Where To Get Lost: Five Private Villas For Unforgettable Nordic And Arctic Escapes

Sure, many people start dreaming of going south right around now: to the Caribbean, to the Maldives, to Mauritius. Many others like the bustling energy (and outstanding gastronomy) of a ski resort in the Dolomites, in Aspen or Zermatt. But for lovers of winter, there are better ways to make the most of the season.

These completely private, exclusive and remote enclaves offer the best of the season—adrenaline-heavy activities like ice driving and heli-skiing, glorious snow-dusted scenery and magnificent light (both the sleepy slanted sunshine of the daytime and the dramatic shows that the northern lights often put on after dark), and a good excuse to cozy up in front of a fireplace in the company of friends.

Octola Private Wilderness, Finnish Lapland

This log chalet is so private and exclusive that it doesn’t show up anywhere on Google Maps, and all guests are asked to disable the geo-location in their phones for photos and videos. What’s known is that it’s far above the Arctic Circle, on nearly 750 private access of wilderness. Octola founder Janne Honkanen (who is also the CEO of the Nordic private travel company Luxury Action) says he set out to create a place to “savor the healing qualities of Lapland’s stunningly beautiful natural environment,” but also one where doting service is part of the package. He oversaw the creation of Octola, with input of a local Sami architect and a good dose of Lapp tradition, and made sure the ten suites in the main lodge are all generous in size and outfitted with private bathrooms, a rarity among villas in the region. (There’s an extra two-bedroom villa for extra privacy or smaller groups.)

Loggers Lodge, Swedish Lapland

On a more intimate scale, Loggers Lodge is a one-bedroom cabin on the forest in northern Sweden. It reopened for this winter season after a significant investment to “create a new level of private wilderness” while retaining the fantasy of a simple timber cabin in the woods (albeit one that’s elevated with all manner of sustainable technology and luxurious comfort—and one that now has a second bedroom unit in a modern glass structure). This is a place with history. It was built in the late 19th century as a way station for loggers as they transported wood along rivers and streams. After owner Eric Borg discovered the cabin, he was overtaken by the rare original fireplace in the center of the room, and set out to create a place where guests could disconnect from modern life and the outside world and experience untouched nature—crisp air, complete silence and privacy. Guests are pretty much guaranteed not to see another person, aside from the staff that’s on call, including activities guides and Borg’s lifelong friend and business partner, Jörgen Drugge, a trained chef, who makes appearances to prepare breakfasts of foraged berries, creamy local yogurt and freshly baked cinnamon buns, and dinners that might include reindeer carpaccio, Kalix caviar with blini and Arctic raspberry parfait.

Eleven Deplar Farm, Iceland

Deplar Farm may be seen as more of a summer destination, but its remote location on the Troll Peninsula—not making that up—in the far north of the island make it one of the best places in the world to see the Aurora Borealis. (And for anyone who wants see them during a restorative post-holiday stay, the lodge has launched a new wellness retreat program.) The 13-bedroom lodge is a converted sheep farm with black timber cladding and a living (green) roof. Its floor-to-ceiling windows allow for optimal views of the surrounding mountain peaks and colorful dancing skies. Eleven is known for adventure sports, and there are options like fat-tire biking across the snow, as well as the option to stay put in the great indoors, or in the spa, the outdoor Viking sauna or the geothermal indoor-outdoor pool with a swim-up bar.

Sheldon Chalet, Denali, Alaska

Don and Roberta Sheldon got their piece of land on a nunatak on Denali’s magnificent Ruth Glacier, just ten miles from the summit, under the Homestead Act the some 50 years ago. Now their granddaughter, Marne oversees the family’s Sheldon Chalet, which has been called “one of the most unique lodges in Alaska, and one of the most remote anywhere.” The chalet has five bedrooms that comfortably sleep ten guests—the top suite has dead-on views of the summit from the bed—on five acres of scenic property more than a mile above sea level. Accessible only by helicopter, it offers some of the rarest purple Aurora Borealis sightings in the world. Designed to ensure durability, sustainability and efficiency, the environmentally friendly property contributes financially to local organizations such as the Talkeetna Historical Society, Denali Arts Council and Denali Education Center to promote understanding of Alaska’s interconnected natural and economic ecosystems.

Åmot, Fjord Region, Norway

Although Åmot is a summer retreat, with a relatively southerly location in Norway’s fjord district, it shares the same spirit of privacy, exclusivity, family history—and on April and October nights, plenty of cozy fireplace time. Owned by Steinar Sørli and Yngve Brakstad, the estate has been in Sørli family since 1885, when it was built by his great-grandfather, Søren. For five generations it’s been a homestead dedicated to family life with deep roots in the local culture. Sørli calls it a place “held together by the bonds of friendship and craftsmanship.” It’s now an exclusive hideaway with five suites, comfy sitting rooms, three fireplaces and a grand dining area. The hosts are a collection of farmers, fishermen, artists, musicians, storytellers and chefs—in this case, of Michelin caliber. Private guides lead guests into Sunnfjord’s unexplored fjords, mountains and rivers (the name means “the place where two rivers meet”, and afterward, they can relax inside or in a gated garden with a wooden hot tub. After dinner, there might be a music recital featuring national talents.