Treehotel: tranquillity among the treetops

By Emma Roedin | Photos: Treehotel

Hidden in the peaceful forests of Harads in northern Sweden, Treehotel offers guests much more than just a place to sleep. Indeed, as the name suggests, Treehotel is a collection of modern and ecologically designed treehouses paired with an innovative food offering on the ground. A visit here is best described as an immersion into nature and serenity, or just as a beautiful concoction of the best the area has to offer.

The roots of this remarkable hotel trace back to the 2008 documentary The Tree Lover by Jonas Selberg Augustsén, about three men who build a treehouse to reconnect with nature. The film inspired a new kind of hospitality – one that would let guests experience the same closeness to the forest. One of the future founders of Treehotel, who had been inviting his architect friends on fishing trips for well over a decade, asked what they could imagine creating among the trees. Their ideas laid the foundation for what is now the world-renowned Treehotel.

Architecture in the canopy

Each of the hotel’s eight treehouses is uniquely designed by different Scandinavian architects, giving every stay its own story – an approach neatly tied to the founders’ wish to use local materials and celebrate Nordic design in every shape and form. More rooms have been added over the years, with the ninth one set to open in the summer of 2026.

Photo: Johan-Jansson

Treehotel’s philosophy is simple: to let guests become one with nature while enjoying comfort, sustainability, and calm. Each treehouse is ecologically built, with no traditional sewage system and minimal environmental footprint. “We want guests to feel harmony and connection,” says relationship manager Sara Eriksson. “From arrival to departure, our goal is always a seamless experience. Even far from home, things should feel personal and familiar.”

Treehotel: tranquillity among the treetops

A typical stay might include a dogsled adventure, a snowmobile tour, or ice dining – a three-course meal served outdoors on the frozen Lule River. However, activities are always tailored to guests’ individual interests, from exploring Sami culture to watching the mesmerising Northern Lights. “Winter, from December to March, is especially magical as even the short walk to the hotel feels like entering another world through the silent, snow-covered forest,” adds Eriksson.

Linus Lejon. Photo: Jonas Westling

A taste of the North

The gastronomic experience at Treehotel is just as carefully crafted as the rooms. Head chef Linus Lejon brings a deeply local and sustainable approach to his cooking. His vision is rooted in small-scale production, close contact with regional farmers, and the rhythm of micro-seasons – periods so short that some ingredients appear on the menu for only a few days. “We handpick everything,” he explains. “Some ingredients might only exist for a week, so we let them define the menu while they last.”

Photo: Agnes-Midbjer

Guests can choose between a local three-course meal or a gastronomic dinner experience – a three-hour journey which features a varying number of servings depending on season. The format allows Lejon to experiment with rare local finds: a handful of wild peas, cloudberries, or perhaps spruce shoots. “Our guests are curious and open-minded,” he says. “They appreciate tasting something unique that reflects the nature outside.”

Photo: Agnes-Midbjer

Each dish begins as a concept, sometimes even as a simple drawing where Lejon sketches the plate and builds the dish around texture, colour, and landscape. For instance, a dessert might evoke the feeling of a northern bog, using berries, mossy aromas, and moist textures to recreate the sense of standing in the wild. Another starts as an idea for a frozen mochi-inspired treat, later reimagined with spruce, wild roses, and arctic brambles.

Photo: Agnes-Midbjer

Local first

Sustainability is woven into every aspect of the kitchen. The team works closely with local producers, minimising transport and choosing responsibly raised animals, which includes buying a whole retired mountain cow once a year to use nose-to-tail. During the busy winter season, Linus leads a small, tight-knit team that collaborates closely with the hotel staff to ensure a seamless service.

Treehotel: tranquillity among the treetops

Photo: Agnes-Midbjer

Meals are served in a beautifully restored 1930s building that once housed a retirement home. The dining rooms are separate and individually decorated, giving each table a private and intimate atmosphere. Every course has its own intentionally designed ceramics and matching drink, with wine pairings and local craft beers selected by the in-house team. And between dishes, small but magical moments unfold – a drizzle of oil finished tableside, a whiff of smoke, or a surprise bite. The service is personal, sensory, and interactive.

Just like the treehouses above the forest floor, the dining experience at Treehotel is both refined and rooted – a place where innovation and nature marry, and where every detail is part of a bigger story that reflects the beauty of Sweden’s north.