Finland, Rovaniemi

Where to Stay in Rovaniemi in Winter: Best Areas, Glass Igloos and Hotels

Posted on by jeanpaul Cavalletti
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Where to Stay in Rovaniemi: Your Area-by-Area Guide

Glass igloos under the northern lights near Rovaniemi

Quick answer: Where to stay in Rovaniemi depends on what you’re building the trip around. Choose Santa Claus Village for Christmas and families, a glass igloo or aurora cabin outside town for couples and the lights, and the city centre for restaurants, flexibility and lower prices. Book December 12 to 18 months ahead, and February to March 6 to 12 months ahead.

Jean-Paul Cavalletti · Founder, DineWithJP · 200+ hotels reviewed · 18 countries visited
I pay for my own stays: no free rooms, no press trips.
Updated for winter 2026/27 · Last verified:


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Where to Stay in Rovaniemi: Quick Comparison

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AreaBest forAurora from bed?Distance from centreMain picks
Santa Claus VillageFamilies, Christmas, short tripsRarelyAbout 8 km northSanta Claus Holiday Village, Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle, Glass Resort
Outside townCouples, aurora, privacyYesRoughly 15 to 30 minutes by carApukka Resort, Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos
City centreRestaurants, flexibility, tour-based tripsNo0 kmArctic Light Hotel, Santa’s Hotel Santa Claus, Original Sokos Hotel Vaakuna
OunasvaaraSkiing, walking, quieter staysNot the focusAbout 3 kmLapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara


Which Area of Rovaniemi Is Right for You?

Rovaniemi is spread out, and the area you choose shapes the trip more than the hotel does. Santa Claus Village puts Christmas on your doorstep but gives you almost no dark sky. The igloos and cabins outside town give you the dark sky but leave you dependent on transfers. The city gives you restaurants and shops but neither Santa nor the aurora from your room.

CouplesA glass igloo or aurora cabin outside town.
Families with young childrenSanta Claus Village.
Aurora firstOutside town, and book more than two nights.
Restaurants, flexibility and a lower billThe city centre, with tours doing the heavy lifting.
A short Christmas tripSanta Claus Village or the city centre.

If the trip is three nights or fewer, I’d spend all of them in one place, either the village for Christmas or outside town for the aurora. Splitting a short trip between areas usually means doing neither properly. See our Rovaniemi in winter guide for how the area choice fits the rest of the trip.



Staying in Santa Claus Village

Cabins and glass igloos at Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi

Santa Claus Village is about 8 km north of the city centre, five minutes from the airport and about eight from the centre. It’s the best base if the trip is about Christmas: you can reach Santa’s Office, the post office and Snowman World on foot. Its drawback is light, so don’t expect to see the aurora from your room. Rooms here sell out early, often 6 to 12 months ahead.

Santa Claus Holiday VillageIn the middle of the village next to Santa’s Office, with cabins, some with private saunas, and glass igloo options. The most practical choice for families.
Santa’s Igloos Arctic Circle71 glass igloos with their own reception and Restaurant Arctic Eye, right at the village.
Glass ResortA larger, more luxurious take on the glass igloo, with a private outdoor hot spa and sauna.
Elves Hotels Santa VillageA new apartment hotel in the village, opening in December 2026.


Glass Igloos and Aurora Cabins Outside Rovaniemi

Glass igloo outside Rovaniemi under a winter sky

This is where you stay for the aurora experience: a glass roof or big windows, and a darker sky away from the city. You’ll need a transfer, a car or a shuttle.

Apukka ResortAbout ten minutes from Santa Claus Village and fifteen from the city centre, with aurora cabins and glass igloo suites. The resort was fully renovated in 2022 and has two restaurants, Kota and Aitta. A shuttle runs from the city centre and the village, which makes it easier than most to combine with sightseeing.
Arctic SnowHotel & Glass IgloosIn Sinettä, roughly 25 to 30 minutes from the city by car. The glass igloos are open from 1 September to 31 March, and the snow hotel from 15 December to 31 March. The snow hotel is rebuilt each year and sleeps you in a sleeping bag at 0 to −5°C, so one night is enough. There’s no public transport, but the hotel arranges transfers, and breakfast and sauna are included.
Arctic TreeHouse HotelA design hotel in the forest next to SantaPark, about 8 km from the city centre and about 2 km on foot to Santa Claus Village along a forest path. Bus 8 stops outside. It has suites with floor-to-ceiling windows and two-bedroom glasshouses with their own sauna. It’s a good choice when you want a quiet forest stay near the village.


Glass Igloo, Aurora Cabin or Snow Hotel?

Glass igloo or aurora cabinA glass roof over your bed. The standard cabins are compact, and the suites cost more.
Snow hotelA novelty, and a brief one. Sleep one night, no more.
Big-window hotelThe cheapest way to get some of the effect.

Don’t book an igloo for the aurora alone. Cloud decides, not accommodation, and a two-night stay with a tour will do more for you than an upgraded room. Book one for comfort and the experience. For how the lights work, see our northern lights in Rovaniemi guide.



