There are places you visit because they’re beautiful.
And then there are places that, for a little while, make ordinary life feel very far away.
The Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos in Finnish Lapland was one of those places for me.
Here, winter wasn’t simply something happening outside the window. It was the experience itself.
We ate surrounded by ice. We warmed ourselves beside an enormous open fire. We crossed the snow in robes between saunas and steaming water. We slept inside a room made of snow and ice.
And later, tucked warmly beneath glass, we watched the Arctic sky and were fortunate enough to see the Northern Lights.
We chose to experience both sides of the property—the SnowHotel and a glass igloo—and I’m so glad we did.
One gave us an adventure I doubt I’ll ever repeat.
The other gave us warmth, comfort and the extraordinary luxury of lying in bed beneath a Finnish winter sky.
Together, they became one of those travel experiences that stays with you long after you’ve returned home.
Arriving in Finnish Lapland
Even arriving felt different.
By the time you reach this far north, winter has taken over the landscape.
Snow softens everything—the roads, the trees, the buildings—and there is a stillness that feels distinctly Arctic.
After checking in, overnight SnowHotel guests are given an orientation and guided tour.
This isn’t merely a welcome tour.
When your bedroom is made from snow, apparently there are a few things you need to know. 😂
We learned where everything was located, went over safety information and were shown how our overnight stay would work—including instructions for using the serious Arctic sleeping bags that would keep us warm through the night.
That orientation took away much of the uncertainty.
And I had some uncertainty.
I was about to voluntarily sleep in a room made of ice.
Sleeping Inside the SnowHotel
The SnowHotel itself is remarkable.
Rooms and corridors are sculpted from snow and ice, with individual designs and frozen artwork transforming what could simply have been a novelty into something surprisingly beautiful.
During the day, visitors wander through to see it.
But after they leave, something changes. The corridors grow quiet. The crowds disappear.
And suddenly, this incredible frozen place is no longer an attraction you’re touring.
It’s your hotel for the night.
There was something almost surreal about wandering through those quiet corridors knowing that we were among the relatively few people staying behind.
And perhaps what struck me most was knowing that it wouldn’t last.
This extraordinary place is temporary. Winter ends. The hotel melts.
And when another Finnish winter arrives, they create it again.
There was something unexpectedly beautiful about that—so much work and artistry poured into something never intended to be permanent.
But Were We Freezing?
This was the question I had before going.
And the answer surprised me. No.
Guests should come prepared with sensible Arctic layers.
Wool socks, thermal leggings, a thermal long-sleeved shirt and a warm hat are exactly the sort of things I’d pack again.
But the SnowHotel also provides the equipment needed to make sleeping there considerably more comfortable than I expected.
We had thermal suits and substantial Arctic sleeping bags with warm fleece linings.
Once dressed and ready, you climb into the sleeping bag and zip yourself almost completely inside.
Eyes out. Nose out. Everything else bundled into your little Arctic cocoon.
And somehow…it worked.
I had imagined lying awake all night wondering why on earth I’d thought this was a good idea.
Instead, once I was settled inside that sleeping bag, I was remarkably warm.
My nose? My nose had a somewhat different Finnish experience. 😂
That remained decidedly cold.
But the rest of me was comfortable, and there was something wonderfully absurd about lying there bundled from head to toe and realizing:
I’m actually sleeping in a hotel made from snow.
The Part That Feels a Little Like Camping
This is not luxury accommodation in the conventional sense.
There are no ensuite bathrooms or private showers inside your ice room.
Your belongings stay safely in your assigned locker in the warm changing area, where you’ll also find bathrooms, changing facilities and places to sit and warm up.
That gives the overnight stay a bit of a camping feeling.
Except instead of stepping out of a tent to use the facilities, you’re stepping out of a sculpted room made from Finnish snow.
For me, having that warm area available made the adventure considerably easier.
And then there was something else I found very reassuring.
There’s a Plan B
Yes. They actually have one.
If sometime during the night you decide you’ve experienced quite enough authentic Arctic sleeping, there are warm sleeping areas available.
I loved knowing that.
There is something psychologically comforting about choosing to sleep in a frozen hotel while simultaneously knowing that you don’t have to prove anything.
If the cold becomes too much, you can retreat to warmth.
We didn’t need Plan B.
But I was very happy Plan B existed.
And Then There’s the Aurora Wake-Up Call
This might be one of my favorite details.
Before going to bed, overnight guests can request to be awakened if the Northern Lights appear.
Someone is actually watching the Arctic sky.
And if the Aurora decides to make an appearance, you don’t necessarily have to sleep through it.
I can’t think of many hotels where a nighttime wake-up call could mean:
Get up. The sky is glowing.
It’s such a small detail, but it’s part of what makes staying here feel less like booking accommodation and more like participating in winter itself.
From Ice to Glass
After the raw adventure of the SnowHotel, our glass igloo felt almost impossibly luxurious.
Warmth. A comfortable bed. A modern bathroom.A good shower.
A kettle and mini refrigerator.
All very welcome.
But, of course, none of those things is why you book a glass igloo in Lapland.
You book it because of what’s above you.
The motorized bed could be raised so we could comfortably watch the sky through the glass, then lowered when we were ready to sleep.
There was no need to stand outside waiting in layers of winter clothing.
We could simply lie there, warm beneath the covers, looking upward.
And we were fortunate. We saw the Northern Lights.
There’s something quite extraordinary about seeing the sky begin to change while you’re lying in bed.
No rushing outside. No boots.
No gloves.
Just darkness, warmth and that unmistakable glow beginning overhead.
It was one of those quiet travel moments when you stop trying to photograph everything for a minute and simply absorb where you are.
Fire, Food & Finnish Winter
Some of my strongest memories of the stay aren’t simply about the cold.
