Cape East

The spa was in such poor shape that using it felt unpleasant and unhygienic. Hair had collected in the pools and drains, and the floors were slimy and slippery. Our room was cold, smelled noticeably of mold, and had wall-to-wall carpet that looked very dirty and seemed unsuitable for traveling with a pet. The whole hotel felt extremely unclean. For a hotel in this category, the cleanliness and maintenance were unacceptable. I hope management takes this seriously and improves the hygiene and rooms. I wouldn’t recommend staying at Cape East Hotel in Haparanda unless these problems are addressed.

The experience showers were my favorite, with changing lights, sounds, and water sprays that made it easy to close my eyes and drift off. The foot bath salts smelled lovely too. There’s a lot in the spa: indoor and outdoor rooftop pools, a large sauna area, Finnish and steam saunas, hot tubs, foot baths, an ice shower and bath, plus a relaxation room. You can get drinks at the bar, and free fruit, lemon water, and ginger shots are provided. The spa kit costs 595 kr and includes face and body products; without it, entry is 545 kr. Both prices include a towel, robe, and slippers. The slippers are single-use, though, so I’d bring my own or skip them. The women’s changing room is small, with only two showers, but they have shampoo and body wash, conditioner, and hand soap. The location overlooking the river between Sweden and Finland is beautiful. I only used the spa, and thought it was okay overall. One outdoor pool door was broken, and worse, frogs were getting trapped in the pool that leads outside. I rescued three, one was already dead, and later saw six more in the outdoor section. Another guest saved one of those. It was upsetting to see, so they should make the pools safer for wildlife and find a more sustainable slipper option.

The basic view site was quieter. I’d booked a premium-view caravan pitch, but a nearby compressor made it noisy, so the extra cost wasn’t worth it.

We spent a good two hours at the spa, and the candlelight inside against the dark outdoors made the atmosphere amazing. I visited when it was -28C, and some outdoor paths to the pools were dangerously icy and slippery. I understand it’s hard to keep them safe in that weather, but you enter at your own risk. Indoors felt cozy, with saunas, different spa rooms, and a bar where you can buy drinks. This Scandinavian spa sits on the river between Sweden and Finland, and the staff speak Swedish and Finnish comfortably, as well as English for visitors who don’t speak the local languages. It’s mainly for adults, though children can visit at certain times, and seems great for a romantic getaway. In winter you can watch the stars from the rooftop pool, and maybe the aurora if you’re lucky. The river scenery should be lovely in summer too, visible through the big windows.