no minibar, no room service — the experience is entirely about the relationship between the guest and the natural world.

The main house, a restored 19th-century farmstead, serves as the communal heart of the hotel: breakfast, dinner, and the sauna are all here, and the contrast between the farmhouse's warmth and the pavilions' architectural rigour is part of the experience. Juvet achieved international fame when it was used as a filming location for the film Ex Machina, and the hotel's combination of architectural ambition and natural drama continues to attract guests from around the world. It is one of the few hotels that genuinely changes the way you see the landscape.

Book it ifYou want to experience Norwegian landscape architecture at its most radical — and to wake up to a view that makes you question the relationship between inside and outside.

Manshausen — sea cabins on the Arctic coast of Norway

Four sea cabins on stilts over the Arctic Ocean — the most dramatically positioned hotel in Norway, and one of the most extraordinary in the world.

Manshausen is a tiny island in the Steigen archipelago in northern Norway — accessible only by boat — that has been transformed into one of the most extraordinary small hotels in Scandinavia. The four sea cabins are positioned on stilts directly over the Arctic Ocean, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls that frame views of the surrounding islands, the midnight sun in summer, and the Northern Lights in winter. The cabins are deliberately simple: a king bed, a bathroom with a view, and the ocean beneath you.

The island's main building houses the restaurant, where the chef serves a daily menu based entirely on what has been caught or foraged that day — Arctic char, king crab, cloudberries, and sea herbs. Activities include kayaking through the archipelago, diving in the clear Arctic waters, and guided hikes to the island's highest point for panoramic views. Manshausen is the kind of hotel that requires a certain commitment — the journey is part of the experience — but for guests who make the effort, it delivers a connection with the Arctic landscape that is genuinely transformative.

Book it ifYou want to sleep over the Arctic Ocean, watch the Northern Lights from your bed, and eat the freshest seafood in Norway.

Arctic TreeHouse Hotel — Finland's most celebrated forest retreat

Elevated treehouse suites in the Finnish boreal forest, designed for Northern Lights viewing — the most complete Arctic experience in Finnish Lapland.

Arctic TreeHouse Hotel sits in the boreal forest on the banks of the Kemijoki River, just outside Rovaniemi — the official hometown of Santa Claus and the capital of Finnish Lapland. The hotel's 38 treehouse suites are elevated among the pine trees, with floor-to-ceiling glass walls and, in the Aurora Suites, glass ceilings designed specifically for Northern Lights viewing from bed. The design is quintessentially Scandinavian: natural materials, warm lighting, and a palette drawn from the forest and the Arctic sky.

The hotel's restaurant, Arctic Flavours, serves modern Finnish cuisine with a focus on Arctic ingredients: reindeer, Arctic char, cloudberries, and wild mushrooms. Activities include snowmobile safaris, husky sledding, reindeer farm visits, and ice fishing in winter; in summer, the midnight sun transforms the landscape and river activities take over. The hotel's position — close enough to Rovaniemi for easy access to the Santa Claus Village and airport, but far enough to feel genuinely remote — makes it the ideal base for a Finnish Lapland experience.

Book it ifYou want to watch the Northern Lights from your bed in a glass-ceilinged treehouse suite in the Finnish boreal forest.

Yasuragi — Japanese-inspired wellness on the Stockholm archipelago

A Japanese-inspired spa hotel on the Stockholm archipelago that has become Sweden's most celebrated wellness destination — the closest thing to a Japanese onsen experience in Scandinavia.

Yasuragi was designed by the Swedish architect Gunnar Mattsson in collaboration with Japanese design principles, and the result is a hotel that feels genuinely Japanese in its approach to space, material, and the relationship between interior and exterior. The hotel sits on a peninsula in the Stockholm archipelago, surrounded by water and forest, and the thermal baths — both indoor and outdoor — are designed to be experienced in the Japanese tradition: a progression through different temperatures, textures, and states of relaxation.

The 197 rooms and suites are furnished in a Japanese-Scandinavian style that combines natural materials, clean lines, and the kind of considered minimalism that makes every object feel intentional. The restaurant serves Japanese-inspired cuisine with Swedish ingredients, and the sake bar is one of the best in Scandinavia. Yasuragi is accessible from central Stockholm in under 30 minutes by boat or car, making it an ideal destination for a weekend escape from the city — or a longer stay for guests who want to experience Swedish wellness culture at its most refined.

Book it ifYou want the closest thing to a Japanese onsen experience in Scandinavia, with the Stockholm archipelago as your backdrop.

Storfjord Hotel — a Norwegian farmstead above the fjord

A collection of traditional Norwegian log cabins above the Storfjord — one of the most atmospheric small hotels in Norway, combining vernacular architecture with genuine luxury.

