Sweden’s Biosphere is Every Birdwatcher’s Dream Come True
Since 2010, Sweden‘s eco-conscious Treehotel has allowed guests to leave their worries in the city and retreat to a lush forest in the Swedish Lappland which features several striking “cabins”—including a silver UFO which is often shrouded in fog. The latest addition to the Treehotel is an ultra-modern glass cube which is covered with hundreds of wooden birdhouses. Biosphere—as the Treehotel’s latest addition is known—was created by a team of Danish architects who collaborated with an ornithologist to renew the area’s declining bird population.
Guests of Biosphere must cross a suspension bridge in order to gain access to a glass cube which literally grazes the treetops. Biosphere visitors can spend hours observing chickadees, woodpeckers, doves, and countless other birds who have made themselves at home in Biosphere’s bird boxes. Astute observers may even spot the occasional bat or beehive. If you’re lucky, a rare bird—such as a short-toed eagle—may make a fleeting appearance.
Ulf Ohman—a bird specialist who helped design Biosphere—hopes that a trip to the Treehotel will inspire visitors to spearhead their own bird conservation efforts at home, and in their communities. Installing simple wooden boxes that are near foliage and safe from predators goes a long way in bringing endangered birds back from the brink of extinction. A few hours spent listening to a sweet chorus of bird calls while you’re lounging on Biosphere’s state-of-the-art couch will convince you that birds are certainly worth preserving.
The Treehotel was designed so that visitors could foster an appreciation for the beauty, peace, and magic of the natural world. Spending a secluded weekend in a glass cube surrounded by hundreds of different types of birds is a solid reminder that nature never fails to put on a captivating show. Biosphere strikes a harmonious balance between iconic, modern architecture and the enduring beauty of nature.
Photos are the courtesy of Bjarke Ingels Group.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Treehotel Biosphere, Edeforsvägen 2A, Harads, Boden Municipality, Norrbotten County, Sweden (map pin is the official guest check-in site, not the private tree room)
- Coordinates
- 66.07286, 20.98187
- Access
- Biosphere is private overnight lodging by reservation. Treehotel also permits non-guests to visit only by arranged tour: a guided one-hour tour must be booked ahead (at least one week for guaranteed participation; minimum 10 people), or a solo exterior tour is available weekdays 11 a.m.–3 p.m. for SEK 120 per person. The solo tour does not include room entry. Guests check in at the Guesthouse and walk about 500 m through the forest. Biosphere itself is reached by a suspended bridge and has moderate accessibility due to steps/ladders. Respect guest privacy; unsolicited photography is not allowed.
- Admission
- Biosphere overnight stay: currently from SEK 14,800 for two guests including VAT; seasonal rates vary and buffet breakfast is included. Non-guest solo exterior tour: SEK 120/person on weekdays 11 a.m.–3 p.m. Guided tour: SEK 4,500 for a minimum group of 10, plus SEK 350 per additional person. Confirm current availability and terms with Treehotel.
- Time needed
- The guided Treehotel tour lasts one hour. The solo exterior visit has no published duration. Biosphere is an overnight stay when booked as lodging.
- Best season
- Treehotel offers its guided tour year-round. The Biosphere roof terrace is accessible in snow-free months; the operator does not publish one best season for an overnight stay.
- Opening hours
- No unscheduled walk-in access. Solo exterior tours are weekdays 11 a.m.–3 p.m. by arrangement; guided tours operate year-round and should be booked in advance. Overnight guests use their reservation and check-in arrangements. These are tour/check-in terms, not general grounds hours.
- Location checked
- 2026-10-27
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-27
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