Girlfriend getaways have long been popular offerings from hotels and travel companies. But a luxury camp on a private island in Finland takes the concept to a new level, hitting just about all the marks for an authentic, exclusive wellness escape.
There are a few things missing, including men and alcohol. But Kristina Roth says she says she has been swamped with applications for her inaugural season on "SuperShe Island" off the coast of Helsinki.
Accommodating just eight women for a week at a time, the trips are designed to bring women together to bond and clear their heads. Activities include yoga, kayaking and meditation, as well as workshops by female psychiatrists, spiritualists and visionaries.
Booking a week, however, can be the biggest challenge. Travelers must apply online and are carefully screened by Roth herself to ensure they are a good fit for the program.
A guestroom at SuperShe island.
What, exactly, are the criteria? Roth says it's about finding like-minded women looking for a private, safe space to recalibrate. "It's nothing crazy," she said. "You don't have to be an extreme sports type. You can be a stay-at-home-mom with five children.
But, she added, "What we're not looking for is someone who says, 'I hate men.'
"That is exactly what we're not looking for."
Roth started SuperShe getaways at different locations around the world two years ago, after selling a management consulting company she had founded on the West Coast. She decided to make a permanent camp after hosting a getaway in Finland and fell in love with a man there, now her fiance. Through his family, she happened upon the small island that was for sale.
Originally, she said, she wasn't planning to make the island a SuperShe base, but things just kind of fell into place.
Opened in June, the 8.4-acre island has four renovated cabins that sleep two guests each. Roth describes the island and facilities as "eco-boutique luxury chic," with environmentally friendly toilets, solar power and locally sourced farm- and sea-to-table dining.
So how does one book? You have to go to the web site and apply, explaining why it is you want to become part of the "SuperShe society."
Roth said she initially conducted Skype interviews with each candidate but then realized that with the high rate of applications that method would quickly become a full-time job.
The trips run about $4,600 per person for the week, including an overnight in Helsinki and transfers to the island. And they are mostly sold out, although she said she still has opening and cancellations here and there.
So just a few weeks in, what is her favorite takeaway so far?
"I can tell you that this week we have Iran and Israel on the island," Roth said in an interview earlier this month, referring to two guests hailing from those countries. "I don't think that there is any other place where Iran and Israel can meet and actually become best friends. That's a pretty big story."