Rovaniemi is the gateway to Lapland: direct winter flights from across Europe, Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle and dozens of safari operators. These are the best places to stay in and around the town.
Two-floor glass igloo suites where every unit has its own sauna and outdoor hot tub, on a quiet forest hill 15 minutes from Rovaniemi Airport.
SkyView's closest rival: every apartment has its own sauna and hot tub.
Highest value-for-money score after the leader (8.6/10).
Scored on the same six splits as our overall ranking, weighted for this trip type.
Two-floor glass igloo suites where every unit has its own sauna and outdoor hot tub, on a quiet forest hill 15 minutes from Rovaniemi Airport.
Glass-roof apartments with a private sauna and outdoor hot tub each, in a forest pocket of Santa Claus Village.
Spacious Nordic suites and cottages with a private sauna in each, on the quiet side of Santa Claus Village.
Award-winning architecture: suites with a full glass wall facing the forest, next to SantaPark.
Lakeside aurora cabins and two-floor igloo suites with its own husky kennel and a long activity menu.
Compact glass igloos on the Arctic Circle, a short walk from Santa Claus Village.
Lakeside glass igloos plus a real snow hotel, ice bar and snow sauna, 30 minutes from Rovaniemi.
Resorts in Rovaniemi fall into three groups. Around Santa Claus Village and the Arctic Circle you are a short walk from the main attraction, but with more people and lights around. On the hills and lakes outside town, such as Ollerovaara and Olkkajärvi, you get darker skies and more privacy within 10–20 minutes of the airport. Further out, Sinettä offers a rural lakeside setting about 30 minutes away.
Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) has direct winter flights from many European cities and frequent connections via Helsinki; the overnight train from Helsinki is another popular option. Most resorts arrange transfers, and safari companies usually collect guests from their accommodation.
Rovaniemi lies on the Arctic Circle, inside the auroral zone, and sees the northern lights regularly from late August to early April. The town's light pollution is the main obstacle, so a resort outside the centre with a glass roof and dark surroundings makes a real difference.
| Rk | Resort | Area | Total | Gap | Stay | Privacy | Guests | On site | Access | Value | Glass roof | Own sauna | Hot tub | Guests | From / night |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SkyView Igloo ResortTwo-floor glass igloo suites | ROV | 9.5 | — | 9.6 | 9.8 | 9.7 | 9.2 | 9.2 | 8.8 | Some | ✓ All | ✓ All | 9.7 | €299 |
| 2 | Glass ResortGlass-roof apartments | ROV | 9.1 | +0.4 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 9.5 | 8.4 | 9.8 | 7.4 | Some | ✓ All | ✓ All | 9.5 | €528 |
| 3 | Nova SkylandTwo-floor suites | ROV | 8.4 | +1.1 | 8.8 | 7.4 | 9.1 | 7.4 | 9.6 | 8.6 | No | ✓ All | No | 9.1 | €275 |
| 4 | Arctic TreeHouseDesign treehouse suites | ROV | 7.9 | +1.6 | 8.4 | 5.8 | 8.7 | 8.8 | 9.6 | 6.4 | No | Some | No | 8.7 | €367 |
| 5 | Apukka ResortAurora cabins | ROV | 7.8 | +1.7 | 7.8 | 5.4 | 9.0 | 9.0 | 8.6 | 7.2 | Some | No | No | 9.0 | €356 |
| 6 | Santa's IgloosGlass igloos | ROV | 7.3 | +2.2 | 6.8 | 5.6 | 8.6 | 7.2 | 9.6 | 6.8 | ✓ All | Some | Some | 8.6 | €415 |
| 7 | Arctic SnowHotelGlass igloos | SIN | 7.2 | +2.3 | 6.8 | 4.6 | 8.7 | 8.2 | 7.6 | 8.2 | Some | No | No | 8.7 | €286 |
Green figures mark the best split in each column. “Guests” is the average of Google, Tripadvisor and Booking.com ratings converted to a 10-point scale. Prices are indicative starting rates per night for two.
Most are 3–30 minutes by car from Rovaniemi Airport (RVN). Resorts at Santa Claus Village are closest; SkyView on Ollerovaara hill is about 15 minutes away and Arctic SnowHotel in Sinettä about 30–40 minutes.
Yes. Rovaniemi sits on the Arctic Circle inside the aurora zone. Staying outside the town lights, in a glass-roof room, gives you the best chance on clear nights.
Staying at the village is convenient for families who want to walk to Santa Claus. Staying on a hill or by a lake outside town gives more privacy and darker skies for the aurora, still only 10–20 minutes from the village by car.
Three to four days covers Santa Claus Village, a husky or reindeer safari, a snowmobile trip and several evenings for the northern lights.