We're all about sustainable travel and being eco-friendly at Lonely Planet, so we're intrigued by a new resort in Finland where the price you pay is determined by the carbon footprint of your stay.
Arctic Blue Resort is an eco-hotel that will open in 2022 in Kontiolahti, 450km northeast of Helsinki. Its design will be inspired by nature and the aim is that it will be as sustainable as possible. It will be built with natural materials, powered by renewable energy sources, and it will have its own water treatment system. Each of the rooms will have a special theme, so that guests can choose whether they want to sleep under a starry night sky or enjoy a 360-degree view of the forest.
"We want to offer people a world-class eco-vacation and encourage them to make sustainable choices by having emission-based pricing for their stay," says Mikko Spoof, vice president and founder of Arctic Brands Group. "Visitors of the resort can influence the cost by consuming less energy, attending ecological activities and making sustainable dietary choices, for example. We want the resort to be a place of true tranquility and thus encourage our guests to be more present in the moment and embrace a digital detox."
The resort will offer discounts off the total price of a stay for watching their water intake, electricity use and food choices. Planting a tree in the nearby forest will also reduce the cost. The selection of activities and excursions on offer will include ice-swimming and snowshoeing in the winter, and rowing and berry-picking in the summer. For further information on Artic Blue Resort, please see its website here.
