01 About Northern Lights Village
One of the most affordable glass igloo resorts in Finnish Lapland - aurora cabins from €239/night in September. 80 north-facing cabins, guided aurora hunts, and the legendary Searching for Santa family experience.
Book 8-12 months ahead for December and January - availability goes fast. Request a front-row cabin at booking for forest-only views. Do the aurora photography workshop on your first or second night. Searching for Santa requires advance booking and a pre-visit questionnaire so Santa knows your children by name - book this before you book flights.
02 Photos
03 Accommodation
Aurora Cabin (80 units, laser-heated glass roof, north-facing, private bathroom with underfloor heating, sofa bed option for 3-4 guests); Polar Sky Suite (16 units, on Kaunispää fell 3 km from main resort, panoramic half-glass roof, kitchenette, shuttle to restaurant included); Panorama Suite (hilltop, partial glass roof, larger floor plan).
All Aurora Cabins have north-facing laser-heated glass roofs that stay frost-free automatically. A timer switch lets you heat the glass roof on demand if snowfall obscures your view. The main resort site has 80 cabins within a 5-10 minute walk of the restaurant and activity starting points. The 16 Polar Sky Suites on Kaunispaa fell are 3 km away with a dedicated shuttle included - wider fell views but more logistics required.
04 Price Guide
Booking options
- Room only or half-board/full-board packages available
- Packages include accommodation, meals, airport transfer from Ivalo, selected activities, and cold-weather gear rental
Northern Lights Village is one of the few igloo resorts where aurora-season rates stay reasonable. September shoulder season from €239/night. Peak December-January from €500/night. Summer rates from €139/night (no aurora). All-inclusive packages save roughly 25% vs separate bookings.
Check Live Prices →05 Review Highlights
Guests love
The physical aurora buzzer alert is one of the most praised features - multiple guests report being woken at 1-2am for real displays. The Searching for Santa experience in December is described as the best family Santa programme in Finnish Lapland. Guides are experienced aurora photographers and the photography workshop is consistently rated exceptional. Noon checkout is a genuine bonus rarely seen at this price.
Worth knowing
The buffet restaurant (Snowflake) can feel repetitive on stays of 4+ nights - dish labelling has been inconsistent and vegetarian options are limited. Polar Sky Suite guests depend on a shuttle for every meal, running every 30 minutes. Front-row cabins face only forest; others may overlook neighbouring units - request your preference at booking, not on arrival.
Best approach
Minimum 3 nights to maximise aurora chances. For families in December, plan Searching for Santa as your anchor activity and book it before your flights - it sells separately and fills fast. For couples, the Romantic Aurora Escape package with private fell dinner is worth the premium. Aurora photography workshop on night one or two so you can practice the rest of the stay.
06 Glass Igloo Score™
Founded by an aurora photographer who built an entire resort around genuine expertise in chasing the lights. The aurora buzzer works, the guides know the sky, the Searching for Santa programme is the best family Santa experience in Finnish Lapland, and the pricing is fairer than most competitors. Few igloo resorts deliver this consistently across couples, families, and first-timers.
Positioned 250 km north of the Arctic Circle with genuinely dark skies. The physical aurora buzzer alert system is one of the best in Lapland - staff monitor conditions and activate it remotely when the lights appear. North-facing laser-heated glass roofs stay clear in all weather. Cloud cover is the only obstacle, as everywhere in Finnish Lapland.
Excellent aurora territory on the edge of Saariselkä village - 1 km walk to shops, restaurants and ski slopes. Urho Kekkonen National Park starts directly behind the resort. Polar Sky Suites are 3 km from the restaurant - factor in shuttle dependency if choosing that room type.
Aurora Cabins are cosy and modern with underfloor heating in bathrooms, Rituals toiletries, mini-fridge and good WiFi. Hot water is limited to 10-15 min per 30-min period - standard for the cabin type. Noon checkout is a genuine guest-friendly touch rarely seen at this price point in Lapland.
The Snowflake restaurant serves solid Lappish and international cuisine. Breakfast and dinner buffet quality is generally good - soups in particular get consistent praise - but variety can feel repetitive on stays of 4+ nights. Vegetarian options present but limited. Dish labelling has been inconsistent according to recent guest feedback.
Outstanding family resort. The Searching for Santa experience is the best of its kind in Finnish Lapland - small groups, a personalised Santa encounter using a pre-visit questionnaire, gingerbread baking with elves, and a snowmobile sleigh through the forest to find his secret cabin. Children under 3 stay free, ages 4-14 get 50% off. The 5-night Nordic Family Adventure package bundles everything and saves roughly 25% vs separate bookings.
