Rovaniemi
Where to stay in Rovaniemi: hotels by Santa Claus Village, in town and out in the dark
Rovaniemi is three places in one: Santa's village on the Arctic Circle, a small town by the river and a dark forest full of glass-roofed cabins. Where you stay decides what your trip is like. Here is where to stay in Rovaniemi, area by area, with the hotels we would book.
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In short: where to stay in Rovaniemi
Santa Claus Village (about 8 km north of town): best for families. Walk to Santa's office and the Arctic Circle line. Our pick: Santa Claus Holiday Village.
The town centre: best for restaurants, shops and short breaks without a car. Our pick: Arctic Light Hotel.
Ounasvaara hill: ski slopes and views on the edge of town. Our pick: Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara.
Out in the dark: best for the northern lights, with glass roofs and no town lights. Our picks: Apukka Resort and Arctic SnowHotel.
Our first choice: Check availability and prices at Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
The airport is a few minutes from Santa Claus Village and about 10 minutes from the centre, so nowhere is far away. What matters is whether you want Santa on the doorstep, a town around you, or a dark sky above the bed.
Which area suits you?
Families with young children: Santa Claus Village. You can walk to Santa's office several times, and the airport is close if you arrive late.
Couples on a northern lights trip: the forest outside town, in a glass-roofed cabin or glass suite. Town lights make the aurora harder to see from the centre.
A short break without a car: the town centre, with restaurants, the Arktikum museum and the river within walking distance, and tours that pick you up from the hotel.
Skiers and active families: Ounasvaara, with slopes, cross-country tracks and views over town.
Getting there from the UK: Finavia lists direct flights to Rovaniemi 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. See flight and hotel packages to Rovaniemi from UK airports
Santa Claus Village
Santa Claus Holiday Village
Cosy cabins inside Santa Claus Village, on the Arctic Circle. You walk to Santa's office, the post office and the shops in a few minutes. The obvious choice for a family Christmas trip. Guests rate it 9.4 out of 10 across more than 1,500 reviews on Hotels.com.
Check availability and prices at Santa Claus Holiday Village
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Glass-fronted suites on the hillside above Santa Claus Village, facing the forest. Lie in bed and watch the snow fall, and with luck the northern lights. Guests rate it 9.4 out of 10 across more than 200 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Nova Skyland Hotel
A small hotel near Santa Claus Village, with large windows, wood-panelled rooms, a restaurant and breakfast included. It has the highest guest rating of the hotels near the village: 9.6 out of 10 across more than 300 reviews on Expedia.
The town centre and Ounasvaara
Arctic Light Hotel
A boutique hotel in the centre, near Lordi's Square, with a spa, a restaurant and breakfast included. It has the highest guest rating in Rovaniemi of the hotels on this page: 9.8 out of 10 across more than 1,000 reviews on Expedia.
Check availability and prices at Arctic Light Hotel
Arctic City Hotel
A central hotel near the Lumberjack's Candle Bridge, with a sauna and a restaurant, good value for a short stay in town. Guests rate it 9.0 out of 10 across more than 1,000 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Arctic City Hotel
Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara
On Ounasvaara hill on the edge of town, with ski-in, ski-out access, a rooftop terrace and breakfast included. Guests rate it 9.0 out of 10 across more than 500 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Lapland Hotels Sky Ounasvaara
Out in the dark: for the northern lights
Apukka Resort
Glass-roofed cabins by a frozen lake a short drive from town, with its own winter activities, from snowmobiles to huskies. Guests rate it 9.2 out of 10 across more than 350 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Apukka Resort
Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos
About 30 minutes from Rovaniemi, with a snow hotel that opens each year on 15 December, glass igloos, a sauna and three restaurants. Book one night on ice and the rest in a glass igloo. Guests rate it 9.0 out of 10 across more than 180 reviews.
Check availability and prices at Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos
See also our guides to glass igloo hotels and ice hotels.
Nova Skyland Hotel, near Santa Claus Village
Arctic Light Hotel, in the centre of Rovaniemi
The rooftop terrace at Sky Ounasvaara, above the town
Our recommendation
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel: a glass wall on the forest
The Arctic TreeHouse suites sit on the hillside above Santa Claus Village, each with a wall of glass facing the forest. It combines the two things most people come to Rovaniemi for: Santa a few minutes away, and a chance of the northern lights from bed.
What Picolo would choose
What Picolo would choose: Arctic TreeHouse Hotel for couples, Santa Claus Holiday Village for families with young children, and Arctic Light Hotel for a short break in town.
Why: Arctic TreeHouse gives you Santa Claus Village a few minutes away and a glass wall on the forest for the northern lights. That is the combination most people come for.
The trade-off: glass suites and cabins are few and sell out early for December. If they are gone, book a town hotel and join a northern lights tour, which takes you out of the town lights.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the best place to stay in Rovaniemi?
It depends on your trip. Families should stay in or near Santa Claus Village, about 8 kilometres north of town. Couples hoping for the northern lights should choose a glass suite or cabin outside town, away from the lights. For a short break without a car, the town centre has restaurants and tours that pick you up from the hotel.
Is it better to stay at Santa Claus Village or in Rovaniemi town?
Stay at Santa Claus Village if you have young children and want to visit Santa more than once. Stay in town if you want restaurants, shops and the Arktikum museum on foot. The two are only about 8 kilometres apart, with buses and taxis between them, so you can easily visit one from the other.
Can you see the northern lights in Rovaniemi?
Yes, Rovaniemi is in the aurora zone and the northern lights are often seen from September to March. Town lights make them harder to see from the centre, so stay outside town or join a guided tour. Clear skies matter more than anything, so plan at least three nights to give yourself several chances.
How many nights do you need in Rovaniemi?
Three or four nights is ideal. That gives you a day for Santa Claus Village, a day for huskies or reindeer, and several evenings with a chance of the northern lights. With only one or two nights, a cloudy evening can mean you miss the aurora altogether.
When should you book a hotel in Rovaniemi?
Book as early as you can, especially for December. Glass suites, cabins near Santa Claus Village and family rooms sell out first in the weeks before Christmas. January to March is quieter and darker, with more snow, and is often better for the northern lights. Choose a rate with free cancellation if your plans may change.
Sources
Flights come from Finavia. Hotel facts come from the hotels, Hotels.com and Expedia, and ratings from Hotels.com and Expedia. Last checked: 2 November 2026.
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