Kurro Nature Spa: Slow down to the rhythm of nature

By Signe Hansen

Set beside Lake Peipus and surrounded by the pine forests of eastern Estonia, Kurro Nature Spa has been created as a retreat where time is shaped less by schedules and more by nature, rest and the changing seasons. Opened on 17 August, the new retreat brings together nature, spa rituals, seasonal food and family-friendly experiences, inviting guests to spend their stay walking, resting, eating well and reconnecting with the landscape.

The idea of slowing down runs through Kurro, from its nearly three kilometres of forest trails to the layout of its 1,500-square-metre spa. Rather than filling the wellness area with attractions, the spa has been designed with space between experiences, including places to read, drink herbal tea and simply sit.

“In Estonia, a spa weekend can easily become something you rush through – one sauna, then the next, then dinner and breakfast – and by Sunday you arrive home more tired than when you left,” says sales and marketing manager Kulla Kroon. “At Kurro, we’re trying to create a place for slowing down. That’s why we have a two-night minimum at weekends.”

Seven saunas offer different levels of heat, while an entire floor is dedicated to wellness treatments in 12 treatment rooms. The quieter sauna areas are reserved for guests aged 16 and over, while the pool and relaxation areas welcome families. Tennis and padel courts, yoga, meditation and seasonal activities provide further ways to spend the day without turning the stay into a programme to complete.

Kurro’s spa is designed to give guests the time and space to restore and recharge. Photo: Tõnu Tunnel

Food shaped by nature and heritage

The same unhurried approach extends to Kurro Resto, where the menu is built around what is available from nearby farmers, fishermen, hunters and foragers. Fish from Lake Peipus, game, forest mushrooms, berries, herbs and local vegetables connect the restaurant closely to the surrounding landscape and food traditions of the region.

Instead of an extensive à la carte menu, the kitchen follows the seasons, preserving part of each harvest for later through fermenting, pickling and curing. These methods are deeply rooted in Estonian food culture, where generations have preserved the abundance of the short northern summer to carry its flavours through the long winter.

That local connection continues through guided forest journeys, foraging, birdwatching and fishing with local fishermen. The forest itself adds another seasonal layer, with blueberries and lingonberries in summer and mushrooms as autumn arrives.

The vast Alutaguse forest begins right on the spa’s doorstep. Photo: Tõnu Tunnel

A retreat for all

Although quietness is central to the concept, Kurro was not designed as an adults-only retreat. Separate spa zones mean children can enjoy the pool and relaxation areas, while adults seeking stillness have access to quieter spaces. Moreover, carefully designed family rooms include bunk beds and hand-painted forest scenes, while separate playrooms cater to different age groups.

“We haven’t abandoned families,” says Kroon. “The idea is to bring children back into nature as well. I think their imaginations can run wild here if we give them the canvas.” To further outdoor adventures, guided activities encourage children to explore the surroundings in their own way, including learning about animals from the traces they leave behind.

A different pace

That desire to connect guests with the surrounding region extends beyond the landscape itself, with around 70 per cent of the team recruited locally. Residents, guides, farmers and foragers have embraced the chance to introduce visitors to the landscape and the knowledge rooted in it.

“It has been amazing to see how the locals have taken us in,” says Kroon. “There’s a real sense of pride in this area and in being able to share it with others. For Kroon, the project has also meant a personal homecoming. After living in Tallinn, she has returned to the region where she grew up.

For her, Kurro is also an opportunity to share a slower pace of life, a pace defined by the forests, sandy shores and ageless traditions “The experiences at Kurro aren’t there simply to fill a schedule, but to help people reconnect with nature and perhaps with themselves. More than anything, I hope guests leave with the feeling that, for a little while, life moved at the pace it was always meant to.”

Kurro Nature Spa appears as a cluster of volumes in a small forest settlement. Photo: Tõnu Tunnel

www.kurrospa.ee

Facts

Location: Uusküla, eastern Estonia, beside Lake Peipus
Accommodation: 96 rooms, including family rooms and suites
Spa: approx. 1,500 square metres, seven saunas, 25-metre pool and 12 treatment rooms
Activities: forest trails, foraging, fishing, birdwatching, yoga, meditation, tennis and padel
Families: dedicated pool and relaxation areas, age-specific playrooms and guided nature activities
Access: Tallinn Airport is approximately two hours away by car and Tartu Airport around one hour. Airport transfers are available, and Kurro can also be reached by public bus

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