They’re about the contrast between cold and warmth.
The Kota restaurant had a large open fireplace that immediately drew us in.
After being surrounded by snow and ice, sitting near that fire with good food felt almost primal.
Cold outside. Flames in front of us.
Dinner on the table.
Sometimes travel doesn’t need to be more complicated than that.
The food throughout our stay was excellent, and dinner in the ice restaurant provided another completely different experience.
Even the ice bar embraced the surroundings, with drinks served in little glasses made from ice.
Was it necessary? Absolutely not.
Was I going to come all the way to Finnish Lapland, sleep inside a frozen hotel and then insist on a conventional glass?
Also no. 😂
The Snow Sauna: Because Apparently Regular Cold Wasn’t Enough
One of the highlights of our visit was the sauna experience.
We tried the snow sauna, traditional Finnish sauna and outdoor Jacuzzi.
Which meant getting wonderfully warm…
and then making a rather brisk journey through Arctic air wearing a robe.
There is something exhilarating about that contrast.
The cold hits your face. Steam rises from the hot water.
Snow surrounds you.
And suddenly you’re laughing because this is completely ridiculous and absolutely wonderful at the same time.
These are increasingly some of my favorite travel memories.
Not necessarily the famous attraction.
Not the place everyone says you have to photograph.
The moment when I catch myself thinking:
I cannot believe I’m actually here doing this.
There Was More to Do Than I Expected
The SnowHotel wasn’t simply somewhere to sleep.
We explored the ice rooms and artwork, learned more about how the hotel and snow sauna are constructed, and tried some of the winter activities available around the property.
Snowshoes, kick sledges and inflatable donuts for the snow slide added some uncomplicated winter fun.
We also tried ice sculpting.
That sounded easy. It wasn’t. 😂
It required considerably more precision than I expected, which only increased my appreciation for the artists responsible for the elaborate work throughout the hotel.
An electric snowmobile safari also came highly recommended. One electric snow scooter activity we’d planned wasn’t available during our visit, but there was enough to experience that it didn’t detract much from our stay.
I also appreciated having some activities included rather than feeling as though every step into the snow generated another charge.
Warming Up the Finnish Way
A traditional Finnish sauna is included with the SnowHotel overnight experience, and after sleeping surrounded by snow, it feels particularly appropriate.
Private sauna, Jacuzzi and snow-sauna experiences can also be booked for travelers who want more.
And breakfast is included, served in the Log Restaurant near reception.
There was something particularly satisfying about walking into a warm restaurant for breakfast after being able to say:
Well, I just spent the night on ice.
Coffee tastes a little better after that.
What I Wish We’d Known Before Arriving
As memorable as the experience was, there were a few things I’d want another traveler—especially another woman planning this independently—to know.
First, this is a splurge.
Lapland isn’t inexpensive, and once you combine accommodations, meals, transportation and optional experiences, costs can accumulate quickly.
I would think of the SnowHotel as a special experience rather than simply somewhere to stay.
Second, expect some communal facilities and less privacy than you would have in a traditional hotel. The SnowHotel is an adventure, and part of that means accepting shared bathrooms, changing areas and the practical realities of sleeping somewhere made from snow.
Our biggest frustration involved transportation.
We were directed toward a pickup location that proved difficult to find, resulting in unnecessary time, expense and standing outside in the cold. We later learned that transportation from the train station may have been available.
Clearer communication beforehand would have saved us quite a bit of aggravation.
It’s exactly the kind of seemingly minor logistical detail that can become decidedly less minor when you’re standing outside in Finnish winter with luggage.
What I’d Pack for a Night in the SnowHotel
I wouldn’t overcomplicate this.
Bring good wool socks, thermal leggings, a thermal long-sleeved base layer and a warm hat.
You don’t need to pack as though you’re personally mounting an expedition to the North Pole. The SnowHotel provides the specialized sleeping equipment.
The goal is simply to arrive prepared enough that you can enjoy the novelty of the experience rather than spending the evening worrying about being cold.
And remember: Plan B exists.
Would I Recommend Staying at the Arctic SnowHotel?
Absolutely.
But I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s the most comfortable hotel I’ve ever stayed in.
It isn’t.
I wouldn’t recommend it because it’s inexpensive.
It isn’t that either.
I’d recommend it because travel occasionally gives us an opportunity to do something so completely outside our normal lives that comfort becomes almost beside the point.
For one night, we slept inside winter.
Then we retreated to the warmth of a glass igloo and watched the Finnish sky from bed.
We sat beside fire. We drank from ice.
We ran through Arctic air toward steaming water.
And somewhere in the middle of all of it, the Northern Lights appeared.
Thinking back, I don’t remember whether I had the perfect night’s sleep.
I remember the feeling of climbing into that enormous sleeping bag.
I remember my freezing nose.
I remember the silence after the daytime visitors had gone.
I remember the warmth of the fire.
And I remember looking upward from beneath that glass roof and realizing how very far from ordinary life I had traveled.
At this stage of life, that’s part of what I want from travel.
Not simply another place checked off a list.
I want to still be surprised.
I want to occasionally be a little uncomfortable. To try something I’ve never done before. To stand somewhere unfamiliar and feel that small spark of wonder that reminds me there are still so many firsts waiting for us. Finnish Lapland gave me that.
I wouldn’t choose the SnowHotel because it is comfortable. It isn’t.
And I wouldn’t choose it because it is practical. It isn’t that either.
I would choose it because every once in a while, travel gives us the opportunity to step completely outside the life we know.
For one Finnish winter night, we slept surrounded by snow and ice, warmed by Arctic sleeping bags, knowing that somewhere outside the Northern Lights might be moving across the sky.
Years later, I don’t remember whether I slept particularly well.
I remember that I slept inside winter.