Swiss Alpine warmth meets Nordic simplicity at Alpen, a cabin primarily designed for two above a brook in the western Maine mountains. Spend your days exploring, then come home to your own cedar sauna, hot tub, and fireside retreat with floor-to-ceiling forest views. Wake beside a striking natural boulder, linger over coffee, and settle into a slower rhythm near Bethel and Sunday River. Currently under construction; advance reservations for 2027 Ski Season are open.

The space
Please note: Alpen at HAVN is under construction, with advance reservations open for the 2027 ski season. We anticipate completion by late November and have allowed a booking buffer. AI-generated images and renderings are illustrative; construction photos show current progress. Design, layout, finishes, furnishings, amenities, and opening timing may change. We’ll share updates and contact booked guests about changes affecting their stay. Please reach out with questions before booking.

Construction Update

Alpen is in the home stretch: framed, insulated, and enclosed, with limewashed walls, wood ceilings, flooring, kitchen cabinetry, countertops, tile, and electrical complete.

Next come doors, trim, painting, and furnishings. Outside, grading and landscaping will settle the fire pit, hot tub, sauna, and brook path into the woods. We’re currently on target for completion by the end of November.

A Cabin Just for the Two of You

A morning with no alarm. Coffee beside the windows. A day on the mountain, or a day that never makes it beyond the cabin.

Alpen is designed for time together, whether you’re celebrating an anniversary, sneaking away for a ski weekend, or finally taking those few days off. There’s room for adventure, but just as much reason to stay put: a cedar sauna, a private hot tub, evenings by the fire, and a wooded setting above a brook.

For those who notice the details, there’s plenty to take in. The grain of white oak. The warmth of brass. The way the afternoon light moves across the walls. A bedroom window that turns a natural boulder into part of the interior.

It’s a small cabin with a lot to settle into.

At a glance:

• Designed for two guests
• King Bed, 1 Bathroom, Queen Pullout Sofa Bed
• Private cedar sauna, hot tub, and outdoor fire pit
• Indoor fireplace
• Floor-to-ceiling living room windows
• Kitchen for cooking and dining in
• Wi-Fi, heating, and air conditioning
• Approximately 10-15 minutes to Bethel and 15-20 minutes to Sunday River
• One of two cabins at HAVN, set on nearly 40 wooded acres

Alpen, and HAVN

HAVN means “harbor” in Norwegian, a place to arrive, take shelter, and rest. That idea is at the heart of this small Nordic-inspired retreat by Stay Hygge.

Set on nearly 40 acres in the western Maine mountains, HAVN brings together two cabins with distinct personalities. Brooks run through the woods, and the land rises behind the cabins toward rocky ledges and forest. Alpen is the first cabin you’ll reach, near the beginning of the property’s access road and set above the brook. This is the less private of the two cabins as the road passes this cabin to reach the second, so that is something to keep in mind.

Its design draws from two mountain traditions: the warmth and character of a Swiss chalet, and the simplicity, natural materials, and attention to light found in Nordic interiors. White oak, warm wood tones, earthy finishes, and dark accents make the space feel cozy without feeling heavy.

Throughout the cabin, the windows keep the Maine landscape close.

What Arriving at Alpen at HAVN is Like

Turn into HAVN, follow the access road into the trees, and Alpen comes into view above the brook.

Inside, your eye goes straight to the living room windows. Floor-to-ceiling glass frames the woods: tall trunks, shifting shadows, and the changing colors of the seasons. On a snowy afternoon, you can watch the flakes drift through the branches from the warmth of the sofa.

Set your bags down, find something to drink, and take a minute to look around. There’s no need to get straight to the next thing.

Fireside Evenings

The fireplace is the heart of the living space, especially after a day outdoors.

Trade ski boots or hiking shoes for something comfortable, pull a blanket over your lap, and settle in as the light fades beyond the windows. Warm wood, soft textures, and the glow of the flames make this an easy place to spend an entire evening.

Bring the book you’ve been meaning to finish. Pour a glass of wine. Talk, read, or simply enjoy having nowhere else to be.

The kitchen & Slow Mornings

The kitchen is part of the experience here, whether you’re making a full dinner or keeping things simple.

