Levi Hotel Spa is Lapland’s largest spa, Luosto and Ylläs the quietest, and the Rovaniemi area has the most private lodges. Below are the ten best, resort by resort.
10 spas
In Lapland it makes sense to choose the resort rather than the individual hotel, because the resorts differ from each other more than their spas do.
Levi is Lapland’s busiest and most varied: Levi Hotel Spa has the area’s largest pool section and Hullu Poro sits in the middle of the village. Slopes, restaurants and services are all within walking distance. Ylläs and Luosto are clearly quieter — Lapland Hotel Saaga and Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi suit anyone who wants the fells without the queues. Around Rovaniemi the emphasis is on separate cabins: Invisible Forest Lodge and Aito Igloo & Spa Resort offer a private sauna and a view of the sky.
In Lapland the season shapes the experience more than anywhere else in Finland. Aurora season runs September to March, the ski season stretches into May, and the summer midnight sun is a trip of its own.
What to look for in a Lapland spa
In Lapland the spa is rarely the only reason for the trip, so it is worth judging a place as part of a whole.
Set your expectations for the pool area correctly. Levi and Rovaniemi have genuine pool spas, but at most Lapland properties a spa means a sauna section, a hot tub and treatments. That is plenty after a day on the slopes, but it is not comparable to the experience spas of southern Finland.
Distance to the slopes and trails sets the rhythm of the day. A kilometre walked carrying skis is longer than it looks on a map, especially with children.
Choose the resort by style. Levi and Ruka are lively with après-ski; Ylläs and Luosto are quiet. That is not a quality difference but a difference in style, and it is the single most important basis for choosing.
Check whether the place works in summer. Some are built for winter; others serve the hiking and cycling season just as well. For a summer trip that changes the order completely.
Lapland’s 10 best spas
Ranked by the size of the pool area, position within the resort and how quiet it is.
Levi Hotel Spa has Lapland’s largest pool section and is effectively the only full spa in Levi. There are several pools, and the sauna section is sized to match the resort. Rooms are designed for families too, which sets it apart from most Lapland hotels. The slopes and village centre are walkable.
Best for:
Families, and anyone who wants a genuine pool spa in Lapland.
Good to know:
Levi is busiest during the winter school holidays and Christmas. Kittilä airport is about 15 kilometres away.
Hullu Poro sits in the centre of Levi, about 300 metres from the heart of the village and 400 metres from the gondola. The wellness area has a hot tub, a traditional sauna, an infrared sauna and a salt room, plus massage services. It suits people who want to be where things happen: slopes, trails and restaurants are all next door.
Best for:
Anyone who wants a lively village centre and après-ski.
Good to know:
This is a wellness area rather than a large pool spa. Kittilä airport is about 15 kilometres away.
Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi sits at the foot of Luosto, one of Lapland’s quietest resorts. Its best-known feature is the amethyst mine nearby, and the sauna section is built around calm. Pyhä-Luosto National Park starts next door, so summer works as well as winter.
Best for:
Quiet winter holidays and watching the aurora.
Good to know:
It is around a 90-minute transfer from Rovaniemi airport. Luosto is quieter than Levi year-round.
Lapland Hotel Saaga in Ylläsjärvi sits on the Ylläs side, clearly calmer than Levi but with one of Finland’s largest cross-country trail networks. It suits skiers and hikers, with Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park next door. The sauna section and treatments serve well after an active day.
Best for:
Skiers and hikers who want quiet.
Good to know:
Ylläs has two villages, Ylläsjärvi and Äkäslompolo. Check which side’s services suit you when booking.
Santasport in Rovaniemi is a sports institute with the most extensive water park area in Lapland attached. It costs clearly less than Lapland’s experience accommodation, and its pool section serves families better than most fell resorts. With over 2,700 reviews it is one of the region’s most-reviewed properties.
Best for:
Families and a more affordable Lapland trip.
Good to know:
Rovaniemi centre and Santa Claus Village are close by. As a sports institute it also hosts groups.
Northern Lights Ranch in Levi is built for watching the aurora. The glass-roofed Sky View suites are separate cabins and light pollution is kept low, so you can watch the sky from bed. The wellness area is small but carefully made, with a sauna and hot tub part of the evening. Its ratings are among the highest here.
Best for:
Aurora trips and couples.
Good to know:
Aurora season runs September to March. This is experience accommodation rather than a pool spa.
Invisible Forest Lodge near Rovaniemi offers Lapland’s most private experience. Accommodation is in separate units in the forest, each with its own sauna and a view of the lake. It is among the highest-rated entries here, and its proximity to Rovaniemi makes it easier to reach than most comparable places.
Best for:
Honeymoons and anyone seeking complete quiet.
Good to know:
There are few units, so the winter season sells out months ahead.
