Finland in Winter: Santa's Hotel Aurora
Finland may not be on the top of many bucket lists, but it really should be. Whether you’re in search of a winter wonderland or a summer holiday in a beautiful European city, Finland is a great destination. Not to mention that every person I met was smiling and friendly, reassuring me that Finland’s reputation for happiness was not misplaced.
This particular trip, I was in search of all things snowy and cozy. And hopefully a chance to glimpse the elusive Northern Lights. After realizing I had enough airline miles for roundtrip tickets from Portland to Helsinki, I continued my planning by considering several possibilities for exploring Finnish Lapland in the far north of the country. Believe me when I say there were soooo many choices. I eventually decided to spend 3 nights in the small town of Luosto.
To get there, I flew into Rovaniemi, Finland (the flight to Rovaniemi was the same amount of points as the flight to Helsinki) and then took the SkiBus from there to the ski resort of Luosto. After 3 nights in Luosto, I took the quick flight back to Helsinki and spent one night there before returning home.
After a rather miserable flight from New York to Helsinki (more on that later), I was relieved to arrive in Finland on a still dark January morning. After a brief layover, I was on my way to the dreamy, snow covered landscapes of Lapland.
This was like 10 am.
By the time I arrived in Rovaniemi, the sun was shining brightly and even the view from the airport was worth photographing. Officially inside the Arctic Circle, it was also really, really cold.
At one point, there was a real live reindeer meandering along the hillside.
There was a bit of a wait between the time I arrived in Rovaniemi and the departure of the SkiBus. There wasn’t much to do in the small airport, although there was plenty of seating near the fireplace where I happily sat and enjoyed a book while waiting. The bus ride is about an hour and a half, most of which I spent staring out of the window at the frosted scenery. By the time I arrived at my hotel in Luosto around 3:30, the sun was already beginning to set.
I chose to stay at the quaint Santa’s Hotel Aurora. I had chosen this spot due to a mix of amenities, location near activities in which I was interested, and affordability (I will do a whole budget post later). I splurged a bit for a room with my own fireplace, but chose to forego even one night in an expensive glass igloo. I was glad I did - I got the sense that my room was far more comfortable, I did not have to go outside to get to the restaurant, and there would not have been an opportunity to see the Northern Lights from that location during my trip, anyway. Plus, they seem kind of romantic and I think I would have missed Brandon more than I did in my cozy room when I was cuddled up next to the fireplace reading a book or relaxing in my own personal sauna. With only 30 rooms and 10 igloos, this small hotel was just what I was seeking for my solo getaway to Lapland.
The entry floor consisted of the reception desk surrounded by the gift shop and restaurant. Each morning, a bountiful buffet breakfast was served for hotel guests. The Finnish drink more coffee per capita than anyone else in the world, so I knew this was not the week in my pregnancy to stop drinking coffee. However, I was still making an effort to cut back at this point, so after that first morning cup, it was decaf tea for me the remainder of the day. My room had an electric kettle and I would grab a couple extra peppermint tea packets from the breakfast buffet each morning to enjoy later. Although the choice of tea was easy, every other breakfast choice was difficult. There were just so many options, from hot dishes to fresh berries and yogurt, from meats and cheese, to various kinds of pastries and breads. Needless to say, I did not ever need to eat lunch. Oh, and I can’t forget the berry juice - a Lapland specialty drunk both hot and cold.
If the reception desk and restaurant felt homey, it was nothing compared to my room. Earthy tones dominated the comfortable room. My favorite parts were the fireplace (when I ran out of wood, I just had to step outside with my bucket and grab what I needed), the view from my window, and my very own sauna. I had everything I needed to be content and happy during my days in Luosto.
When I ventured out of my hotel room, the town of Luosto awaited. Luosto is a small ski resort located adjacent to a large national park. Even with no interest in skiing, there was plenty to do. I enjoyed being able to walk around the small town, easy to do even in the snow. Beyond the national park, Luosto is probably best known for the nearby amethyst mine where visitors are allowed to dig for their own gems. Although I did not visit the mine during my trip, I did make it to the amethyst shop in town where I bought myself a pair of earrings. With a couple of small shops and a handful of restaurants, the three days I spent in Luosto were just perfect. I’ll share more about my adventures in a future post, but for now, I’m going to pretend I’m back in my hotel room at Santa’s Hotel Aurora, sipping peppermint tea by the fire as I slowly thaw from my latest venture into the frozen world of Finnish Lapland.