From world’s ‘roughest wilderness hotel’ to a cosy Cotswolds hideaway: 10 adventure stays in Europe
Sonnwies, Dolomites, Italy
Bringing smaller explorers with you? Sonnwies is a family-friendly hotel in the heart of the sun-lit mountainscapes of the Italian Dolomites and near the pretty village of Luson in South Tirol. Here it’s all about adventures – explore the scenic heights on foot or you can ski straight from the hotel during winter months. This gem will make all ages of adventurer happy with mountain bikes, e-bikes and trail maps to borrow, as well as an on-site organic farm, a pony paddock and a beginner-friendly ski slope.
Family rooms (sleeping four) £380 a night; sonnwies.com
Stocks Hotel, Channel Islands
Sometimes called the “crown jewel of the Channel Islands”, the little island of Sark is car-free, edged by rugged coastline and officially one of the sunniest places in the UK. Get around as the locals do, by bike, or explore from the water on a coasteering or sea-swimming expedition – organise guides from Outdoor Guernsey and Guernsey Swim Adventures. And stay at Stocks: sure, it may be the only hotel on this tiny island, but happily it’s a lovely one, with a solar-heated swimming pool and suppers that have been sourced straight from the kitchen garden.
Doubles from £260 a night; stockshotel.com
Camp Ripan, Sweden
On the edge of Kiruna, Sweden’s northernmost city, Camp Ripan has ski tracks and mountain trails starting straight from the doorsteps of their cosy cabins, chalet-style rooms and camping pitches. Adventure guides will take you skiing, ice climbing and aurora spotting in winter, while in summer you can cycle or hike beneath the midnight sun. Pack your swimmers for the swish on-site Aurora Spa.
Doubles from £118 a night; ripan.se
Wasdale Head Inn, Lake District, England
It’s a journey of its own to seek out this remote inn, hidden at the end of a twisty turny lane through a Lake District valley hemmed in by towering mountains, but it’s well worth it. Renowned as the birthplace of British rock climbing, the Wasdale Head Inn sits at the foot of Scafell Pike, England’s tallest peak, and near the shores of Wastwater, the country’s deepest lake. Bedrooms are simple, but a stay here is all about your surroundings, and at the end of a day’s trekking you’ll rub shoulders with mountaineers warming up by the fire in the snug bar.
Doubles from £150 a night; wasdale.com
Canvas Hotel, Norway
The Canvas Hotel proudly calls itself the “world’s roughest wilderness hotel”, and rightly so: you’ll have to trek or cycle to get to your very own luxurious yurt in this remote corner of Telemark. Explore by mountain bike (the hotel is surrounded by a network of cycle trails), steam in the sauna yurt, fish for your supper, or set sail for a day or two on the hotel’s own yacht, the Varg, which will make its maiden voyage in 2025 offering “ski and sail” adventures.
From £266pp a night; destinations.norrona.com
Another Place, The Machrie, Inner Hebrides, Scotland
A sanctuary on the squally shores of the island of Islay, in Scotland’s Inner Hebrides. Another Place, The Machrie edges on to the sands of a seven-mile-long beach – spend your days swimming in the sea, fat-biking along coastal trails, setting out on wildlife-spotting boat trips or wandering through untamed hills on a wilderness hike. The hotel’s hot tubs and sauna (or a dram of whisky from one of the island’s nine distilleries) will warm you up afterwards.
Doubles from £295 a night; another.place/the-machrie
The Fish Hotel, Worcestershire, England
If you’re more of a fan of soft adventures than of hardy hillside pursuits, pack your wellies for the Fish, a country estate hideaway. Choose to hole up in a treehouse, shepherd’s hut or a snug hotel suite complete with wood burner on the edge of the Cotswolds National Landscape, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, close to the village of Broadway. The Fish will provide you with walking maps and Muck Boots so you can head outdoors. The surrounding Farncombe Estate offers clay pigeon shooting, falconry or even a spot of duck herding.
Doubles from £199 a night; thefishhotel.co.uk
Hotel Føroyar, Faroe Islands
The Faroes, a 90-minute flight from Edinburgh, are picturesque gems just waiting for adventurers – think vast swathes of wilderness, miles of mountain hiking trails and a surprisingly exciting foodie scene (puffin and potatoes, anyone?) There are few hotels on the islands, but thankfully, one of them is Føroyar, a light-filled shrine to simple living on the edge of the islands’ capital, Tórshavn. Take a guided or self-guided hike straight from the hotel – not to be missed is the Old Postman’s Trail to the iconic tumbling Múlafossur waterfall.
Doubles from £74 a night; hotelforoyar.com
Galgorm, County Antrim, Northern Ireland
Whether you choose a shepherd’s hut, a log cabin or a cosy bedroom, Northern Ireland is your oyster if you base yourself at Galgorm. Drive the 195-mile Causeway Coastal route as it winds past pastel-hued fishing villages, white-sand beaches and the magnificent Giant’s Causeway. Or take a guided hike to the summit of Slemish Mountain, an extinct volcano said to have been the stomping grounds of St Patrick. The hotel’s glowing coal fires, relaxed bar and riverside hot tubs are perfect for tired explorers.
Doubles from £180 a night; galgorm.com
Ion Adventure Hotel, Iceland
Aptly named, Ion’s Adventure Hotel is all about outward-bound experiences. From here you can go riding on Icelandic horses, snorkel in the astonishingly clear waters of Þingvellir National Park or hike among the rainbow-striped mountains and geothermal hot springs of Landmannalaugar. While a stay here is, ultimately, all about the dramatic landscapes, the hotel itself is a bit of a hygge haven, with sleek modern rooms and a candlelit restaurant.
Doubles from £260 a night; ionadventure.ioniceland.is
