Copperhill Mountain Lodge, Åre, Sweden

Copperhill Mountain Lodge in Åre is Sweden's most striking ski hotel, perched near the top of Mount Förberget in the western mountains of Jämtland. Sweden is not the first country that comes to mind for mountain holidays, but Åre is Scandinavia's best-known ski resort and a year-round outdoor playground. Copperhill, designed by the American architect Peter Bohlin, is a contemporary take on the classic ski lodge, built from pine, copper and stone, with an award-winning spa and huge views across the mountains.

Location: Åre, Sweden

Copperhill sits at around 730 metres on the slopes of Förberget, near the Swedish-Norwegian border, looking west towards Åreskutan, the region's highest and most famous mountain. The village of Åre lies a short drive away in the valley below, with its shops, restaurants and lively après-ski scene.

Åre Östersund Airport is around an hour away by road, with flights from Stockholm, and Åre also has a railway station with direct trains from Stockholm, including the popular overnight sleeper. The hotel can also arrange helicopter transfers.

Rooms and suites at Copperhill

The lodge has 112 rooms and suites, sleeping up to around 420 guests. The building runs from north to south so that each room gets as much natural light and mountain view as possible. Rooms are decorated in warm, pure colours with natural materials, Scandinavian design classics and photographs telling the history of Åre.

The range is broad: double rooms and romantic suites for two, practical family suites with kitchens, and large suites with space for two families or a group of friends. It is one of the best options in the Scandinavian mountains for families or groups travelling together, with plenty of space and self-catering flexibility.

Facilities at Copperhill

The architecture is the star. Bohlin, known for designing Apple's flagship stores and the home of Bill Gates, wanted to create a lodge rooted in Scandinavian culture. The great central atrium is framed in pine, with a huge stone fireplace at its heart and a sweeping curved wall clad in copper, a nod to the copper mining that once shaped this region and gives the hotel its name. The exterior is finished in traditional black-stained timber, echoing Swedish rural buildings, on a base of local quartzite. The building won several design awards when it opened in 2008, and the hotel is a member of Design Hotels.

Level Spa & Health Club is the other highlight, once named Spa of the Year at the European Hotel Design Awards. It includes indoor and outdoor hot pools, an indoor spa pool, saunas and a gym, all looking out over Åreskutan. Treatments draw on the relaxation traditions of the Sami, the Indigenous people of northern Scandinavia.

Dining focuses on seasonal produce from Jämtland, a region known for its food culture, with dishes built around local game, fish, dairy, berries and foraged ingredients, plus a lobby bar with a fireplace. The hotel is pet-friendly and has activities and facilities for families.

The mountain moment

In winter, the dedicated Copperhill Express lift links the hotel to the Åre ski system, one of the largest in Scandinavia, so guests can ski from the lodge and ski back at the end of the day. The slopes offer everything from gentle cruising to steep, challenging terrain, and Åre has hosted Alpine skiing World Championships.

The moment to treasure, though, is in the outdoor hot pool as the short northern winter day fades. The light in this part of Sweden is extraordinary, soft pink and blue for hours, and on clear nights the Northern Lights can appear over the mountains. In summer, the opposite is true: the days are endless, and the same slopes become a network of hiking trails and some of Europe's best mountain-biking routes.

Why Copperhill is one of the best mountain hotels

Copperhill Mountain Lodge earns its place because it shows a very different side of mountain hospitality: Scandinavian, design-led and deeply connected to its landscape and culture. Its architecture is genuinely distinguished, its spa is excellent and its location offers easy access to skiing in winter and hiking and biking in summer.

It is a larger hotel than many in our collection and has a sociable, outdoorsy atmosphere rather than a hushed one. But for families, groups and design lovers looking for something beyond the Alps, it is an inspired choice.

When to go to Copperhill

Winter is the main season, with skiing usually running from late autumn into spring and the lightest, longest ski days arriving in March and April. Midwinter has short days but extraordinary pink and blue light, and the best chance of the Northern Lights from the outdoor hot pools. Summer is a very different trip, with near-endless daylight, hiking on Åreskutan and some of Europe's best mountain biking from the lodge. Swedish school holidays, especially in February, fill the family suites quickly, so book early if you are travelling with children.