Finland Winter Escape

ARTIC LIGHT HOTEL

In the centre of Rovaniemi, this contemporary hotel combines modern Finnish design with the cosiness and character of a Lappish winter retreat. What’s more, it’s ideally positioned for exploring all that this magical region of Lapland has to offer, from exciting Arctic adventures to meetings with Santa himself.

Rooms and suites, with names such as Magic, Polar and the Christmas Cabin, are cleverly themed around the heritage, landscapes and wildlife of the Arctic; life-size polar bears gaze down from the walls and starlit headboards speak of nights under the northern sky. The hotel’s Arctic Boulevard Restaurant is a showcase for regional ingredients, including beef from a nearby cattle ranch, game from the northern forests and fells, and fish fresh from Lapland’s lakes. It all comes together to create an inspiring menu of local dishes,

which changes with the seasons. With on-site facilities including a gym and sauna, and access to a nearby wellness lounge offering yoga classes, there’s much on offer in between excursions into the Arctic wilds.

Opening its doors in December 2017, this new wilderness resort, just a short hop from Rovaniemi and Santa’s Village, is the latest in a recent line of innovative hotels to spring up in this wild and beautiful corner of Finnish Lapland. But what makes this latest offering unique? Well, along with a full spread of accommodation options – ice cabins, aurora domes and even portable luxury wagons – there’s an equally impressive, and eclectic, programme of excursions, ranging from Arctic Circle snowshoe hikes to a sauna on skis. It’s all complemented by an array of stylish, modern hotel rooms and a simple restaurant whose menus are a showcase for regional, locally sourced produce.