Storfjord Hotel is a collection of traditional Norwegian log cabins perched above the Storfjord in Sunnmøre — one of the most beautiful fjord landscapes in western Norway. The hotel's buildings are constructed in the traditional Norwegian style: dark-stained timber, grass roofs, and the kind of craftsmanship that has been refined over centuries of building in the Norwegian climate. The 24 rooms and suites are individually decorated with Norwegian antiques, hand-woven textiles, and the kind of considered detail that makes every space feel genuinely personal.

The restaurant serves modern Norwegian cuisine with produce from local farms and the fjord: smoked meats, cured fish, wild berries, and the extraordinary dairy products of the Sunnmøre region. The hotel's outdoor fire pit, positioned to face the fjord, is one of the great evening experiences in Norwegian hospitality. Activities include hiking in the surrounding mountains, kayaking on the fjord, and guided tours of the Sunnmøre Alps. Storfjord Hotel is the kind of place that makes you understand why Norwegians have such a profound relationship with their landscape.

Book it ifYou want to experience the Norwegian fjord landscape from a traditional farmstead hotel — with log fires, grass roofs, and fjord views from every window.

Ett Hem Stockholm — the world's most intimate city hotel

Twelve rooms in a converted 1910 Arts and Crafts townhouse in Lärkstaden — the most personal hotel in Stockholm, and one of the most celebrated small hotels in the world.

Ett Hem — Swedish for 'a home' — is exactly what its name suggests: a 1910 Arts and Crafts townhouse in the residential Lärkstaden neighbourhood of Stockholm that has been converted into a 12-room hotel with the express intention of making guests feel like they are staying in a private house. The interiors were designed by Ilse Crawford, and the result is a masterclass in the art of making luxury feel effortless: hand-thrown ceramics, sheepskin throws, open fires, and a kitchen where guests are welcome at any hour.

The hotel's approach to hospitality is radically different from the conventional luxury hotel model: there is no reception desk, no formal dining room, no set mealtimes. Instead, guests are welcomed by a small team who know their names, their preferences, and their schedules. Breakfast is served at the kitchen table; dinner is prepared by the hotel's chef and served wherever guests prefer — in the library, the garden, or their room. The 12 rooms are individually decorated with Swedish antiques, contemporary art, and the kind of considered detail that makes every space feel genuinely personal. Ett Hem has been named one of the world's best hotels by virtually every significant travel publication, and the consensus is deserved.

Book it ifYou want the most personal and intimate hotel experience in Stockholm — a private house with 12 rooms, where the staff know your name and the kitchen is always open.

Hotel Sanders Copenhagen — the city's most stylish boutique

A former ballet school steps from the Royal Danish Theatre, transformed into Copenhagen's most stylish boutique hotel by the Danish ballet star Alexander Kølpin.

Hotel Sanders was created by Alexander Kølpin — a former principal dancer with the Royal Danish Ballet — and the hotel's sensibility reflects its creator's background: theatrical, considered, and deeply aware of the relationship between space and performance. The building, a former ballet school steps from the Royal Danish Theatre, has been transformed into a 54-room boutique hotel with an interior that combines Danish design classics with antiques, art, and the kind of layered detail that rewards close attention.

The Sanguine restaurant serves modern Danish cuisine in a setting that manages to be both intimate and theatrical, and the hotel's bar — one of the most beautiful in Copenhagen — has become a destination in its own right. The 54 rooms are individually decorated with a palette of deep greens, burgundies, and warm neutrals that feels simultaneously Danish and cosmopolitan. Hotel Sanders is positioned in the heart of Copenhagen's cultural quarter, steps from the Royal Danish Theatre, the National Museum, and the city's finest restaurants. For guests who want to experience Copenhagen's design culture at its most refined — and who want a hotel that feels genuinely personal — Sanders is the definitive choice.

Book it ifYou want Copenhagen's most design-conscious boutique hotel, steps from the Royal Danish Theatre, with one of the city's best restaurants.

Glass Resort Finland — the original glass igloo experience

The hotel that invented the glass igloo concept — a collection of glass-roofed cabins in the Finnish boreal forest, designed for Northern Lights viewing from bed.

Glass Resort — formerly known as Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort — is the hotel that invented the glass igloo concept and has been welcoming Northern Lights seekers to Finnish Lapland since 1973. The resort's glass igloos are the original and most celebrated version of the concept: thermal glass domes that maintain a comfortable temperature inside while providing an unobstructed view of the Arctic sky. The resort also offers log cabins, smoke saunas, and a range of winter activities that make it one of the most complete Arctic experiences in Finland.

The resort's activities include reindeer sleigh rides, husky safaris, snowmobile tours, and ice fishing on the frozen lake. The smoke saunas — traditional Finnish saunas heated by wood fires — are among the finest in Lapland. The restaurant serves Finnish Lapland cuisine with local ingredients: reindeer, Arctic char, cloudberries, and the extraordinary dairy products of the region. Glass Resort is the benchmark against which all other glass igloo experiences are measured, and for guests who want the original and most complete version of the concept, it remains the definitive choice.

