If you’ve ever seen an article shared on Facebook listing unique places to stay, then you’ve probably seen the glass igloos in Finland featured. Those glass igloos can be found at Kakslauttenan Arctic Resort in Saariselkä, Finland. If you’re looking for a magical winter destination, then Saariselkä is exactly where you want to go!
When researching this resort, we found a lot of negative reviews posted online, but we didn’t have any trouble at all during our stay. Yes, we had to put our luggage on a sleigh to carry out to the igloo by ourselves. (The sleighs traveled easily across the snow.) Yes, it was a dark walk out to the igloos. (We used our iPhones’ flashlight feature to guide us.) Yes, it was a long walk to the glass igloos as we were in the East Village. (The scenery was beautiful even in the dark, and the path was well marked.) Yes, it was pricey. (But we got to stay in a glass igloo in a beautiful winter setting!)
When you arrive, you’ll be dropped off at the lobby. The lobby has a restaurant and a small gift shop. Breakfast was included in our stay, but we didn’t find their breakfast offerings to be very appealing. Dinner had better options in our opinion, but, again, it wasn’t cheap. If you can stop by a grocery store on the way to the resort, it would be a good idea to stock up on food items to tide you over.
After checking in, you’ll head outside to grab a sleigh to pile your luggage on. From there, you’ll follow the marked signs to your accommodations. They have a few options for your lodging needs. During our stay, we enjoyed one night in a glass igloo and two nights in a log cabin.
Glass Igloos
When people find out we stayed a glass igloo, the first question is always “Was it freezing?” And our answer is an emphatic “No!” They’re heated, so you won’t be suffering from frostbite during your stay. The igloo also had a toilet and sink, but there’s little privacy since you’re literally surrounded by glass. Thankfully, the snow had built up outside blocking part of the window in that part of the igloo. The top of the igloos remain snow free to allow for views of the sky, so you don’t have to worry about a blocked view…after all, that’s what you’re paying for, right?
The igloos also include two twin beds (that can be pushed together or kept on opposite sides of the igloo). Both of the beds allow for the head to elevate so that you can get comfortable while you wait (and hope) for the Northern Lights to dance. Again, we were incredibly lucky. The Northern Lights made their appearance while we were enjoying our igloo stay!
Since the igloos are pricey, we opted for a one night stay. If you can splurge for two nights, go for it! While we were lucky to have another viewing of the aurora from our igloo, the Northern Lights aren’t guaranteed any given night.
Cabins
After our stay in the igloo, we moved to a cabin within the resort. Our cabin included a bedroom with a fireplace, a small kitchen, bunk beds near the entryway, two bathrooms, and a sauna. This was probably the most relaxing part of our trip. There were definitely others staying at the resort, but we felt as if we had the place to ourselves.
We truly found this resort and it’s setting to be magical. If Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is out of your price range, there are other accommodations in Saariselkä. We’ve booked a cabin in Saariselkä for a trip later this year, and we’ve got our eye on another unique cabin. We’ll report back on those options soon!
If you’re planning on explore Finland in the month of December, we’ve shared a 10 day itinerary for you to check out!