Where to stay in Rovaniemi?

To stay in the center of Rovaniemi: to get the most out of city life

Rovaniemi is the largest town in Finnish Lapland, but it's mostly made up of large expanses of woodland, plains and lakes. Nevertheless, it 's a “small” town, with only a few tens of thousands of inhabitants. Above all, its downtown area is limited in size. In fact, it's the city center that is most often referred to when talking about Rovaniemi. If you're looking for a bit of entertainment, this is the place to stay.

In addition to its residential character, there are a number of shops, restaurants and most of the hotels where you can stay in Rovaniemi. Geographically, the city center lies to the west of the Kemijoki River, between the Jätkänkynttilä bridge to the north and the Ounaskosken Rautatiesilta bridge to the south. Among the places where you'll spend most of your time are :

• Lordi square, bordered by Koskitatu shopping street
• Valtakatu and Maakuntakatu streets, also lined with boutiques, restaurants and bars.

As you can see, “katu” means “street” in Finnish... And these 3 streets represent most of the city's urban life . If you like to enjoy a dynamic travel environment (very relative here), close to small shops, restaurants and cafés, this is clearly the place to stay in Rovaniemi. Particularly as the accommodation on offer here is more extensive than elsewhere in the city.

Another advantage of staying in this area is the easy access to out-of-town excursions. Whether it's dog-sledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing or visits to other points of interest in the region, agencies offer pick-up and drop-off service from the city center. And often even directly from the hotels.

Accommodation in Rovaniemi on the outskirts of the city center

If you want to expand your choice of accommodation in Rovaniemi, without straying too far from the city center, you need to head north. In this case, the Ratantaus district. It's on the other side of the main road that crosses the city: the E75.

From a tourist point of view, you can discover the Arktikum Arboretum green space on the water's edge. This houses a science museum in a beautiful glass building that's hard to miss.

The range of hotels is clearly less extensive than in the city center. But there are a few tourist accommodations for rent, such as apartments. As this area is mainly residential, there's very little going on. So, when staying in this part of Rovaniemi, don't count on the proximity of shops and restaurants. However, if you don't stray too far, you're still around 1 km from the town center. That's a good ten-minute walk from the restaurants, which is still quite acceptable.

In short, staying in the Ratantaus district is a good compromise between location close to the city center and budget accommodation. If you're looking for hotel accommodation, the offer is rather limited. But if you're looking for an apartment to rent, you're sure to find what you're looking for.

Staying near Santa Claus village

Rovaniemi is known as the official Santa Claus village. It is, of course, a fake village... It's mainly a tourist attraction, laid out like a small amusement park, with restaurants, hotels and stores. And, of course, Santa's office, where you can meet him and take a photo with him.

It's a place for families with young children to meet the most official of Santa Clauses. But given its location in the countryside, away from the city center, this area is also a good alternative for staying in Rovaniemi.

As far as accommodation is concerned, there are a number of hotels in the village itself, or just outside. Not least this incredible hotel, made up of free-standing glass chalets set in the heart of the surrounding forest. Clearly, accommodation in this area is geared towards the top end of the market. As a result, you'll need to budget accordingly. And given their location and rarity, you'll need to book (very) far in advance to be able to stay there during the winter season.

A little further west, a handful of kilometers away, you'll find a few places to stay. Or south, along the Kemijoki River. Here you'll find both hotels and vacation rentals.

It's also worth noting that the airport is located in this area, just 3 km north of the Village.

Accommodation around Rovaniemi: in the heart of nature!

If you're looking for a quiet place to stay in Rovaniemi, surrounded by snow-covered nature, the surrounding area offers a wide range of accommodation options. There are numerous hotels within a 50 km radius of the airport, particularly to the north.

Staying in one of these establishments allows you to enjoy the accommodation itself. Usually in cosy wooden chalets, complete with Finnish sauna or Jacuzzi. But also to take advantage of the outdoor activitiesavailable in the surrounding area, often in the immediate vicinity (snowmobiling, snowshoeing in the forest, etc.).

To get there, you can rent a car, take a cab or catch a shuttle from the airport. These are generally available for booking (at extra cost).

Away from the city, you can also stay in hotels that are a little out of the ordinary. These include iceigloos and accommodation with large picture windows. This type of establishment is very common in Lapland. They're designed so that you can stay and watch the Northern Lights from your room!

It's important to bear in mind, however, that even if the conditions are right, staying in this type of accommodation is no guarantee of aurora viewing. But between Lapland's ideal location for their observation, the almost non-existent light pollution in these remote corners, and the unobstructed view of the outside world from your room, these factors clearly multiply your chances of seeing them.