Urnatur

Sustainability is the hotel world's catchword of the day, but Urnatur takes this concept one step further — self-sustainability. Craving a cup of tea? Staff members will help you forage for local herbs to make it yourself. This is just one of numerous examples of how this hermitage takes guests back to nature. Three hours southwest of Stockholm in the Holaved forest, the seasonal (April to October) Urnatur consists of six handcrafted "huts" and a pair of tree houses. Light comes from kerosene lamps, and heat from solar or wood power, with the wood being gathered from storm-fallen trees. Most menu items (stored in an earth-fridge, if necessary) are procured locally , as in crayfish from the lake and berries gathered in the wild, and activities include building nesting boxes for owls. The communal Wolf Cot "living room" has a peat roof that is covered with wild strawberries in the summer, and the Tin Castle offers the one concession to the modern day, with electricity to meet event needs.