In Lapland, you can find all types of accommodation, but the one that many people dream of is the igloo hotels. You’ve probably seen them in photos or videos on the web. These are small igloos with a glass roof that allows you to have a direct view of the sky. If there are northern lights in the sky, you just have to lie in your bed and watch them while staying warm.
A few years ago, I spent a night in one of these igloo hotels near Rovaniemi. I’ll tell you about my experience and also provide you with a selection of igloo hotels in Lapland that you could choose for your own trip.
My Night in a Glass Igloo Hotel in Lapland
It was during a short stay in Rovaniemi that I tried spending a night in a glass igloo hotel for the first time. Like many of you, I had seen photos and before living in Lapland, I had wanted to try it out. But, there’s a catch… it comes with a price tag! Yes, the unusual comes at a cost, so you’ll have to dip into your savings.
Let me tell you all about my experience.
Arriving in the late afternoon, I was able to explore the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos in broad daylight. The site is located 30 minutes from Rovaniemi and has 39 igloos. They are quite close to each other, but I didn’t find that bothersome.
I stayed in a 20m2 glass igloo, which can accommodate 1 to 3 people. There are also larger igloos for up to 4 people (33m2 in size).
The room is nice with a toilet and shower area. As for the dome, as you can see in the photos, the glass part starts halfway up. This allows for a bit of privacy from the other igloos. Because once it gets dark and you turn on the light, the neighbors can see you.
At the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos, there are different types of rooms: classic ones, but also rooms in the Snow hotel (which clearly wasn’t full). I really liked the whole site with its restaurants, sauna, and on-site activities. You can also visit the Snowhotel and its rooms during the day.
Back to my igloo! The hotel is near Rovaniemi, so I knew that for seeing the Northern Lights, I needed a fairly strong activity level (a minimum of 2 or 3 in terms of KP – for explanations on the Northern Lights, check here). But that was without considering the bad weather. In the early evening, the sky was perfect with pretty stars. But the clouds quickly appeared, so my chances disappeared.
If you don’t want to stay up all night waiting for a potential aurora, you just have to press a switch in the room. And if an aurora is visible, you’ll be woken up by phone. So great!
What to think about this type of glass igloo hotel?
Honestly, it’s nice but it’s not cheap. From my point of view, it’s a room to treat yourself for a special occasion. If you have the budget, go for it without hesitation. The experience is really nice.
If you can stay for several nights, I recommend it because it will give you more chances to see the Northern Lights.
Glass igloos in Ranua
Ranua is located south of Rovaniemi, just 1 hour from the capital of Lapland. It’s a great place and there are several igloo hotels there. Whether in winter or summer, they seem really nice to me because they’re right in the heart of nature.
- Ranua Resort Arctic Igloos – ⇒ See prices
- Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos – Ranua – ⇒ Website
Glass igloos in Rovaniemi and surroundings
On the Rovaniemi side, there are several igloo hotels. I stayed at the Arctic SnowHotel for one night as I mentioned at the beginning of the article. I haven’t tried the others yet, but they seem pretty good to me.
- Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos – Sinettä (30 minutes from Rovaniemi) ⇒ See prices
- Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle – Rovaniemi ⇒ See prices
Glass igloos in Luosto and surroundings
Another area: Luosto, located a 1.5-hour drive northeast of Rovaniemi. It can be a good option to stay in this area and even spend several nights there because you will find all the activities on-site (dog sledding, snowmobiling, visiting a reindeer farm, etc).
Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos – Luosto – ⇒ See prices
Glass igloos in Levi
Igloo hotels have also emerged in Levi and are quite popular. It’s better to book early! Levi is a convenient destination: there is an airport nearby, and you can find everything on-site. If you want to see what you can do there, I invite you to read my travel guide to Levi.
- Northern Lights Village Levi ⇒ See prices
- Levin Hurma ⇒ See prices
- Northern Lights Ranch => See prices
- Levin Primus ⇒ See prices
Glass igloos in Saariselka
Saariselka is located very far north in Lapland, and I think it’s an interesting place to afford this type of accommodation and hope to see the Northern Lights from your bed. The Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is, I believe, the first hotel of this type, you’ve probably seen photos of these igloos on the internet.
- Wilderness Hotel Muotka & Igloos ⇒ See prices
- Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort – Igloos and Chalets ⇒ See prices
- Northern Lights Village – Saariselka – ⇒ See prices
Glass igloos in Inari
In Inari, there are 2 places including mobile cabins. I didn’t sleep there, but I was able to visit each igloo that the owner moves every evening to take them onto the lake. If you like the unusual, this address should please you!
- Wilderness Hotel Inari & Igloos ⇒ See prices
- Lake Inari Mobile Cabins ⇒ See prices
Still tempted by the igloos? What’s your favorite and which one would make you fall for it?