Where to Stay in Rovaniemi City Centre

Rovaniemi city centre street in winter

The city is the practical choice. You can walk to restaurants, Lordi’s Square and Arktikum, and tours will pick you up at your hotel. Light pollution rules out aurora from the room.

Arctic Light HotelA boutique hotel in the premium bracket, in the former 1950s city hall, with 57 rooms and suites, a sauna and a few minutes’ walk to Lordi’s Square. Arctic Restaurant is next door.
Santa’s Hotel Santa ClausRight at Lordi’s Square on the promenade, with easy access to the village.
Santa’s Hotel NoelleOpens in February 2027 with 101 rooms, linked to Santa’s Hotel Santa Claus by a covered bridge. It suits February and March trips, not December.
Original Sokos Hotel VaakunaA central, dependable hotel for a tour-based trip.
Scandic Rovaniemi CityA calm hotel in the centre.
Arctic City HotelA modern, family-owned hotel in the middle of the city.


Staying on Ounasvaara

Ounasvaara hill near Rovaniemi in winter

Ounasvaara is the hill just across the river bridge from the centre, about 3 km away, with the ski centre and walking trails. It’s quieter, but transport is less convenient than in the centre or the village.

Lapland Hotels Sky OunasvaaraOn top of the hill, with a restaurant and a roof terrace that looks over the city and the Kemijoki river.
Lapland Hotels Ounasvaara ChaletsChalets about 3 km from the centre, with a restaurant, Thulia, serving traditional Lappish menus.


When to Book Your Rovaniemi Hotel

Plan to book your bed as soon as your dates are fixed. These are planning estimates, not guarantees.

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DecemberJanuary–FebruaryMarch
Glass igloos12–15 months6–12 months6 months
Hotels and cabins12–18 months9–12 months6–9 months

The nights around 22 to 27 December sell out first.



If Your First Choice Is Sold Out

Don’t drop the area, widen the net. Try dates a night either side, since a single night can open up. Look at the city centre and Ounasvaara, which have more rooms than the igloo resorts. Consider splitting the trip: one night in an igloo and the rest in town gives you the experience without the full bill. Cancellations can free rooms in the weeks before travel, so check again. Whatever you do, keep your flights and the booking that matters most secured first.



Getting Around Rovaniemi Without a Car

Bus 8Links the railway station, city centre and Santa Claus Village for about €3.60 per adult. It does not go to the airport.
TaxisThe most common option from the airport: as estimates, roughly €20 to the village and €30–40 to the centre.
Resort shuttles and transfersApukka runs a shuttle, and the SnowHotel arranges transfers on request.
ToursOften include hotel pickup, so check before you rent a car.


How Much Does a Rovaniemi Hotel Cost?

Accommodation is the item that moves most, and December raises every band.

PremiumGlass igloos, Glass Resort, Apukka Resort and Arctic Light Hotel. A glass igloo typically costs several hundred euros a night, and more in peak weeks.
Mid-rangeSanta Claus Holiday Village cabins and the city-centre chains such as Scandic and Sokos.
BudgetHostels and guesthouses in the city, which this guide doesn’t cover.


Common Mistakes When Booking a Rovaniemi Stay

  1. Booking Santa Claus Village for the aurora. The light is the problem.
  2. Booking an igloo for one night and no tour. One night leaves you one chance.
  3. Sleeping several nights in the snow hotel. One night is the recommendation.
  4. Assuming everything is walkable. Santa Claus Village, the igloos and the city are all apart.
  5. Booking late for December. The best rooms are gone a year ahead.
  6. Staying outside town without a transport plan. Sort transfers before you book.


Where to Stay in Rovaniemi FAQ

What is the best area to stay in Rovaniemi?

It depends on the trip. Santa Claus Village for Christmas and families, outside town for the aurora, and the city centre for restaurants and flexibility.

Where is the best place to stay for the northern lights?

Outside town, in a glass igloo or aurora cabin. A dark sky helps, but cloud still decides, so plan three to four nights. See our northern lights in Rovaniemi guide for how to read the forecast.

Is Santa Claus Village a good place to stay?

Yes for Christmas and for families, because everything is on foot. It’s a poor choice if you want to see the aurora from your room.

Do I need a car in Rovaniemi?

No. Bus 8, taxis, resort shuttles and tour pickups cover most trips. A car helps if you’re staying outside town and want to move freely.

How far ahead should I book?

December 12 to 18 months ahead for hotels and 12 to 15 for glass igloos. February to March 6 to 12 months ahead.

Is a glass igloo worth it?

For the experience and comfort, yes. For the aurora alone, no, because cloud cover decides.


The one thing to do first: decide whether the trip is about Christmas, the aurora or the city, then book that bed before anything else.




200+Hotels reviewed
18Countries visited

Jean-Paul Cavalletti is the founder of DineWithJP. He has reviewed 200+ hotels across 18 countries and pays for his own stays, with no free rooms and no press trips. Read more at dinewithjp.com.



jeanpaul Cavalletti