White oak cabinetry, dark countertops, and a richly textured backsplash carry the cabin’s warm Alpine palette into the space. Make breakfast in your slippers, pull up a seat at the island, and let the morning unfold over another cup of coffee.

After a day exploring, pick up something to cook together or bring dinner back from town. Some nights call for a reservation; others call for staying exactly where you are.

Your Own Cedar Sauna

Step inside, settle onto the bench, and let the warmth build around you. The cedar, the heat, and the simple act of sitting still make the sauna a natural part of the day.

When you’re ready, step outside for fresh air and a moment to cool down. On a crisp evening, the contrast is especially lovely: warm skin, cool mountain air, and the trees all around you.

Make it an après-ski ritual, a way to unwind after a hike, or the main event of an otherwise unplanned afternoon. The sauna is exclusively yours during your stay.

A Hot Tub for Relaxation

Your private hot tub gives you another reason to spend time outside in every season.

Ease into the warm water after a day on the mountain, or head out before breakfast while the woods are still catching the morning light. In winter, you might find yourself soaking as snow falls around you. In warmer months, listen for moving water, birds, and the breeze through the leaves.

On clear evenings, look for stars above the trees. There’s no schedule to work around and no sharing with other guests, just a place to linger together.

Around the Fire Pit

When the weather is right, take the evening outside to your private fire pit.

Pull your chairs close, toast something sweet, and watch the flames as the woods darken around you. Bring a sweatshirt and a favorite drink; it’s easy to stay out longer than you expected.

With the cabin close by, you can move from an evening around the fire to the comfort of bed without much standing between the two.

The bedroom & its boulder view

One of Alpen’s most distinctive features is waiting in the bedroom.

The window frames a huge natural boulder just outside, bringing the texture and scale of the landscape into an intimate space. Rather than looking past it, the room is designed around it: stone, trees, and changing light become the view you wake up to. Just past it you can catch a glimpse of the mountains always changing with the seasons.

Warm wood and soft bedding keep the room restful, while the landscape provides its own focal point. It’s a little unexpected, distinctly Maine, and one of our favorite parts of the cabin.

The Bathroom

The bathroom carries the same warmth and attention to detail into a smaller space.

The planned design pairs a white oak vanity and dark countertop with warm brass fixtures and a black-and-cream striped shower. Natural tones soften the graphic tile, creating a room that feels playful, considered, and connected to the rest of Alpen.

After a cold day outside, a hot shower and a change into something comfortable are their own kind of luxury.

Explore western Maine

Alpen puts you within easy driving distance of Bethel and Sunday River, with plenty to fill a weekend, or to save for your next visit.

In winter, head out for skiing and snowboarding, then return for your own version of après: sauna, a soak, and an evening by the fireplace.

Summer and fall bring hiking, mountain biking, fishing, and scenic drives through the western Maine mountains. Spend a day exploring, stop in Bethel for coffee or a meal, and take your time getting back.

Autumn is especially good for a loose itinerary. Pick a road, follow the color, and leave room for an unexpected stop.

Guest access
Alpen is one of two cabins at HAVN. Its sauna, hot tub, and fire pit are reserved exclusively for Alpen guests. The other cabin has its own private amenities. HAVN’s larger property is not exclusive to your reservation so you may encounter other guests wandering the property, but you are free to access it.

Other things to note
Location & Road noise
HAVN is set approximately 750 feet into the woods from Route 26 and is very tucked into the forest. You will hear passing traffic, including trucks, from the cabin and outdoor spaces. The brook and wooded surroundings are part of the setting, but this is not a completely silent or remote location, though at times it feels extremely remote.

The Land
The nearly 40-acre property includes forest, brooks, rocky ledges, and a small pond. Both cabins sit toward the front of the land, with much of the acreage rising uphill behind them; the full property is not visible from Alpen.

Winter Access
The road to the cabins is a graveled/dirt road with a relatively steep descent on the way in, we strongly recommend 4x4 or all wheel drive in the winter.

A Slower Last Morning
Before you leave, there’s time for coffee by the windows and one more look at the brook. Maybe a final soak, if you’ve left yourself enough time.

That’s what we hope Alpen gives you: a few days worth savoring, and a place you’ll look forward to returning to.