Finnish Lapland offers prime Northern Lights viewing. But it also offers unique accommodation to watch from so you don't have to brave the cold... too much
Located in the Saariselka fell area in Finnish Lapland, in the vicinity of Urho Kekkonen National Park, this is the ultimate place to watch the sky light up. The hotel is made up of traditional log cabins scattered amid beautiful Lapland scenery. However, for the real Lapland experience, in winter there’s the option of spending a night in Igloo Village.
While the snow igloos offer a very authentic stay in the Arctic, guests can admire the Northern Lights and the starry Lappish sky in a comfortable room temperature from their bed in the Village’s glass igloos. Based on years of research and development, the glass igloos are built from a special thermal glass which keeps the inside temperature at a normal level and prevents the glass from frosting, even when the temperature outside drops to under -30°C.
Get cosy! There's also a snow igloo for those happy to feel the cold! More info here: www.kakslauttanen.fi/en
In the middle of the snowiest Lappish scenery lies the tiny village of Nellim by Lake Inari, where Wilderness Hotel has created three ‘Aurora Bubbles’ in its quest to find the most spectacular way to view the Northern Lights. The heated pods have a transparent north-facing window over the bedheads, providing a comfortable base to watch the endless Arctic night sky and clear view of the Aurorae. The hotel also offers an Aurora Camp on an island set in the frozen ice of Lake Inari and a guided snowmobile tour through the forests in search of the Northern Lights.
Get cosy! The Aurora Zone offers packages with a supplement from £135 per person for one night in an Aurora Bubble (based on two people sharing). Packages from £1,345 per person include full board, return flights, excursion to the Aurora Camp, picnic and an Aurora hunt. More info here: www.theaurorazone.com.
The Eagles View Suite is the crown jewel at the top of Hotel Iso-Syöte, where the ‘nest’ bedroom is held up by a tree trunk growing up through the centre of the duplex. With the walls and roof around the double bed made of glass, guests have a free view of the unspoiled rolling countryside by day, while at night the Northern Lights won’t be viewed anywhere quite as luxurious as this. The suite also features a Jacuzzi, luxury bathroom with its own sauna and living room complete with a warming fireplace.
Get cosy! Prices start from €350 per night including breakfast. More info here: www.hotelli-isosyote.fi
The 12 glass-ceilinged igloos near to the Finnish ski resort of Levi offer all the comforts of a sumptuous holiday home, while feeling at one with nature and embracing the Lappish landscape. The Aurora Borealis lights up the entire igloo through the glass-domed ceiling as it blazes across the surrounding winter wonderland.
Meanwhile, the Northern Lights House is a villa for up to eight people with huge windows that create a stage for the ultimate Northern Lights performance. There are two bedroom suites, a fireplace, a sauna, and a panoramic terrace with a hot tub for an alternative viewing spot.
Get cosy! Prices for the igloos start from €220 including breakfast; Prices for the Northern Lights House start from €425 including breakfast for up to 4 people. More info here: leviniglut.net/en/
Torassiepi is located approximately 150km north of the Arctic Circle. This festive winter village, a reindeer farm dating back to the 1840s, is the perfect destination to see the Northern Lights as it's unaffected by light pollution. The winter village features accommodation consisting of eight cabins and eight rooms with a restaurant serving Lappish cuisine and rooms available in snow igloos.
Polar Lights Weekend packages feature two nights’ worth of opportunities to catch the Northern Lights; The first is on a nightfall snowshoeing trek into the wilderness to set up camp, where guests stay warm round a campfire while waiting for the Northern Lights. The second opportunity comes following a trip to the village’s reindeer farm, heading out to the dark forest in a reindeer sled to chase the Aurora Borealis.
Guests can also immerse themselves in the spirit of Christmas with a reindeer museum, a snow chapel, traditional Lappish saunas, a snow hotel, snow activity world and an ice bar.
Get cosy! For more info on the Polar Lights Package, see www.harriniva.fi
