Where to stay

Visitors in Lapland can choose between many different forms of accommodations. There are many first-class hotels all over Lapland. Chains like Restel, Scandic, Sokos and Lapland hotels offer accommodations for demanding guests in modern hotels. But there are also many minor private hotels and cabins to rent as well as Bed & Breakfast facilities and a hostel in Rovaniemi and Lapland.

In Rovaniemi near the city center on Pohjanpuistikko street on the shore of Kemijoki river you find the hotel Scandic Pohjanhovi; a legendary hotel with genuine Lapland spirit. The popular restaurant and night club offers live music on weekends.

The chain Scandic, well-known among guests from the Nordic countries, also has a hotel near the big shopping centers on Koskikatu street in the center of Rovaniemi.

On the other side of the street the hotel Sokos Hotel Vaakuna also wants to give guests high-class service and Lappish spirit.

In summer 2015 the newest hotel Arctic Light Hotel at Valtakatu 18 in Rovaniemi was opened. It has already been rated one of the best hotels in Finland and the Arctic Light Hotel ranked 11th on the Travel+Leisure 2016  “Best new Hotels on the Planet” list. The hotel is equipped with a spacious cosy lounge with a delightful restaurant, the Arctic Boulevard, and a collection of 57 individually styled rooms & suites.

Arctic City Hotel on Pekan katu in the absolute center of Rovaniemi, from the same owners as Arctic Light Hotel, is a perfect family hotel. The restaurant Monte Rosa is well-known for its menu with local as well as international culinary delights.

IMG_4945Lapland Hotel Sky Ounasvaara is situated on top of the Ounasvaara hill with a great view from the restaurant over the slopes of Ounasvaara and the city of Rovaniemi. The restaurant is known as a place for culinary experiences above others. The roof of Hotel Sky Ounasvaara is also a very popular place to search for the northern lights in dark winter nights. The guests can in winter time easily access the ski tracks or slopes for sport activities directly outside the hotel door.

Also situated in the center, by the pedestrian area of Rovaniemi city center the Santa’s hotel Santa Claus with its 168 rooms offers accommodation even for bigger groups and conference guests. In the hotel there are also the restaurant Gaissa, the Café & Bar Zoomit, the Bar & Grill ZoomUp and the Café Linna. The Restaurant Gaissa offers the local Rovaniemi menu 2014 with modern Finnish and Lappish delicacies. The name Gaissa means high fell in the Sami language. Here is the Rovaniemi menu 2014 for you to long for until you arrive in Rovaniemi:

Rovaniemi Menu 2014
– Whitefish mousse, roe, vegetable purée with spruce syrup  
– Smoked marinated fillet of reindeer, barley, root vegetable chips and smoked root vegetables 
– Cloudberry cheesecake and buckthorn sauce 

Chalet Hotel Rovaniemi, earlier known as Ounasvaaran Pirtit, was established in 1985 in a picturesque spot between the Ounasvaara hill and Kemijoki River. Chalet Hotel Rovaniemi is located on the shores of the grand Kemijoki River next to the Ounasvaara Ski Resort and Golf Club, only a five-minute drive from the town centre and Santa Claus Village. The perfect accommodation for people interested in sports, relaxation or enjoyment.

The hotel Aakenus, situated approx. 200 meters from the shopping center, has 45 rooms and 6 apartments for affordable rates.

At the Arctic circle you can stay in the Santa Claus Holiday Village, where there are cabins of different sizes for different groups. It is very exotic to have the opportunity to stay in the village close to Santa Claus. The cabins are situated close to each other, so maybe not an option for people seeking for quietness and loneliness, but they are new and well-equipped cabins.

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In the Gulo Gulo Holiday Village in Ranua, approx. 90 km from Rovaniemi, you can stay in cabins next to the Ranua zoo and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and take part in the program provided by the wild life park both in winter and summer time. Gulo Gulo is the Latin name for the lynx. In winter time there are snowmobile safaris and reindeer safaris but you can of course go by yourself on ski excursions or take the bus to Rovaniemi on a day-trip and visit the Santa Claus village and the city of Rovaniemi.

