Maniitsoq Lodges is run by Mette and Salik, who, together with their little dog Muffi, have built a business from the ground up in and around Maniitsoq. Their mission is simple and personal: to show the outside world just how beautiful and magical the place they call home truly is, and to create experiences and memories that guests from both Greenland and the rest of the world can take with them.
It all began in 2023, when the couple bought their first cabin. For some time, they had been discussing how they could create a shared future that suited them both. Salik worked as a factory manager aboard a trawler, while Mette worked with the Travelling Children’s Team under the Government of Greenland. This meant they were rarely at home at the same time and had little opportunity to enjoy the boating and cabin life they both love. When the opportunity to buy the cabin arose, they agreed that this was the way forward. The cabin has since been renovated and developed into what is now known as Inussuit Lodge.
Today, Maniitsoq Lodges consists of three lodges. Inussuit Lodge is open year-round, accommodates up to 12 guests, and offers full board. Tasiusaq Lodge is a summer cabin accommodating 2–4 people. Ikkamiut Lodge is a former church and school building with room for more than 24 guests and hosts school camps and excursions for various institutions each year. Maniitsoq Lodges also offers adventure boat tours aboard an enclosed Askeladden P79 with room for six guests. As of this year, the lodges can also host teaching sessions, courses, and team-building activities in collaboration with Mette’s other business, Mettes Traumeterapi.
The area surrounding the lodges is truly unique. In winter, guests come to ski; in summer, they come to climb, while whales can be seen surfacing and blowing just beyond the terrace. Fresh springs provide ice-cold, clean drinking water in several places, and the surrounding nature is rich in Arctic char, cod, salmon, and wildlife. Salik grew up in the area, where his family also has cabins, and knows it intimately. Whether guests are looking for peace and relaxation or action and adventure, the area has something to offer.
One milestone the couple is particularly proud of is the first two fully booked stays at Inussuit Lodge, which were recently completed and received very positive feedback from guests. They are equally proud of how much they have built, created, and solved themselves along the way. One example is a 10,000-litre water tank that was transported to the cabin on a homemade raft and hauled onto a large concrete foundation that the couple had poured themselves using sand and water from the local area and gravel from the town’s quarry. Even empty, a tank of that size weighs around 950 kg.
Running a business in a smaller town comes with its challenges, from long delivery times for goods and materials to weather conditions that can bring construction work to a standstill for weeks at a time. Wearing many different hats in a single day can make the business vulnerable at times, but in the end, they always manage to make everything come together.
Maniitsoq Lodges is seeing growing demand for unique and authentic experiences, particularly from smaller groups who want to get closer to everyday life and culture in Greenland. With Nuuk just a short distance away, where tourism has boomed, more travellers are looking to venture a little further afield and experience something different from what a larger city can offer.
In five years, the couple hopes to have upgraded all three lodges, including adding a sauna and outdoor hot tub at Inussuit Lodge, renovating Ikkamiut, and building additional cabins for guests and staff. Most importantly, they want to continue doing work that feels meaningful, brings joy, and creates memorable experiences — together as a couple and alongside guests from around the world.
