As a Travel Specialist, I get to visit the places that I sell and some that I don’t as part of a familiarisation experience. We call them ‘Fams’ and they are highly sought after.

My first Fam with The Baltic Travel Company was courtesy of Visit Sweden who arranged for a group of agents from UK, Iceland, Italy and Germany to travel to Lulea in Northern Sweden to see a small number of properties. This trip followed a tourism seminar near Stockholm which involved hundreds of Travel Agents and Specialists from all over the globe.

Stockholm to Lulea by Air (approximately 1hr 20 minutes)

For our first stop, we visited Brandon Lodge which is located at the very tip of the Baltic Sea and known as the Bothnian Bay . The owner, Goran picked us up and drove us to the his property which is about thirty minutes away. Goran is the most laid back bloke ever and a keen Liverpool FC fan. 

To my knowledge, Brandon Lodge is unique as a Swedish destination as it’s located next to an area of sea that freezes over during the winter. This allows Goran to run many activities such as snowmobiling and cross country skiing over the ice. He also offers an Ice Dining experience where guests are transported to a mobile wooden lodge where they can eat a specially prepared meal for friends or family. This is also a great place for proposals, especially under starry skies and the Northern Lights. Brandon Lodge is great for families that would to be self-contained but also be sociable at meal times and in the evenings.

Our next stop was Aurora Safari Camp at Gunnarsbyn and about an hour away. We were met here by the Dutch ex-pat owner, Jonas and his Kenyan wife Naila. They used to run (and still own) Safari accommodation in Kenya and are very experienced in looking after their guests. The Aurora Safari Camp is much smaller scale than Brandon Lodge and pitches itself as a ‘Glamping’ destination.

The accommodation is a mixture of wood and canvas and doesn’t sound like it should work but it does! Within each Laavu (Saami name for tents) there is a wood pellet burner, carpet, comfortable beds and a small sitting area that faces north to view the Auroras.  The area is very private and high-end and great for small groups. A-Lister Celebs like to stay here as they feel secluded.

Above the camp are two Aurora Cabins made of solid materials and panoramic windows. Nice views and nice interior!

Out of the lake in front of the camp is a sauna that floats in the summer and is icebound during the winter. We took it in turns to sit in the wood sauna and go outside for a dip in the lake. I have tried an ince plunge before but it took me three attempts to climb down the ladder and up to my neck. It’s a strange sensation of cold terror and adrenaline that snaps my veins when I climb out and scamper for a towel. I think you can learn something about your mental strength & resilience from trying this experience! Jonas told us that an English woman holds the local record amongst guests for staying in for nine minutes!

Our next stop was the Arctic Bath in Harads which is not far from the Aurora Safari Camp. The Arctic Bath is both a hotel and a Spa that can be visited to enjoy their ‘Spa Ritual’.

The hotel consists of several six floating cabins with a luxurious living room area and a bed deck. Most of our clients stay during the winter months, but the hotel is open for most of the summer after the ice has broken up. People stay for forest walks, swimming in fresh water and excellent food.  Set back from the river are luxurious suites that are also split into a sleeping desk and joins the living area with a spiral staircase.

(the weather was overcast but imagine fresh snow and Northern Lights)

Both types of accommodation are very luxurious and I recommend for one or two nights.

The hotel was closed during our visit but the Hotel Manager, Elin came in to show us around and offer us Fika. She also opened up the Spa so that we could sample the Spa Ritual. All visitors are provided with swimming kit, dressing gowns and flip flops to negotitate the Spa.  You have the choice of Saunas, a jacuzzi, steam room, lots of fresh water and herbal teas.  There is an option to climb into the Lule river for a teeth chattering adrenaline fix.

Our next stop was at the Treehotel a few kilometres up the road. We were greeting by Maya who has worked there for years and always offers a warm welcome. Our visit started with a nice lunch with wine and beer. The food is always excellent at Swedish hotels and is another reason to visit!

After lunch we looked around Britta’s Guesthouse which is above the restaurant and communal area. The rooms are clean and comfortable and the building used to be a home for elderly locals. These days it’s used by guests who like the location but maybe lack the courage to sleep in the trees.

We moved on to the Treehotel cabins which are 500 metres from the road and very secluded. The cabins include the Blue Cone (it’s Red and Wheelchair accessible), The UFO, 7^th Room, Bird’s Nest, Cabin, Mirror Cube and the Biosphere. Each structure is a work of arboreal art and ingenuity and  unique.

Thanks to Maya, our group would be allowed to stay in four of the cabins but we had to draw lots for who got the Biosphere (everyone’s favourite), The Mirror Cube, The Cabin and the Blue Cone. After some tense drawing of straws, I managed to get the Biosphere to myself. I quickly had to learn to be magnanimous to my Italian and German counterparts. I’ve finally found a benefit of Brexit!

The Biosphere is a glass cube surrounded by nesting boxes and has a living area and a sleeping area. There is also a shower and sauna that faces the forest and privacy. Outside  the window/front door, the hotel staff maintain a feeding box that attracts local species for a free feast. It was quite a sight to see them lining up to feast whilst I showered.

Around the hotel are snowmobile and ski trails and it was nice to walk through the snowy taiga and spring sunshine. 

Sleeping was no problem with a pair of silk goggles. In the depths of winter, sunshine can be limited to several hours per day but this far north it gets brighter for longer than it does in Southern England. The following morning the group enjoyed a fantastic breakfast and then headed back to Lulea Airport to go our separate ways.

Lulea has plenty of amazing accommodation and I hope that I come back one day to enjoy my own holiday.

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