The Arctic Hideaway
Ten small architect-built houses on a Norwegian island above the Arctic Circle.
Fordypningsrommet stands on Fleinvær, a small island in an archipelago off Bodø in northern Norway, above the Arctic Circle, reached by boat. The island is let whole to one group and has no other occupants. Weather rules: the crossing depends on the sea, and winter storms, midnight sun and the northern lights are the conditions rather than the attractions.
Ten small buildings by the Norwegian architect Sami Rintala are scattered across the rock — separate houses for sleeping, one for cooking, one for working, a sauna and a concert hall the size of a shed. There is no hotel service: groups cook for themselves or bring a cook. It was conceived by a musician as a place to work rather than to holiday, and the buildings follow that purpose.
Ten buildings, one function each. Sleeping, eating, working, bathing and playing music are separate houses, which forces guests to move through weather between them. That is the design.
Built for concentration, not comfort. The island was made as a retreat for creative work, and it is honest about offering little else.
Who it is not for
The Arctic Hideaway is wrong for guests expecting hotel service, warmth or comfort. It is wrong for travellers who need fixed dates, since the sea decides the crossing. And it is wrong for anyone wanting a holiday rather than a retreat. And it is wrong for parties who want to be waited on, since the houses are self-catering. Those wanting a Nordic island with a hotel behind it should look at Isle of Eriska in Scotland.
Sources
- Open sources — ten buildings by Sami Rintala, Fleinvær, whole-island rental, self-catering
- Building count, capacity and access arrangements unverified. Confirm before publication.
Booking
Private Island Resorts arranges each stay on request, quoting the rates available for the island and dates. No benefit should be assumed unless it is confirmed in writing for the individual reservation.
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