The best hotels and places to stay in Rovaniemi

Just a 15-minute drive from the city centre, Apukka Resort lets you sleep in comfort beneath the northern lights and starry skies in your own glass-roofed cabin. This cosy resort feels like the Shire transplanted into the Lapland wilderness – magical in every season, whether you visit during autumn rains, deep winter snow or the glow of the midnight sun. The dark timber cabins, hay-fence paths, boardwalks and surrounding nature make for a truly unforgettable setting – and yes, you’ll get those dreamlike Instagram shots.

Apukka has more than 130 accommodation units spread across a large area, offering both privacy and peace even during the busy Christmas period. Most of the lodgings are small, stylish black cabins with panoramic glass roofs that flood the interiors with light by day and reveal the stars (and auroras) by night. They’re surprisingly spacious too, equipped with air-source heat pumps, cosy fireplaces and, in the larger ones, kitchenettes.

A generous breakfast is included, along with winter clothing during the cold months and a northern lights alert via mobile app. There’s plenty to do on site, from wooden boardwalk trails to horses and reindeer you can pet. Apukka also offers around 20 activities and shuttle transfers to Santa Claus Village and central Rovaniemi.

With its unique setting and storybook charm, Apukka stands out among Rovaniemi’s accommodation options. Simply wandering around the resort feels special – and thanks to stored snow, it’s guaranteed white here from mid-November.

Time Out tip: Guests can book the resort’s wood-fired lakeside saunas or an electric sauna with an outdoor hot tub for an extra fee. In winter, there’s even a mobile sauna on skis that can be brought straight to your cabin door!

Address: Tutkijantie 28

Expect to pay: From around €350 per night for two adults in a glass igloo

Located in the city centre, Arctic Light Hotel is one of Rovaniemi’s most awarded hotels, earning praise from both guests and expert panels. And once you visit, it’s easy to see why. The interior is elegant, warm and richly detailed; you won’t find any sparse Scandi minimalism here. The rooms are spacious and stylish, many featuring saunas, bathtubs, balconies or decorative fireplaces. True to its name, light is a defining element – both in the décor and in the bright, friendly service.

The focus here is on comfort and breakfast: the beds are luxuriously soft with a great pillow menu, and the morning spread includes classics like eggs, bacon and Nutella, plus raw cakes and other delights. This family-owned boutique hotel, now celebrating ten years of operation, has 57 rooms (three of which are suites) and features a restaurant, gym, guest sauna, massage room and a winter garden for events. There’s even a tiny Santa’s Cabin in the courtyard, decked out for Christmas all year round.

Guests enjoy a 30-minute private sauna session, a breakfast menu designed by celebrity chef Sara La Fountain, and in-room bathrobes and slippers. Depending on the season, you can also borrow bikes or sleds, and the on-site gym is free to use. The building itself was once Rovaniemi’s town hall, designed by local architect Ferdinand Salokangas – his touch is still visible in the staircase’s reindeer railings and star motifs.

Time Out tip: Don’t skip the hotel restaurant! Check out Arctic Restaurant’s wine list and excellent cocktails. The winter garden makes a charming – and often pleasantly quiet – spot for a date.

Address: Valtakatu 18, 96200 Rovaniemi

Expect to pay: From around €260 per night for two adults

Arctic Treehouse Hotel is a striking resort of elevated, treehouse-style cabins built on stilts right next to Santa Claus Village. These cosy, box-like lodges offer seclusion, while their floor-to-ceiling windows bring Lapland’s wilderness right to your bedside – a modern way to experience nature on a winter holiday. The interiors echo the surrounding woods with timber surfaces and natural materials, but the style is sleek and contemporary rather than rustic. Soft neutral tones create the calm, cocoon-like atmosphere the hotel promises.

The standard suites are compact but comfortable, as long as you’re not travelling with a mountain of luggage. Everything is spotless, and the staff are friendly and attentive. The hotel’s signature “pinecone” theme appears everywhere – from the architecture itself to the room keys and branded products.

Alongside two types of treehouse suites, the resort also offers log chalets and is home to Rakas, an acclaimed, award-winning restaurant praised for both its food and ambience. When it opened, Arctic Treehouse Hotel was one of Rovaniemi’s first design-forward resorts, and it has since won multiple awards for its architecture, atmosphere and dining.

The location is ideal – right by Santa Claus Village yet within easy reach of the city centre, and far enough from urban lights for excellent northern lights viewing.

Time Out tip: Treat yourself to dinner at Rakas Restaurant – the dishes are truly superb.

