KUST Hotell & Spa is so much more than northern Sweden’s new design hotel in the heart of Piteå. It’s a journey along the mighty Piteälven River, from the mountains in the north to the sea and archipelago in the south. A story in 14 chapters – or 14 storeys, if you will – inspired by the natural surroundings and all the shapes and flavours the land has to offer. Your KUST journey starts here.
The beginning
The primeval forces of nature have shaped the region’s people, ideas and communities throughout history. The silence of the forest, the salty life of a fisherman and the opportunities for reindeer herding have all inspired the merchants, designers and entrepreneurs in the region. KUST’s conference section showcases our illustrious history to inspire you to great things in the interaction between past and present.
Conference rooms
Nature’s larder
Throughout the centuries, the people in the Piteälven River Valley have nourished their bodies and their lives with the best that Mother Nature has to offer. Those very same ingredients are still found in our delis and on the menus of our top restaurants. Anyone at all can discover new flavours at any time – and who knows, perhaps something that wakes nostalgic memories!
The archipelago
Fishing enthusiasts have flocked to Stenskär for centuries to catch herring, lavaret, trout and salmon. The unique environment is arresting. The long, sandy beach, the lagoon-like natural harbour, the ancient stone labyrinths and charming fishing cottages are all essentials of Stenskär’s nature reserve. This is the beginning of the third chapter of the KUST story – among wind-blown shores, salt-water sprayed environments and age-old fishing villages.
The legend
Follow the wing-beats of history through the villages and all the colourful personalities that have made their mark around the Piteälven River on the way from mountain to coast. The people who dared to go against the flow. Who took on the challenges, who thought new, grand thoughts and contributed to the heritage of inquisitiveness that still characterises the region today. Get a bit closer to the local legends – who deserve their very own place in history.
The national river
The Piteälven is born again every day at Sulitjelma in Swedish Lapland, Sweden’s biggest glacier. Its journey to the Bay of Bothnia passes through three chapters along its path, passing historical fishing villages and picturesque small northern towns. The journey starts in a part of the mountain chain called Mavasjaure. It goes through the Tjeggelvas forest and rounds off after the Storforsen rapids, where the blue life’s blood of the region melts into the landscape. Don’t miss our loving interpretation of the national river’s journey – all the way from mountain to coast.
The pearl fisher
Carl Linnaeus laid the foundations of the Latin naming system in biology. On 12 May 1732, he started his famous Lapland journey, in which he depicted the wonders of nature and marvelled at the Sami culture. The widely varied flora and fauna of the Piteälven River Valley is just as incredible today – and is home to the protected species freshwater pearl mussel. The sixth floor is where we proudly present the story of the region’s plant and animal life.
The linguistic journey
Two children from different corners of the world can find common ground to understand, respect and take joy in one another, without having a shared language. Perhaps they instinctively understand how similar and different they are, and are fascinated by it. The local dialect Pitemål has its roots in Old Norse and is spoken throughout the Piteälven River Valley, from the costal villages along the Bay of Bothnia, to nearly 100 km west along the river. Dialects in the Norrbotten region in Swedish Lapland follow the old parish boundaries, so Pitemål gives way to Lulemål as soon as you pass Rosvik. The seventh floor gives you a little taste of the delightful expressiveness of Pitemål.
The soul of snow
They say the Sami have over two hundred words for snow. More accurately, they have two hundred words for snow’s many types and qualities – its ‘soul’. Imagining all those wonderful expressions, each representing a type of frozen water, may give you a whole new perspective on one of the world’s most important elements. Water has different speeds, shapes and forms of expression, which can be interpreted in colours, shapes, light and materials. Here on the eighth floor, we use the life-giving essence of water to heighten your senses and give your body new, magical energy.
Trollforsarna – the Magic Rapids
Have you heard the legends of the Magic Rapids and the robber in Elias’ Cave? Here, on the ninth floor, we showcase exciting gems along the Piteälven River journey. Where did the evocative names come from, and what do they have to offer visitors? Delve deeper into the journey through artwork, pictures and stories from the region’s richly varied lands.
The world traveller
Australia in the 18th century was an exciting place – so irresistible that Piteå son Daniel Solander set his sights on the island continent in his own journey to become a world-famous botanist. Since then, Piteå has been a stimulating incubator for entrepreneurs, musicians, authors and sportspeople. Here is our little tribute to all the people who have contributed to Piteå’s and the region’s development – our very own fingerprint on world history.
The ice kingdom
The ice cave in the Sulitelma glacier on the border between Sweden and Norway in Swedish Lapland is a place of myth and legend, said to be the portal to the magical ice kingdom. The breathtaking sight of the glacier wall is a popular destination for adventurers – and the source of inspiration for the eleventh floor of KUST. A melding of the pure, fresh springwater and the stark, towering presence of Sweden’s biggest glacier.
An odyssey of the seasons
The temperatures here can differ by up to 70 degrees centigrade (that’s 125 degrees Fahrenheit!) between warm, sunny summer days and the coldest, clearest winter nights. The Northern Lights guide us in the winter, while the life-giving light of the summer warms our senses with the midnight sun. Our twelfth floor is modelled on these unique contrasts – from mid-winter’s hibernation to the full-colour glory of summer. An odyssey from dark to light, through cold and heat, right up to the moment when the different expressions of the seasons make you stop and marvel at what a wonderful world we live in.
The crowning glory
The crowning glory of KUST is dedicated to the eternal dream and constant endeavour to achieve what seems impossible. 1963 – the same year that Piteå’s pedestrian street first saw light of day – an idea was born that allowed new growth, and eventually the creation of the KUST Hotell & Spa. That’s when Tage Skoog founded his family company. His award-winning business sense has never compromised the proud, beating heart of Piteå. It’s no coincidence that KUST’s final chapter bears his name. Come in and discover the flavours at the top of Piteå.
The vault of heaven
The river ends where the sea begins as we write the last chapter of the KUST story. The journey, which began with the birth of the Piteälven at the Sulitjelma glacier, lands softly in the Bay of Bothnia in the Baltic – Europe’s largest lake – in the distant future. It’s a place that brings you a little closer to heaven. Perhaps it’s your final destination. Or the beginning of something new? Either way, you’re at the top.
