Through the wall-to-wall panorama window, the horizon stretches endlessly across the Arctic Ocean. Somewhere beyond lies the coastline of Greenland. Turn slightly north, and you are facing the direction of the North Pole.
Outside, fulmars glide effortlessly along the cliffs. A group of belugas may pass close to shore, white against the dark water, while a curious seal surfaces and disappears again. The landscape is vast, exposed and alive.
And you are watching it all from the warmth of a sauna.
The idea of an Arctic Spa was born when Basecamp Explorer established Isfjord Radio as an adventure hotel more than a decade ago. After long days on snowmobiles or out exploring the tundra, what could be more restorative than stepping into a hot sauna by the shore?
Sauna culture here is not new. As early as the 1950s, the original station staff built a sauna inside the main building. At the time, Isfjord Radio functioned as a vital communication link between mainland Norway and Svalbard, staffed year-round. The sauna offered warmth, comfort and a safe retreat from both weather and wandering polar bears.
Today, that tradition continues, reinterpreted in a modern, architectural form.
WHAT IS THE ARCTIC SPA?
The Arctic Spa concept is simple: nature is the main element.
The sauna was designed with a full panorama window so you can lie back on the benches and let the Arctic unfold before you. No screens. No distractions. Just wind, sea, light and silence.
To follow the changing seasons and ensure safety in polar bear territory, the sauna was built as a mobile structure. It can be repositioned when needed, always balancing immersion with responsibility.
The second essential element is the ocean itself. A plunge into the icy sea, followed by the return to the heat of the sauna, creates a powerful contrast, cold and warmth, exposure and shelter. It is invigorating, grounding and deeply restorative.
Second part of the Arctic Spa experience is the Ocean. There is no better feeling than first dipping yourself to the icy ocean and then running back to the warm sauna to warm up your toes and fingers again. Is a combination of adrenaline rush and relief that makes you wanting more. Are you ready to try?
Built for the Edge of the World
Constructing a sauna 90 kilometres from the nearest road or airport is no small undertaking. Designed by architects and engineers for Arctic conditions, the structure is both robust and refined.
Built from massive timber, the sauna combines environmental responsibility with Scandinavian design precision. Treated spruce clads the exterior in a drift-grey tone that withstands harsh weather. Inside, smooth aspen walls and benches create a calm, modern atmosphere. Every detail is crafted with millimetre accuracy.
Weighing five to six tonnes, the structure rests on a steel frame with integrated wheels, allowing it to be moved by tractor when needed. Transporting it to Isfjord Radio required crossing the Arctic Ocean by cargo ship, followed by transfer by smaller boat from Longyearbyen — a demanding journey that reflects the remoteness of its destination.
The Cookery
The sauna carries the name The Cookery, inspired by Svalbard’s whaling history. During the 1600s and 1700s, whales were brought ashore and processed in coastal cookeries where blubber was rendered into oil.
Along the coast towards Barentsburg lies Kokerineset, or Cookery Cape — a reminder of this chapter in Arctic history. By naming the sauna The Cookery, we honour the stories embedded in this landscape and connect modern architecture with centuries of human presence in Svalbard.
The Arctic Spa at Isfjord Radio is more than warmth against the cold. It is contrast. Perspective. Presence.
FORRIGE INNLEGG