Arctic Skylight Lodge in Äkäslompolo is on the quieter Ylläs side, offering the same sky views as the Levi properties in calmer surroundings. Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park effectively begins at the door, which makes it as good in summer as in winter.
Best for:
Hiking and skiing trips where quiet matters.
Good to know:
About an hour from Kittilä airport. Äkäslompolo is the more northerly of Ylläs’s two villages.
Design Hotel Levi is in the centre of Levi with a wellness area and direct access to the slopes. It is manageable in size and gentler on price than Levi’s experience accommodation, but the location is the same. It suits a ski-led trip where the spa is the evening rather than the reason for going.
Best for:
Skiers and short winter weekends.
Good to know:
This is a wellness area rather than a large pool spa. You can walk to the slopes.
Aito Igloo & Spa Resort near Rovaniemi combines igloo accommodation with a wellness area in one place. Its proximity to Rovaniemi makes it the most accessible of Lapland’s experience properties, and it works for a short two-night trip. Santa Claus Village and Rovaniemi’s services are close by.
Best for:
A first Lapland trip and short winter breaks.
Good to know:
It is a short transfer from Rovaniemi airport, which keeps travel costs down.
Lapland’s resorts differ from each other more than their hotels do, and the choice of resort shapes the holiday.
Levi is Finland’s largest ski resort and Lapland’s busiest village. It has the most slopes, plenty of restaurants and activity operators, and Levi Hotel Spa is the area’s only genuine pool spa. Kittilä airport is 15 kilometres away, which makes Levi the easiest to reach. In return, the winter school holidays are crowded.
Ylläs has one of Finland’s largest cross-country trail networks and a clearly calmer feel. There are two villages, Ylläsjärvi and Äkäslompolo, and they work differently — check which side’s services suit you when booking. Ylläs is the best choice for skiers and hikers.
Luosto and Pyhä are Lapland’s quietest resorts. There are fewer slopes, but Pyhä-Luosto National Park makes up for it. These suit people whose reason for travelling is scenery and calm rather than downhill skiing.
Rovaniemi and its surroundings are a category of their own. This is not a fell resort but a city with experience accommodation built around it. The advantage is access: the airport is right there, transfers are short and the city’s services are available. For families, Santasport’s water park and Santa Claus Village are a strong combination.
The seasons in Lapland
In Lapland the season changes the content of a trip more than the choice of property does, and the same hotel is effectively a different place in December and in July.
September and October bring autumn colour and the start of aurora season. The landscape is at its most vivid, hiking routes are open and prices are still below winter rates. This is an underrated stretch, and the spas are calm.
November and early December are the polar night period. Aurora probability is good, prices are at their lowest before Christmas and there is space everywhere. Ski slopes open gradually as the snow arrives.
Christmas, New Year and the winter school holidays are the most expensive and busiest weeks of the year. For these, book months ahead, particularly for separate cabins.
February to April is the best stretch for downhill skiing: snow is deepest and the days lengthen quickly. By March and April the sun is up for a long time, which makes late winter the best travel window for many.
June to August brings the midnight sun. Spas are quiet and prices low, and the hiking and mountain biking routes are at their best. There is no aurora at this time of year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best spa in Lapland?
Levi Hotel Spa has Lapland’s largest pool section and is effectively the only full spa in Levi. For families, Santasport in Rovaniemi has the most extensive water park area. If you want quiet, Lapland Hotel Luostotunturi and Lapland Hotel Saaga are clearly calmer options.
Are there real pool spas in Lapland?
Yes, but not many. Levi Hotel Spa and Santasport in Rovaniemi are the only larger pool sections. At most Lapland properties a spa means a sauna section, hot tubs and treatments — plenty after a day on the slopes, but not comparable to the experience spas of southern Finland.
When can you see the aurora in Lapland?
Aurora season runs from September to March, with October, February and March the best months. A clear sky matters more than the month, and getting away from light pollution improves the odds. In summer the midnight sun makes the aurora invisible.
Which Lapland resort suits families?
Levi and Rovaniemi are the easiest. Levi Hotel Spa has a pool section and rooms designed for families, and in Rovaniemi the Santasport water park and Santa Claus Village make a strong combination. Both keep transfers short, which helps with small children.
Is Lapland worth visiting in summer?
Yes, if nature rather than snow is the reason for going. Summer brings the midnight sun, the hiking and mountain biking routes are at their best and the spas are calm. Prices are clearly below winter rates, and national parks such as Pallas-Yllästunturi and Pyhä-Luosto are at their most appealing.
How far ahead should a Lapland winter trip be booked?
Book Christmas, New Year and the winter school holidays several months ahead — there are few separate cabins and they go first. For November and April a few weeks is enough, and prices are clearly lower.
What is the cheapest way to visit a Lapland spa?
November and April are the cheapest months, and the Rovaniemi-area properties are gentlest on price because airport transfers are short. Santasport costs clearly less than the experience lodges while still offering a large pool area.
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