The Arctic Bath hotel and spa, designed by Bertil Harström, Johan Krauppi and Annkathrin Lundqvist, has opened on the Lule River near the small village of Harads in Swedish Lapland.

First announced in 2017, it was conceived to be a year-round Arctic wellness destination that will float on the water during the summer and be frozen into the ice during the winter.

The 12-room hotel is inspired by the era of floating felled trees downriver for processing.

Its circular, wooden structure is finished with logs at varying vertical angles around its side and a tangle of logs on its roof, reminiscent of the log jams that would occur.

Also housed within the floating structure is a spa with three different saunas, a hot tub with hydrotherapy facilities, hot baths and a treatment room, while in the central, outdoor space there is an Arctic plunge-pool.

Additional accommodation is provided by six floating cabins for couples near the water’s edge and six larger cabins and suites on the shore, some of which can sleep up to five guests.

The cabin interiors, designed – along with the rest of the hotel interiors – by Lundqvist and Input Interior, make use of natural materials from the local area, including wood, stone, leather and luxurious textiles.

Lundqvist told CLAD: At Arctic Bath, each room has been thoughtfully designed with a high level of comfort and luxury in mind, while keeping with our overall wellness focus. We worked with colours and natural materials that could help our guests connect with the surrounding nature.

"The land cabins were designed to incorporate the surrounding nature, to blur the borders between the interior and exterior. Natural, sustainable materials with a rich history such as wood, stone, leather and luxurious textiles harmonize together with Scandinavian design."