One of the top couples destinations in Finnish Lapland. The Romantic Aurora Escape package includes a private 3-course dinner by open fire on the fells, private husky safari, and snowmobile sleigh ride. Aurora Cabins are genuinely intimate and the Polar Sky Suites add panoramic seclusion.
With 80 cabins on one site this is not an isolated wilderness retreat. Front-row cabins face only forest - others may overlook neighbouring units. The Polar Sky Suites on Kaunispää hill offer significantly more seclusion for guests who prioritise privacy.
Aurora Cabin rates from €239/night in September make it one of the most accessible glass igloo resorts in Lapland. All-inclusive packages deliver real savings of around 25% vs booking activities separately. Strong value compared to Kakslauttanen or Golden Crown for a comparable cabin experience.
07 Good to Know
Check-in / Check-out
Check-in: from 15:00
Check-out: by 12:00
Open Season
Aurora season September to April. Summer stays available from €139/night - no Northern Lights but midnight sun and nature activities.
Getting There
Ivalo Airport (IVL) - approx. 25 km, 25 minutes by car
Transfer: Shared shuttle from Ivalo Airport included in most packages. Paid transfer bookable for room-only guests.
Practical Info
Suitcases cannot be dragged on the snow path to the resort - use the paid airport transfer or pack a soft bag. Cabins are not cleaned mid-stay unless you ask at reception. Hot water runs 10-15 minutes per 30-minute period - standard for glass igloo cabins in Finland. Polar Sky Suite guests take a 5-minute shuttle for every meal (runs every 30 min). Request a front-row cabin facing only forest for best privacy and aurora view. Pets accepted. Children 4-14 get 50% off; under 3 stay free.
08 Location
Northern Lights Village is located on the edge of Saariselka, Finland, approximately 250 km north of the Arctic Circle. Address: Rovaniementie 3222 E, 99830 Saariselka.
The resort sits within a 1 km walk of Saariselka village centre, with shops, restaurants and ski slopes easily accessible on foot. Urho Kekkonen National Park - Finland's second-largest national park - begins directly behind the cabins. Ivalo Airport is 25 km away (25 minutes). The resort is the northernmost of the four Northern Lights Village locations, giving it the best aurora odds of the group.
09 Nearby Attractions
10 FAQ
What room type should I choose - Aurora Cabin or Polar Sky Suite?
For most guests, the Aurora Cabin is the better choice. You are on the main resort site, a short walk from the restaurant and all activity start points, and the north-facing laser-heated glass roof delivers the same aurora view. The Polar Sky Suite sits 3 km away on Kaunispaa fell - wider panoramic views and more seclusion, but you depend on a scheduled shuttle (every 30 min) for every meal and activity. Great for couples wanting isolation; less practical for families or spontaneous plans.
What is the Searching for Santa experience?
The resort's signature family programme, available in December. A guide elf leads your family by snowmobile sleigh into the forest to find Santa's secret cabin. Along the way: gingerbread baking, a reindeer-drawn sleigh ride, and a private personalised meeting with Santa - you submit a questionnaire in advance so he knows your children by name and interests. It is priced separately from accommodation and sells out months in advance - book it before you book your flights - it sells out months in advance.
How does the aurora alert system work?
Each cabin has a physical buzzer device that staff activate remotely when the Northern Lights appear. You do not need to watch an app or set alarms. Multiple guests report the buzzer going off at 1-2am when the lights were genuinely active. Cloud cover remains the main uncertainty - no resort can guarantee auroras - but the alert system means you never sleep through a clear night.
How far in advance should I book?
For peak dates (December, January, February) book at least 8-12 months ahead. One couple booking in August 2024 for April 2025 found it already nearly sold out. For shoulder season (September-October, March-April) 3-6 months is usually sufficient. The Searching for Santa experience has its own availability, separate from room bookings.
Is Northern Lights Village Saariselka good for families?
It is arguably the best family glass igloo resort in Finnish Lapland. Children under 3 stay free, ages 4-14 get 50% off. The 5-night Nordic Family Adventure package bundles accommodation, full-board, all activities, airport transfers and winter gear - and saves roughly 25% vs booking everything separately. The Searching for Santa experience in December is the main draw for families with young children.
What practical things do guests wish they had known in advance?
Three things: (1) You cannot drag suitcases on the snow path to the resort - arrange the paid airport transfer or pack a soft bag. (2) Hot water runs for 10-15 minutes per 30-minute period - this is standard in glass igloo cabins across Finland, not a fault. (3) Cabins are not cleaned mid-stay unless you request it at reception - towels can be exchanged there.