The Lofoten islands make up an Arctic archipelago where mountains tower directly out of the sea. Climbers, surfers and cyclists love the emptiness, while fishing enthusiasts can dodge the whirlpools of the Moskenstraumen and follow in the oar-strokes of the Vikings. Eliassen Rorbuer has a range of classic, red-painted fishing cabins, all on their own quay, with beautifully designed minimalist interiors and verandas that overlook jaw-dropping vistas. Watch sea eagles glide by or do some whale spotting directly from your bed.
• Waterside cabins for five with Eliassen Rorbuer (+47 76 092305, rorbuer.no) cost from NOK1,090 (£125) per night, including rowing boat. See visitnorway.com for connections to Lofoten from Oslo Photograph: PR
These minimalist structures offer everything one might expect from a Finnish cabin: peaceful lakeside setting, open fire, terrace, personal sauna and the chance to jump naked into a lake. But you can also book your own chef for a weekend, or have a guide help you make your birch whisks for those post-sauna thrashings. Each cabin is architecturally different.
• €1,310 a week for a two-person cabin, rising to €4,725 for a 10-person hut (+358 207 575238, anttolanhovi.fi). Finnair (finnair.com) flies from Heathrow or Manchester to Varkaus (90km away) via Helsinki Photograph: PR
Sleep like an Ewok in one of two tree cabins in the Brumunddal Forest, near Lillehammer. Each has a snug mezzanine area and an antler-fenced balcony about eight metres above ground. Elk and bears regularly walk underneath, and the visitor book is filled with stories of feeding squirrels and birds by hand. The simplicity of the experience is everything: each hut has a kitchen, log burner and refrigerator but for a bath you'll have to jump in a lake. Bring drinking water.
• Huts sleep five-six – from NOK990 (£115) a night (+47 9093 3356, treetop hut.no). See hihostels.com for directions Photograph: PR
Photograph: PR
An hour north of the Arctic town of Luleå, Treehotel has five treehouses designed by Swedish architects: the Cabin (pictured), Bird's Nest, Mirrorcube, Blue Cone and UFO, each stunningly different and magical. All perch high in the canopy, with great views over the Luleå river, meaning you can catch the northern lights in winter, or watch wildlife pass below through 24-hour summer days.
• Simply Sweden (0845 890 0300, simplysweden.co.uk) has two nights' B&B at the Treehotels for £1,060pp, including flights from the UK and transfers Photograph: PR
This four-person cabin has its own rocky headland to scramble over, and a crystal-clear lake to swim in after your wood-fired sauna. Fish from a boat on Lake Kyröskoski, hunt animals in the forest, and grill your catch on the barbecue of your private beach. For those less keen on unleashing their inner Ray Mears, there are plenty of supermarkets in Finland's second biggest city, Tampere – 40km away – which is also home to the Särkänniemi Fun Park (sarkanniemi.fi) and some of the country's best art museums.
• £349pp per week based on four sharing, including car hire from Helsinki or Tampere airport (020-7388 4158, guildtravel.com). Ryanair (ryanair.com) flies from Edinburgh or Stansted to Tampere Photograph: PR
Be king of your own Swedish island. Henriksholm is a 100-hectare outcrop in the middle of Lake Ånimmen, two hours north of Gothenburg. The main house is perhaps more shabby than chic, but still an impressive 18th-century mansion that sleeps 10. For couples, there is a romantic pavilion with cliffs on two sides. Both houses come with sauna, kayak, speedboat and 6km of private shoreline.
• The main house (+46 5313 3168, stenebynas.se) costs from SEK48,000 (£4,600) a week, the pavilion from SEK5,200 (£500) Photograph: PR
In the grounds of Falköping's Hotel Andrum, two hours north-east of Gothenburg, is a large oak with a treehouse in its twisting branches. The interior of the Sjundehimlen ("Seventh Heaven") cabin is straight out of a fairytale, and, after sleeping out under the stars – or in the sumptuous double bed – breakfast is hoisted up by rope. The perfect honeymoon suite?
• SEK1,690 a night (£165).(+46 515 720384, westsweden.com). EasyJet (easyjet.com) flies from Gatwick & Manchester to Gothenburg (100km) Photograph: PR
The accommodation might be relatively plain (an open-plan cabin with mod cons and ample space for up to six adults) but open the door, and you're in the grounds of Lalandia waterpark (see next picture).
• Eurocamp (0844 406 0402, eurocamp.co.uk) has cabins from £1,085 with full entry into Lalandia. British Airways (ba.com) and Ryanair (ryanair.com) fly to Billund or take the car ferry from Harwich to Esbjerg (dfdsseaways.co.uk) Photograph: PR
Lalandia (lalandia.dk) is the largest waterpark in Scandinavia. And when the kids have exhausted all the flumes and pools, the original Legoland (legoland.dk) is next door, with the mazes of Labyrinthia (labyrinthia.dk) and the Koldinghus 13th-century castle both within a short drive. Photograph: PR
