The idea to build a free-floating open air cold bath was born during the inauguration of Treehotel in Harads. Now, eight years later, the construction of Arctic Bath has started. With time it has expanded to a complete facility with hotel rooms, restaurant and an open air cold bath. “Luckily the team behind it all is very stubborn and focused on the target”, says AnnKathrin Lundqvist, project manager and one of the owners at Arctic Bath. “There has been a long process involving all the necessary permits, consultations and – not least – financing the project.”
AnnKathrin mentions two main things that now makes it all possible. One is the fact that there already are existing exclusive facilities; Treehotel and Icehotel, that attract a top segment of visitors. The other is the professional way in which the investment process has been handled.
Passionate investors
“The support from Invest in Norrbotten and Swedish Lapland Visitors Board has been extremely valuable. They have helped us with advice, expertise and statistics from start to finish, in a way that we, as a small company with not enough muscles, couldn’t have managed ourselves. Now we were able to find the optimal investors, a couple from Belgium, running the investment company CoolPlaces and the travel agency Nordic that focuses on exclusive tours to northern Scandinavia and Island, and a local investor within the tourism industry. We made a profile that fitted perfectly; investors that understands small scale tourism, have a passion for the product in question and that can invest in a long-term manner.
Now Arctic Bath has a mix of local and international investors.
“Model for investments outside the bigger cities”
“It’s generally easier to attract international investors to bigger projects within the tourism industry in the larger city areas”, says Natalie Sidén, investment manager at Invest in Norbotten. “Arctic Bath is a part of a larger Swedish project that we manage in cooperation with Swedish Lapland Visitors Board, The Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth and Business Sweden aiming to find ways to attract more foreign capital to touristic projects in small town regions. The goal is to create a business model for investors that appreciates the exotic and exclusive projects we can offer in our part of Sweden.
AnnKathrin mentions two vital factors for success.
“It’s important to have both bank contacts and a region that realizes what a growing business project like this can mean for the whole region. Also important is that the local government, in our case Boden municipality, acknowledges the possible growth and makes things easier, e. g. regarding building permits.”
Ripples on the water – locally and regionally
Although the Arctic Bath capacity will be limited when it comes to the number of visitors they have a very interesting high-spending target group.
“We will be cooperating with a number of existing companies to be able to offer different activity packages to add”, says AnnKathrin. “This will be very positive for the local community and the nearby Treehotel has paved the way, so the locals are welcoming also this new facility. Arctic Bath will provide the visitors with yet another reason to visit this part of Sweden so the “exclusive guests” can prolong their visit here with a few extra nights. Our idea is also to focus on a new customer segment within wellness.”
Global interest
Arctic Bath’s first construction meeting was held by the end of January.
“The interest from international media and press has been massive. Now we get booking requests from all over the world. People from Abu Dhabi, New York, Hongkong, Brazil and other places get in touch with us and want to book rooms. They have read about Arctic Bath in some exclusive magazine and want to be the first to test something truly unique. Now the pieces are finally coming together, and our dream come true!”
Facts about Arctic Bath
Geography: Situated in the Lule river close to Bodträskfors and Harads.
Facility: Floating hotel with open air cold bath, restaurant, lounge, bar, different saunas and spa, six floating hotel rooms
Building: Exclusive design with refences to the previous timber rafting in the river. The building will be free-floating on pontoons, anchored to the river bed.
Total area: 700 square meters
Inauguration: December 2019
Total investment: 45 million SEK
Ownership: Seven owners from the region and Belgium