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Also situated in Ranua is Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos. That is a family owned accommodation business. There you can stay in a traditional B&B guesthouse that has been at service ever since the 1940s. The new, modern accomodation options are 10 fully mobile AuroraHut glass igloos, that have been designed for enjoying landscapes and the nature phenomenon closer than ever before. Igloos are very popular all over Lapland these days. They give you opportunity to lay in your bed while waiting for the Auroras to appear in the sky, during the dark period of the year.

Special on this resort, Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos, is the mobile sauna with a comfortable two-person accomodation with many modern amenities. The trolley sauna is also a fully mobile place to stay. This gives you the option to move your accommodation to the place of your choice both in summer and winter. This of course allows you to take a dip into the embrace of lake Ranua directly from the gentle steams of your own sauna. This accomodation gives you the chance to experience the Finnish sauna tradition in a totally new way.

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Arctic Treehouse Hotel has risen during autumn 2016 on the Arctic Circle near to SantaPark by the side of a steep hill.
The suites are partly on top of the pillars that allow the view through the treetops and above the suites build in lower the hill. You can actually lie in the bed and enjoy the Northern lights in the sky. Each suite will have its own view with lighted viewpoint to the surrounding nature.Exterior of the suites has been designed to charmingly adapt in the surrounding nature. To honour the traditional handicraft, the walls are covered by shingle and roofs by grass. The interior of the suites is modern Scandinavian design with luxurious materials.
The hotel opened on 19 November 2016. At the first stage 37 luxurious suites with spectacular view over treetops were built as well as an atmospheric reception area and restaurant RAKAS. Rakas is the word for “dear” in finnish. RAKAS prepares local food with love.
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Here I will suggest some cheaper accommodations in Rovaniemi:

Hostel Café Koti is a new, cosy hostel in the center of Rovaniemi. Rooms have their own bathrooms and light breakfast is included in the private room price. There is an equipped kitchen, a cozy relaxing area and also a genuine Finnish sauna for the guests to use.The hostel has 23 rooms, 3 dorms for 10 persons each and one apartment.

Very popular among young people for a cheap overnight stay is the Guesthouse Outa on Ukkoherrantie street in Rovaniemi. The price for a room is from 50 euro/night.

The Santa’s Hostel Rudolf is a four-star hostel, which belongs to the Santa’s hotel Santa Claus. The in-checking is done through the hotel Santa Claus. Single room price is from 49 euro and the cheapest is to only sleep in the Dormitory from 42 euro/night.

The Guesthouse Borealis situated near the train- and the bus stations on Asemieskatu street. It is an affordable and friendly Bed & Breakfast accommodation. Single rooms are from 53 euro/night.

B&B Aaria and B&B Niemeläntalo are both situated a bit outside the city center. They offer home style alternatives with personally designed and furnished rooms to an affordable price. At B&B Aaria the prices are from 50 euro/night and at B&B Niemeläntalo from 45 euro/night. Niemeläntalo has several old buildings with different kind of rooms. At both B&B:s the guests can prepare their own breakfast and dinners, but breakfast is also served by request. They are both very cozy and as mentioned, not situated in the middle of the hectic city center. They give the guests peaceful atmosphere and surroundings.

Mostly available only in the summer time from 26.5-31.8 the small cottages at Napapiirin Saarituvat also offer a self-catering accommodation with prices even from 31 euro/person/night. Check the home page for the equipment and price list.

All over Lapland the Metsähallitus, that is in charge of the main part of the Finnish forests and the services for people in the forests, has different kinds of cabins to rent. These cabins are situated out in the wild and not necessary near by any shopping center of even other settlements. By visiting the home page of Metsähallitus and by glancing through the cabins you get a hint of what I am talking about. By contacting the Metsähallitus you can arrange the rental. Who knows, you may find your paradise on earth in one of these cabins!

These are only a part of all possibilities to sleep in Rovaniemi. I recommend all these places. On the official home page of Rovaniemi tourist information you can find more places to sleep when you visit Rovaniemi.

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3 thoughts on “Where to stay

    • Hello Tuomas,
      I am glad you found my blog and, of course, I have now added you to the list of accomodations i Lapland. Very nice place you have! I wish you success in your future work! Keep up the good hospitality spirit!
      Kind regards, Grandma in Lapland

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