Octola is a five-star private wilderness retreat in the remote regions of Finland which has just opened the Arctic’s first luxury spa.
The pioneering private Arctic and Nordic travel experts, Luxury Action, have brought us the world’s first Arctic spa. You can find it within their 300 hectare of privately owned pine forest, the Octola Private Wilderness. It’s remote, really remote, situated in the northernmost reaches of Lapland.
The other bonus is that it’s completely sustainable, meaning that it has a negative carbon footprint. The spa was influenced by local Lapp and indigenous Sami cultural traditions that had sustainability in mind. The property uses wind-generated electricity; geothermal heating; and drinking water from a local on-site spring.
That doesn’t mean that they have sacrificed any luxury to make this possible. The spa has three different pools. This includes a cool pool which simulates the experience of jumping into frozen water without actually jumping into frozen water. A custom crafted swimming pool that is fitted out with resistance currents and floor-to-ceiling windows, and of course, last but not least, an outdoor hot tub.
Two sauna options are available to patrons. One is a Nordic style log-lined indoor facility, and the other is outdoors and crafted from ice blocks. A separate cabin has been created for yoga sessions and general relaxation.
Luxury Action’s founder and CEO, Janne Honkanen, said in a press release, “I’m a firm believer in the physical and spiritual healing power of nature. Octola has been designed to provide the inspiration and relaxation that this unique wilderness location can provide… a top-class spa was always a key aspect of my vision.”
While the experience and outdoor aspects are inspired by a rustic aesthetic, all the interiors are very modern with Scandanavian design influences. That means a lot of neutral colours, timber, and stone.
All the food available is locally sourced as well which means you could expect to try bear and reindeer.
Activities on the site include salmon fishing, snowmobiling, and reindeer herding.
You can only get to the Octola Private Wilderness via Rovaniemi airport, which is a two-hour direct flight from Helsinki. Not bad. Then it’s a 20-minute drive to the Wilderness itself. For those with helicopters, there’s also an available helipad.
If the cold is what you’re after, check out these holidays in Antarctica.
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