Book it ifYou want the original glass igloo experience — the hotel that invented the concept, in the heart of Finnish Lapland.

The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland — a geothermal sanctuary

The world's most extraordinary spa hotel: a 62-room retreat built into a 800-year-old lava field, with direct access to the milky blue geothermal waters of the Blue Lagoon.

The Retreat at Blue Lagoon is built into an 800-year-old lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, and its architecture — dark basalt walls, geothermal steam, and the milky blue waters of the lagoon — creates one of the most extraordinary hotel environments in the world. The 62 suites are positioned to maximise the relationship between interior and the volcanic landscape: floor-to-ceiling windows frame the lava field, the lagoon, and the sky, and many suites have private access to the geothermal waters.

The Retreat Spa is the most comprehensive spa in Iceland: a series of treatment rooms, relaxation pools, and steam caves built into the lava, with treatments that use the Blue Lagoon's silica mud and algae as primary ingredients. The Lava Restaurant serves modern Icelandic cuisine in a setting that looks directly over the lagoon, and the in-water bar — accessible only to Retreat guests — is one of the most extraordinary drinking experiences in the world. The Retreat is positioned 45 minutes from Reykjavik and 20 minutes from Keflavik Airport, making it an ideal first or last night in Iceland — or the centrepiece of a longer Icelandic itinerary.

Book it ifYou want to experience Iceland's most extraordinary natural phenomenon — the Blue Lagoon — from the privacy of a world-class spa hotel.

Deplar Farm Iceland — adventure and luxury in the Troll Peninsula

A converted sheep farm in the remote Troll Peninsula of northern Iceland, offering heli-skiing, river fishing, and the most complete adventure experience in the country.

Deplar Farm is a converted sheep farm in the remote Fljót Valley on Iceland's Troll Peninsula — one of the most dramatic and least-visited landscapes in the country. The hotel is operated by Eleven Experience, the adventure travel company that has built a portfolio of properties in some of the world's most extraordinary locations, and the Deplar Farm experience is built around the peninsula's exceptional natural resources: heli-skiing on untracked powder in winter, river fishing for Atlantic salmon in summer, and Northern Lights viewing throughout the long Icelandic winter.

The 13 rooms are housed in a converted farmhouse that has been extended and renovated to a high standard, with a design that honours the vernacular architecture of the region: dark timber, grass roofs, and the kind of considered detail that makes every space feel genuinely personal. The spa, with its geothermal hot tubs positioned to face the valley, is one of the most atmospheric in Iceland. The all-inclusive format — which includes all meals, activities, and guiding — makes Deplar Farm one of the most complete luxury adventure experiences in the world.

Book it ifYou want the most complete adventure experience in Iceland — heli-skiing, river fishing, Northern Lights — in a remote farmhouse hotel with all-inclusive service.

Hotel Umi Iceland — volcanic minimalism near Vík

A striking black mirrored-glass hotel on the volcanic plain near Vík — the most architecturally distinctive new hotel in Iceland, with views of Eyjafjallajökull and the black sand beaches.

Hotel Umi is one of Iceland's most architecturally striking new hotels: a series of black mirrored-glass modules positioned on the volcanic plain near Vík in South Iceland, with views of Eyjafjallajökull, the black sand beaches of Reynisfjara, and the extraordinary volcanic landscape of the South Coast. The hotel's design — which reflects the landscape in its mirrored surfaces while remaining deliberately minimal — has made it one of the most photographed new hotels in Iceland.

The 30 rooms are designed with the same minimalist sensibility as the exterior: natural materials, clean lines, and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame the volcanic landscape. The restaurant serves modern Icelandic cuisine with local ingredients, and the hotel's position on the South Coast makes it an ideal base for exploring the region's extraordinary natural attractions: the Skógafoss and Seljalandsfoss waterfalls, the Reynisfjara black sand beach, and the Þórsmörk nature reserve. Hotel Umi represents a new generation of Icelandic hospitality — architecturally ambitious, environmentally conscious, and deeply connected to the landscape.

Book it ifYou want to stay in Iceland's most architecturally distinctive new hotel, on the volcanic plain near Vík, with views of Eyjafjallajökull.

Our verdict on Scandinavia

Scandinavia's finest hotels share a commitment to the relationship between architecture and landscape that is unique in the world. Whether you choose a glass pavilion cantilevered over a Norwegian river gorge, a geothermal sanctuary in an Icelandic lava field, or a converted Arts and Crafts townhouse in Stockholm, you will find a region that takes its natural environment seriously and builds its hospitality around it. The best time to visit depends on what you seek: winter (November to March) for Northern Lights and snow; summer (June to August) for midnight sun and outdoor activities; spring and autumn for the extraordinary quality of Nordic light.