Address: Tarvantie 3

Expect to pay: From around €500 per night for two adults during the winter season

Prefer to spend your holiday in peace and privacy? Haawe Boutique Apart Hotel is your spot. This elegant design aparthotel sits right in the heart of Rovaniemi and offers 12 rooms and two suites, each with its own story and atmosphere. With automated check-in and check-out, plus a self-service breakfast in your room’s private kitchen, this is an introvert’s dream. Staff are available daily at reception, but they personally welcome every guest on arrival.

Each apartment is unique, inspired by elements of northern nature – from auroras and driftwood to ice and autumn colours. The interiors are spacious, stylish and homely, making Haawe a place you’ll want to linger rather than just sleep.

The self-service breakfast is far from basic: your fridge is stocked with a generous selection of quality ingredients. Dietary preferences, from vegan to gluten-free, can be noted when booking. Rooms are cleaned daily, with breakfast and toiletries replenished each time. Guests also have access to a free laundry room and complimentary parking.

Time Out tip: Enjoy Finnish design at its finest – the décor features classics from Tapio Wirkkala’s Ultima Thule glassware to iconic Marimekko prints.

Address: Valtakatu 22

Expect to pay: From around €250 per night for two adults

Don’t be fooled by its plain exterior – Metsähirvas is a real gem. The building exudes history, even though the interiors and guest rooms have been carefully renovated for modern comfort. That sense of age and character still shows through in the vintage lighting and lobby décor. Everything is spotless and well looked after, and the atmosphere is warm and welcoming thanks to the genuinely friendly team.

Owner Mikko Sirviö is the hotel’s creative soul – often leading northern lights excursions himself and sharing stories about the property’s fascinating past. The corridors feature unique site-specific artworks, including a concrete “lumberjack’s log pile” complete with a hidden bottle.

Originally built more than a century ago, the building has served as a forestry school and even as a German field hospital during the Second World War. Today, it’s the oldest building in Rovaniemi still in hotel use. Located about 15 kilometres from the city centre on the banks of the River Kemijoki, Metsähirvas is both rainbow- and eco-friendly.

The hotel organises fishing trips, safaris and reindeer farm visits directly from its grounds, and pets are welcome. Accessibility can be challenging in this protected historic building, but improvements are ongoing. Breakfast is included, and the restaurant serves hearty dishes such as pasta, salads, pizza and burgers.

Thanks to its riverside location away from city lights, it’s also an excellent place to spot the northern lights – perhaps from the cosy riverside hut, with snacks by the fire.

Time Out tip: With its colourful history, it’s no surprise that Metsähirvas is said to have a few “permanent residents”. Staff have plenty of ghost stories – ask about the mysteries of room 103 and the spirit known as Albert.

Address: Toukolantie 49

Expect to pay: From around €140 per night for two adults

Once a bank, now a hostel and café, Hostel Café Koti lives up to its name (“home”) by offering a warm, homely atmosphere to everyone from backpackers to Lapland holidaymakers. Forget the image of hostels as cheap and shabby – here, cosiness calls your name. The building’s past life as a bank is still visible in details like the basement doors and iron bars, while the rooms – former offices – are bright and full of character thanks to their large windows.

The grand staircases dominate the interior, and the corridors feel just like those of an ordinary block of flats – each door even has a nameplate, taken from the craftspeople and builders who helped transform the building. In the same spirit, the bunk beds in the shared rooms are named too. The overall atmosphere is stylish yet familiar and safe. Guests staying in private rooms get an excellent breakfast included, served in the downstairs café, which also offers tasty lunches to non-guests.

The hostel has 27 private rooms and three dormitories, one reserved for women only. All guests have access to the sauna, with separate sessions for men and women and the option to book private time slots. There’s also a shared kitchen and lounge where you can cook, relax and feel at home, plus luggage storage in the old bank vault and paid parking spots outside.

Pets are welcome on one floor, so you can bring your furry friend along. As an older building, accessibility isn’t perfect – the lift accommodates wheelchairs, but a bit of help may be needed over door thresholds.

Time Out tip: The building’s history is long and fascinating – ask the staff to tell you more about it. And don’t miss the café’s vegan cinnamon bun; it’s absolutely wonderful.

Address: Valtakatu 21

Expect to pay: From around €210 per night for two adults in a private room, or €39 per person in a dormitory

Looking for a peaceful stay in your own cosy cabin, surrounded by Lapland’s rolling hills and nature? Ounasvaara Chalets is tucked away from Rovaniemi’s busiest routes, just a couple of kilometres from the city centre. The charming wooden chalets evoke the atmosphere of a traditional Finnish summer cottage, yet with added comfort. Nestled right next to the Ounasvaara Ski Resort, the location couldn’t be better for those who love the outdoors – hiking, cycling, skiing and snowboarding are all just steps away, with stunning views to match.

