Is 2022 the year you add Finland to the top of your sustainable bucket-list destinations? With Earth Day right around the corner, let’s take a look at Finland’s top eco-friendly, yet luxurious, accommodations.
Lehmonkarki Resort
While most of Finland’s hotels strive to be eco-friendly, Lehmonkärki Resort goes above and beyond when it comes to its sustainable efforts. Lehmonkärki Resort is located about an hour drive northeast of Helsinki in the city of Lahti, which was named the European Green City Capital in 2021 and aims to become Finland’s first climate-neutral major city by 2025. With a wide range of tours and breathtaking surroundings, the region is ideal for active travelers and offers visitors a variety of environmentally certified accommodation, such as the log cabins at Lehmonkärki Resort.
The resort is located on the beach of Lake Päijänne near Lahti and offers accommodations ranging from a small holiday home to a villa for up to 24 people, most of which have their own sauna and a heated Jacuzzi. The resort’s main building is heated with heat from the lake, solar energy and heat recovery. Most villas, where the guests stay, have air source heat pumps, which make them more comfortable to stay in during the summer and reduces energy costs in winter. The resort’s farm uses environmentally-friendly wood chip heating, and renewable domestic wood is used as a heat source throughout the resort. There are even four electric car charging stations in the Lehmonkärki area, and the resort also offers rental electric bikes for guests to travel around easily and responsibly.
Magical Pond
For those traveling further North in Finland, Magical Pond in Ruka-Kuusamo is a collection of luxurious and sustainable igloos in Lapland. Magical Pond has not only been awarded the Sustainable Travel Finland label, but also the Green Key certificate, as it is highly dedicated to social, cultural, environmental, and economical responsibility.
At Magical Pond, 100% of its electricity is generated from hydropower, they have ground source heat pumps for the igloos, they use natural and local products for decorations (such as wooden sinks made by Finnish company Woodio and bedding made of natural material, linen), and they use refillable toiletries to minimalize the amount of waste, especially plastic.
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
The Arctic TreeHouse Hotel has also received several international sustainability awards, such as the Green Key eco-label, and it is the first labeled company in Rovaniemi, Finland that received the Sustainable Travel Finland label. In perfect harmony with the environment, the luxury treehouse suites not only have green roofs which are suitable for rainwater management, but they also have all been closely designed with sustainability in mind.
All the buildings are made from Finnish pine, which is a traditional, sustainable and renewable material. The hotel also strives to reduce their food waste with their menus changing according to season, and they include the best of the local ingredients. Their goal is to have 65% of their main ingredients locally produced.
Ollero Eco Lodge
Ollero Eco Lodge is an ideal destination for couples, families and small groups who want to experience Lapland and the peace and quiet of arctic nature in an environmentally friendly way. Ollero Eco Lodge uses an electricity supplier that produces electricity entirely from renewable energy sources, such as wind and bioenergy. The igloo is completely energy efficient with solar and biofuel used for led lights, Wi-Fi and mobile communication electricity, and the low-consuming renewable biodiesel keeps the igloo warm and cozy.
Ollero Eco Lodge chose the igloo for its low impact on nature, as it can be moved to new destinations without leaving traces. The other buildings in Ollero Eco Lodge are built of timber, a renewable and organic building material that can often be reused in new buildings, or at the end of its lifespan, burned for energy. When you book a stay at Ollero Eco Lodge, all three buildings (Main Lodge, Glass Igloo and Sleeping Cabin) are included in the booking, guaranteeing peace and privacy to connect with the surrounding nature.
