Saariselka hotels

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Saariselka is a small holiday village and the northernmost ski resort in Finland. Due to its location, Saariselka is popular among the Northern Lights chasers.

There are 10 hotels, few holidays resorts and hundreds of self-catering cottages and cabins in Saariselka.

Compare all Saariselka hotels here and find best deals starting from 60€/room. You can choose from SPA hotel with tropical water park, wilderness hotels or luxury top hill hotels with glass roofed rooms to see the Lapland panorama and the sky.

What makes Saariselka special for travel?

Saariselkä is the northernmost winter and ski resort in Finnish Lapland with well-devepoled travel infrastructure. It is the ideal destination for those looking for Lapland activities and Arctic exotics, nature and wilderness, the Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun phenomena.

Saariselkä is easy to reach. Ivalo airport is 27 km away from the village. Daily flights from Helsinki available. Rovaniemi airport and train station is 250 km away and transfer or bus connection possible.

There is good selection of hotels, apartments or self-catering log cabins. Hotels in Saariselka are mostly 4 stars. There is SPA hotel with tropical water park ideal for families with kids - Holiday Club Saariselkä. For romantic stay there are 2 hotels located top hill with great panorama view - TOP Star Saariselkä 1 and Star Arctic Hotel. Both offer glass roofed suites, some are with private sauna, providing the perfect views to the sky and the Northen Lights if you're lucky.

Saariselka was the place where the first glass igloo hotels appeared to see the Northen Lights from a bed. Today this place is known worldwide thanks to Kakslauttanen glass igloos. There are about 10 glass igloo hotels in the area to choose from.

Main Lapland activities to do in Saariselka: snowmobile nature safaris on the real tundra, husky sledges rides, visit to an reindeer farm, Nothern lights evening safaris or camps, cross country skiing and downhill skiing.

SAARISELKÄ OVERVIEW

Saariselkä is very traditional Finnish holiday resort and peaceful tourism center. It is located in Finnish Lapland next to the Urho Kekkonen National Park. There is real wilderness and best possibilities to see the Northern Lights.

Kakslauttanen glass igloo village is located 10 km south from Saariselkä. It was the first glass igloo resort in Finland. Nowadays there are about 10 glass igloo hotels in Saariselkä - Ivalo area.

Other popular activities: 200 km of cross country skiing tracks, downhill skiing, Sami culture, reindeers and husky safaris, snowmobile guided tours, Aurora guided activities.

1. How to get to Saariselkä

TO FINLAND:

Saariselkä is located 27 km from Ivalo airport. The easiest way to get to Saariselkä is via Helsinki (Finnish capital).

Helsinki-Vantaa international airport has flight connection with 45 countries worldwide. There are direct flights and charter flights available.

TRANSPORT HELSINKI - IVALO:

Ivalo airport has daily flight connection with Helsinki by Norwegian and Finnair.

By air: Helsinki-Ivalo, 4 flights per day.
Flight time - 1h40m.
Price from 39€.
Distance from the Ivalo airport to Saariselka: 27 km (bus or taxi).

By train: Helsinki - Rovaniemi daily trains by VR.
Duration - 8-12h.
Price from 68€.
Distance between Rovaniemi railway station and Helsinki: 250 km. There is bus to Saariselkä or rental car self-drive.

2. Best time to visit Saariselkä

We recommend to plan a trip to Saariselkä in Finland from end of November till mid April to get as much as possible from the Lapland trip and activities. This is also the best time to see the Northern Lights.

During winter time Saariselkä has plenty of snow, 200 km of perfect cross country skiing tracks, hiking tracks in the wilderness, downhill skiing slopes, husky and reindeer safaris, snowmobile safaris and many winter activities.

Note:
* December and January is time for Polar Night in Lapland. Between the 4th of December and th 8th of January the sun doesn’t rise above the horizon at all. There will be some kind of blue shining during a day (inbetween 10am to 2.30pm). So better to plan some outdoor activities for this time. Evening time is perfect for the Northern Lights guided tours.

3. Saariselkä weather

Average temperature in Saariselkä during winter is about -15 degrees Celsius. In winter the temperature can vary between 0 and -40 degrees celsius.

The snow depth is between 20 cm and 1 m. The first snow falls usually come in late October and the snow melts in May. The largest snow cover is in March.

Daytime temperatures in Saariselkä in the winter:

December: -20 to -10 degrees Celsius
January: -30 to -15 degrees Celsius
February: -20 to -15 degrees Celsius
March: -15 to -5 degrees Celsius

There is dry air and often windless which is comfortable and not so severely cold.

Saariselkä activity companies provide winter multi-layer clothes for rent. You can use it during safaris and outdoor activities as well as during all your Lapland holidays as daily overall. If you book am activity, winter clothes are provided for free. If you'd like to use it for the entire stay in Saariselkä, you can rent it for a fee.

FAQ about Saariselka Hotels

Which Saariselka hotels are good for families with kids?

Holiday Club Saariselkä is good for families as it has SPA and tropical water park with playing areas for kids. Star Arctic Hotel offers spacious rooms for families and locates next to ski slopes. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort has comfortable cabins for families and outdoor activities for kids, Santa experience.

Which Saariselka hotels are good for couples?

For couple Lapland holidays and romantic gateway best options are: TOP Star Saariselkä 1 cabins, Star Arctic Hotel, Wilderness Hotel Muotka. Those hotels offer great vies over the Lapland nature and wilderness, sky view, outdoor activities.

What hotels in Saariselka have the best panorama of the sky and the Northern Lights?

Star Arctic Hotel and TOP Star Saariselkä 1 cabins - both are located top hill with open valley and sky panorama. Fell Centre Kiilopää, Hotelli Niilanpää as it is located in a real wilderness far away from everything. Wilderness Hotel Muotka and Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort as they both have glass igloo accommodation specially designed to observe the Northen Lights.

Can I see the Northern Lights during my stay?

Theory: Saariselka is a good place for chasing the Aurora as it is located above the Arctic Circle and in the wilderness. The Northen Lights are visible in Lapland from late August till late April. If sky is clear (no clouds), Solar and magnetic activity is high, no full moon - chances to see the Lights are promising.

Practice: Northern Light trip to Lapland is like a casino. No one can guarantee the Northern Lights as it is natural phenomenon.

Which is the nearest airport to Saariselka?

The nearest airport is Ivalo airport, approximately 30 km from Saariselka.

How can I reach Saariselkä from the airport?

There are buses running from the Ivalo airport to the centre of Saariselka. Buses have stops almost next to all main hotels in Saariselka. The buses go according to the flight timetables. One-way fee for the bus is about 10€/person. Taxi and car rental also possible.

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SAARISELKA HOTELS

What makes Saariselka special for travel?

1. Holiday Club Saariselkä

2. Santa's Hotel Tunturi

3. Lapland Hotels Riekonlinna

4. Fell Centre Kiilopää, Hotelli Niilanpää

5. TOP Star Saariselkä 1

6. Saariselkä Kuukkeli Inn

7 . Aparthotel Kuukkeli Aurora

8. Star Arctic Hotel

9. Wilderness Hotel Muotka

10. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort

What is SAARISELKÄ in Finland?

Saariselkä food

Northern Lights in Saariselkä

LAPLAND PRICES

Saariselkä Cross Country Ski

Saariselkä Downhill Ski

Tropical SPA at Holiday Club Saariselkä

Saariselkä Angry Birds Activity Park

SAARISELKÄ OVERVIEW

1. How to get to Saariselkä

2. Best time to visit Saariselkä

3. Saariselkä weather

FAQ about Saariselka Hotels