The cottages could use a light refresh, but they’re undeniably homely and full of character – ideal for families or travellers with dogs in tow. The 73 apartments range from compact cabins for couples to spacious suites for families, accommodating up to 380 guests in total. Each unit has a kitchenette and private sauna, adding to the cosy, home-like feel. Breakfast is served buffet-style in the main building, and during the winter season half-board packages are available, including dinner.

Many chalets feature loft sleeping areas – a fun hideaway for kids – and reindeer often wander near the main building, so spotting one doesn’t require a trek into the wilderness.

Time Out tip: Even if your chalet has its own sauna, don’t miss booking a slot at the popular Kesäraflan sauna next door – rumour has it, it offers the best steam in all of Rovaniemi.

Address: Mustinpolku 4

Expect to pay: From around €200 per night for two adults

Set in a historic 19th-century log house near Rovaniemi’s city centre, Lauri Handicrafts & Guesthouse offers a glimpse into traditional rural Finnish life. The building was relocated from the village of Alanamma to its current site in 1968, and its timber walls, rag rugs and old bread ovens recall the charm of a bygone countryside, though the interiors have been thoughtfully updated with modern kitchens and bathrooms.

Despite being just a five-minute walk from the centre, the guesthouse remains peaceful and quiet, even at night. The only sounds you’re likely to hear come from the nearby primary school during the day. The studios are warm, comfortable and surprisingly spacious, and the beds ensure a good night’s sleep – quite the opposite of what you might expect from an old log house.

There are five apartments in total, each sleeping between five and nine people. Alongside the accommodation, the house is home to the Lauri handicrafts workshop, a century-old brand producing handmade Finnish, Lapland and Sámi-inspired crafts, which are also sold in the on-site shop. The surrounding courtyard includes additional buildings available for hire for meetings or events.

Time Out tip: You can watch the artisans at work in the workshop – or even try your hand at traditional crafts yourself.

Address: Pohjolankatu 25

Expect to pay: From around €239 per night for two adults

Located slightly away from the busiest downtown streets, Hotel Postmaster is one of Rovaniemi’s more affordable options. Housed in a former post office, the hotel has 49 rooms, some with private saunas and all with kitchenettes. The bus station is just across the street, and the railway station is a short 500-metre walk away. Pets are welcome for an additional fee.

The hotel’s Scandinavian interiors still feel fresh and modern, having opened only a couple of years ago, yet the building’s history shines through in charming details such as the old cage lift. Rooms are clean, bright and spacious, making this a pleasant base for exploring the city. Breakfast is excellent – fresh, varied and satisfying – and the beds are wonderfully comfortable. Rates include breakfast, parking and even a northern lights alert service. There’s also self check-in, so you can arrive and settle in without any fuss.

Postmaster organises husky safaris, ice-fishing trips and northern lights excursions, all including transport and warm clothing.

Time Out tip: Just a few hundred metres away you’ll find Torikeidas, Rovaniemi’s oldest still-running grill – grab their famous Lordi kebab for a late-night bite.

Address: Postikatu 1

Expect to pay: Around €130 per night for two adults

Part of Santa’s official hotel chain, Hotel Santa Claus sits right in the heart of Rovaniemi. This large, comfortable hotel can accommodate up to 500 guests, with rooms ranging from compact standards to a grand penthouse suite. If you value a central location and convenience above all, this is a solid choice. Some rooms overlook Lordi’s Square and the Jätkänkynttilä Bridge, so you can enjoy the city buzz from your window.

As part of the Santa’s Hotels group, the festive spirit is present all year round – you’ll spot little elves hiding in the hallways, and even in summer the lobby Christmas tree stays up, decorated with flowers. The décor is dark-toned yet modern and stylish, and the spacious bathrooms have plenty of room for those who like to take their time getting ready. Rooms are well soundproofed, ensuring restful nights even during busy weekends, and the beds are supremely comfortable.

A generous breakfast and evening sauna (with separate hours for men and women) are included in the rate. Premium rooms and suites feature private saunas with windows. Pets are welcome, and although the hotel currently has only one fully accessible room, an extension connected by a new footbridge is already under construction.

Time Out tip: Pop downstairs to Robert’s Coffee for an excellent soup lunch – the salad bar includes baked potatoes with all the fillings.

Address: Korkalonkatu 29

Expect to pay: From around €280 per night for two adults