Sharron S
Google
The STF Saltoluokta Fjällstation nestled amid the woods of a small Sámi settlement above a lake is unlike any mountain hut I’ve ever stayed at. An historic wooden building dating from the early twentieth century, it’s more like a high end lodge offering fine dining, comfortable accommodation, a sauna, laundry facilities and an incredibly well-stocked shop selling a range of items. Here you can buy various essentials (all in sensibly sized quantities), from freeze dried and other food, various toiletries, to camping fuel, maps and even local souvenirs. In addition, there is a wide range of outdoor clothing, footwear and equipment, all of which are recognised brands. The staff are incredibly friendly and go out of their way to make your stay pleasant.||||We booked online ahead of our visit and stayed in a comfy two-bed dorm (bed linen can be hired). The spotlessly clean shower and toilet facilities are shared and located in the hall. The place was a bit noisy during the day, but quiet after 10.00 pm. There were cooking facilities attached to our dormitory, but we chose to eat in the elegant Scandinavian inspired dining room with its rustic wooden tables and chairs. The food is distinctively Sámi and is organic and sourced locally; the bar has a respectable range of wines and spirits and best of all, craft beer, brewed by the Tjers Bryggeri from the Swedish Arctic. Dinner must be ordered before 3.00 pm and is a grand affair, with the chef announcing each course. On the menu are things such as reindeer soup with lingonberries, crispy fresh salad, smoked Arctic char with roasted root vegetables, tasty rye bread and white chocolate mousse with a red berry coulis. With candles twinkling on the wooden tables bathed in the dying rays of the autumn sun streaming in through its windows, the atmosphere in the dining room was enchanting. We rounded off a delicious and filling meal with a glass of fiery schnapps sipped beside a roaring log fire.||||The price for one night's accommodation with lunch, dinner and breakfast (even with our STF membership discount) was by no means cheap, but we will savour our memory of being at this wonderful mountain hut at the start of our Kungsleden trek to Kvikkjokk.