Gunhild Stensmyr
Owner, founder and creator of Arthotel Tornedalen
A DREAM BASED ON VILLAGE LIFE
Arthotel embodies the dream of preserving Tornedalen’s cultural heritage, nature and countryside, making its uniqueness available to global travellers searching for serenity and closeness to nature – a modern way of recycling the beauty of the past. Like coming home.
The owners background as a museum director has naturally played a part in everything at Arthotel. Every object guests see or touch has a story to tell, with the new jostling with the old. Art and design are everywhere – from the guest rooms to the dining room, the library, the lounge, the lobby, and outdoors too.
“I believe the arts, culture and literature enrich people’s lives, create new ideas and have the power to change the world for the better. With generosity and sharing, I believe culture should be made available to everyone. Tornedalen has luminosity to light up and take a position on the global art scene.” Gunhild Stensmyr, owner and creator.
Arthotel also provides Artist in residency programme, and conference and meeting spaces offering state-of-the-art technical equipment. The art gallery Konsthall Tornedalen is under development and will be built opposite the hotel.
Tornedalen, a strikingly unspoiled place on the border of Sweden and Finland where the seasons are vibrant and Nature is close, is the birthplace of Gunhild Stensmyr. After a professional life within art, culture and museums in southern Sweden, she nurtured a dream of opening people’s eyes to the beauty and simplicity of silence, Nature, art and the culture of Tornedalen
In 2009, Gunhild invested in the first of several properties close to her native village and started to very carefully restore and renovate them into premium quality living spaces while preserving a feeling of home.
Each house at Arthotel bears the name of the family that built it and made it their home - Tolonen, Anundi, Kristina and Wennberg.
Welcome to Tornedalen and Arthotel
Team Arthotel Tornedalen
Simmi Ojalehto, Site Manager
Simmi Ojalehto, site manager, housekeeper and above all your private Chef. She pulls the strings, she's the boss; a fantastic person who is so versatile she can cook a three-course dinner equally well indoors on the cooking range as outdoors over an open fire. Simmi gives the guests the best service imaginable, generous and always ready with a warm smile. She moved from Stockholm to Hedenäset in spring 2018 together with her husband and two children. Now isn’t it fantastic when young people leave city life for quality of life in Tornedalen! It is truly delightful.
Kalle Ersson, Nature guide
For years, Kalle Ersson has been our rock, taking care of the houses, the forest and the yards. He can even sew! There is not a single machine at Ah... that Kalle has yet to master. Best of all, Kalle is a trained nature guide. Our guests always have at their disposal a private and professional guide, who with competence and experience is their pathfinder into nature or down to the Torne River for canoeing – even running the rapids for those who wish. No
My promise to support the community
Arthotel Tornedalen is in all aspects aware of the need for prudent use of the landscape and nature, therefore I have certified my forest to benefit the environment. I have restored the houses in a traditional way by using locally grown wood. A local carpenter has made doors, stairs, windows, benches and tables which are specially designed for Arthotel Tornedalen, and made of slow-growth pinewood from our region.
It is natural for me to use local suppliers whenever possible. We live in an area with few people and a small number of tourists. Cooperation is necessary and we encourage local people to get involved in tourism by developing and bringing to the market there interests and hobbies like fishing, hunting, growing vegetables, picking berries, boiling jam, baking, weaving, knitting and so on. We cooperate with local entrepreneurs for activities and guiding. Neighbours to Arthotel Tornedalen invite our guests to join the daily life in the village and to take part in our traditions and customs.
The great vision and goal is to build an art gallery and create a cultural village of international class.
Konsthall Tornedalen will soon be in place and we welcome artists from all over the world to collaborate with us
Gunhild Stensmyr,
Founder and owner of Arthotel Tornedalen and Konsthall Tornedalen
