Sorrisniva
Sorrisniva, Alta: igloo hotel or wilderness lodge, and who it suits
On the bank of the Alta River, about half an hour inland from Alta Airport, an igloo hotel is carved from snow and ice each winter, and a modern lodge with walls of glass stands nearby. Sorrisniva lets you combine a night on ice with a warm room facing the river. Here is how to choose.
Picolo Editorial
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In short: Sorrisniva
Where: on the Alta River just outside Alta, about 30 minutes by road from Alta Airport.
Best for: couples who want one night on ice and a design room for the rest of a northern lights trip.
Guest ratings: the Arctic Wilderness Lodge 9.6 out of 10 across 68 reviews, the Igloo Hotel 9.4 across 78, on Hotels.com.
Northern lights: visible from mid-September to the end of March, according to Sorrisniva.
Our choice: one night in the Igloo Hotel and two or three at the Arctic Wilderness Lodge. Check availability and prices at Sorrisniva Arctic Wilderness Lodge
The Igloo Hotel: what a night on ice includes
The ice rooms hold a steady minus 4 to minus 7°C, and you sleep in an extreme sleeping bag rated to minus 40°C, according to Sorrisniva. Your luggage stays in a heated service building with toilets and showers. The stay includes breakfast, the ice bar, a morning sauna and dinner at the Lavvu restaurant. The igloo double rooms are about 6 m², the suites about 11 m².
An ice room at the Igloo Hotel, where the temperature stays below freezing all night
The Arctic Wilderness Lodge: a warm room by the river
The lodge has 24 rooms and suites with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the river and the hills, according to Sorrisniva. On Hotels.com, the Design Double is about 31 m² for two, and the Premium Double about 37 m² for three, with a river view. Maku is the lodge's fine-dining restaurant, and massages can be booked.
Our advice: book a Premium Double for the river view. On a clear night you can watch for the aurora from bed through the tall windows.
Getting there from the UK
There are no direct flights from the UK to Alta. Fly via Oslo, then continue north to Alta. Sorrisniva runs shared and private minibus transfers that you book in advance, and taxis can be arranged. There is no public transport between Alta and Sorrisniva, so plan the transfer before you travel.
The glass-walled lounge at the Arctic Wilderness Lodge
Alternatives in Alta
Flatmoen Natur Lodge
Panoramic cabins with big windows and a hot tub on the outskirts of Alta, about 17 minutes from the airport. Guests mention watching the aurora from the hot tub and from bed. Rated 9.8 out of 10.
Check availability and prices at Flatmoen Natur Lodge
Thon Hotel Alta
A town hotel near Alta Museum with free breakfast and a health club. Choose it for a first or last night close to the airport. Rated 9.0 out of 10.
Our recommendation
Sorrisniva: a night on ice, the rest by the river
Sorrisniva lies on the Alta River, about 30 minutes from Alta Airport. Spend one night in the Igloo Hotel, wrapped in a sleeping bag rated to minus 40°C. Spend the rest of the trip at the Arctic Wilderness Lodge, where the windows run from floor to ceiling.
Our verdict
What Picolo would choose: one night in the Igloo Hotel and two or three nights in a Premium Double at the Arctic Wilderness Lodge. For a shorter trip, choose the lodge alone and visit the igloos for an evening.
Why: Sorrisniva puts a night on ice and a warm design room on the same river, about 30 minutes from the airport, with the aurora visible from mid-September.
The trade-off: there are no direct flights from the UK, and no public transport from Alta, so you need a transfer. For direct flights, Tromsø or Finnish Lapland are easier.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sorrisniva worth it?
Guests rate the Arctic Wilderness Lodge 9.6 out of 10 and the Igloo Hotel 9.4 on Hotels.com. It suits couples who want a night on ice and a design room for the rest of a northern lights trip. It suits less well if you want a short trip with direct flights from the UK.
How cold is the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel?
The ice rooms stay at about minus 4 to minus 7°C, according to Sorrisniva. You sleep in an extreme sleeping bag rated to minus 40°C, and your luggage stays in a heated service building with toilets and showers. A morning sauna and breakfast are included in the stay.
How far is Sorrisniva from Alta Airport?
About 30 minutes by road, inland along the Alta River. Sorrisniva runs shared and private minibus transfers that you book in advance, and taxis can be arranged. There is no public transport between Alta and Sorrisniva, so book the transfer before you arrive.
When can you see the northern lights at Sorrisniva?
From mid-September to the end of March, according to Sorrisniva. The lodge stands outside Alta, so the sky is darker than in town, and the tall windows let you watch from your room. Plan at least three nights to allow for cloud, and check the forecast on Yr each afternoon.
Which room should you book at Sorrisniva?
For the rest of your stay, a Premium Double of about 37 m² with a river view at the Arctic Wilderness Lodge. For the night on ice, an igloo double room of about 6 m². Choose the larger igloo suite of about 11 m² if you want a little more space for the night.
Sources
The Igloo Hotel facts come from the Sorrisniva FAQ, and the lodge rooms from Sorrisniva. Room sizes and guest ratings come from Hotels.com. The weather forecast is on Yr. The comparison of the two hotels and our choice are Picolo's own. Last checked: 2 November 2026.
Happy aurora hunting
Picolo Editorial