Santa Claus Holiday Village
Santa Claus Holiday Village, Rovaniemi: which cottage to book, and who it suits
Wooden cottages in the snow, each with its own sauna, a short walk from Santa Claus's office on the Arctic Circle. For families on a Lapland trip, Santa Claus Holiday Village is about as close to the action as you can sleep. Here is what each cottage gives you, which one to book and who it suits.
Picolo Editorial
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In short: Santa Claus Holiday Village
Where: inside Santa Claus Village on the Arctic Circle, about 15 minutes from Rovaniemi town centre and a few minutes from the airport.
Best for: families with children who want Santa, the reindeer and the Arctic Circle within walking distance.
Guest rating: 9.4 out of 10 across more than 1,500 reviews on Hotels.com.
Included: breakfast buffet, and every cottage has its own sauna. There are three restaurants and a shop on site.
Our cottage choice: a Superior Cottage for a family of three, a Family Suite for four, and the Glass Igloo Cottage if you want a glass roof as well. Check availability and prices at Santa Claus Holiday Village
Which cottage to book
Every cottage and suite has a private sauna, which is the best way to warm up after a day in the snow.
Classic Cottage (about 36 m², up to 3 people): the simplest option, with a double bed or separate beds. Enough for a couple or a family with one child.
Superior and Superior Plus Cottage (about 37-40 m², up to 3): newer and a little more comfortable, for the same number of people.
Suites, Classic, Jensen, Tempur and Vispring (about 42 m², up to 3): more space, with the suite named after the brand of bed. Choose one if a good night's sleep matters most.
Family Suite (about 45 m², up to 4): the obvious choice for a family of four.
Glass Igloo Cottage (about 46 m², two bedrooms, up to 4): a family cottage with a glass igloo bedroom for watching the sky. The only option here for the northern lights from bed.
Our advice: for a family of four, book the Family Suite or the Glass Igloo Cottage early, as there are fewer of them than the standard cottages.
Santa, the Arctic Circle and the northern lights
You stay inside Santa Claus Village, so Santa Claus's office, the Arctic Circle line, the reindeer and the husky rides are a short walk away, and SantaPark is close by. The resort itself arranges sledging, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. For the northern lights, the village is lit, so the sky is not as dark as at resorts further out. Book the Glass Igloo Cottage or join a tour that drives you away from the lights.
Eating: three restaurants on site, plus a breakfast buffet every morning.
Getting there from the UK
Fly direct to Rovaniemi: Finavia lists flights in winter 2026/27 from Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London Gatwick, Luton, Southend and Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle. The flight takes about three and a half hours. Rovaniemi Airport is only a few minutes from Santa Claus Village by taxi or transfer, which makes this one of the easiest places to arrive with children.
Alternatives near Santa Claus Holiday Village
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Glass-fronted suites on the hillside just above Santa Claus Village. Choose it for a design hotel with a view of the forest, and for couples. Rated 9.4 out of 10.
Check availability and prices at Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Apukka Resort
Glass-roofed cabins by a frozen lake about 15 minutes from town. Choose it if the northern lights matter more than Santa next door. Rated 9.2 out of 10.
The glass igloo bedroom in the two-bedroom Glass Igloo Cottage
One of the three restaurants at Santa Claus Holiday Village
Our recommendation
Santa Claus Holiday Village: your own sauna, Santa next door
The cottages at Santa Claus Holiday Village stand inside Santa Claus Village, a short walk from Santa's office and the Arctic Circle line, and each has a private sauna. For a family, it is the simplest base in Rovaniemi: a few minutes from the airport, with breakfast and three restaurants on site.
What Picolo would choose
What Picolo would choose: a Family Suite for a family of four, the Glass Igloo Cottage if you also want a chance of the northern lights from bed. For a couple or a family of three, a Superior Cottage is enough.
Why: nowhere in Rovaniemi puts you closer to Santa and the Arctic Circle, the airport is a few minutes away. A private sauna in every cottage makes a real difference after a cold day.
The trade-off: the village is lit and busy in December, so the sky is less dark than at resorts outside town. If the northern lights are the main reason for your trip, Apukka Resort is a better base.
Frequently asked questions
Is Santa Claus Holiday Village good?
Guests rate Santa Claus Holiday Village 9.4 out of 10 across more than 1,500 reviews on Hotels.com. It suits families who want Santa, the reindeer and the Arctic Circle within walking distance, with breakfast and a private sauna in every cottage. It suits less well if a dark sky for the northern lights is your priority.
How far is Santa Claus Holiday Village from Rovaniemi Airport?
Only a few minutes by taxi or transfer. The airport lies just south of Santa Claus Village, which makes the resort one of the easiest places to arrive with children after a flight from the UK. Rovaniemi town centre is about 15 minutes away by car or local bus.
Do all the cottages have a sauna?
Yes. Every cottage and suite at Santa Claus Holiday Village has its own private sauna, from the Classic Cottage to the Glass Igloo Cottage. That means you can warm up whenever you like, without booking a shared sauna, which is especially useful after an afternoon outdoors with children.
Can you see the northern lights from Santa Claus Holiday Village?
Sometimes, when the sky is clear and the aurora is strong, but Santa Claus Village is lit, so conditions are not as good as outside town. The Glass Igloo Cottage gives you the best chance from bed. Otherwise, join a northern lights tour that drives away from the lights, and book at least three nights.
When should you book Santa Claus Holiday Village?
As early as you can for December, when families fill the village in the weeks before Christmas, and the Family Suites and Glass Igloo Cottages go first. January to March is quieter, with more snow and darker skies. Choose a rate with free cancellation if your dates may change.
Sources
Room types, sizes and facilities come from Hotels.com and Expedia, and the guest rating from Hotels.com. Direct flights from the UK come from Finavia and Time Out. The aurora forecast for Finnish Lapland is published by the Finnish Meteorological Institute. The room comparison, the transfer times and our choice of room are Picolo's own. Last checked: 2 November 2026.
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Picolo Editorial