While much of the UK got the chance to see the aurora borealis, aka the northern lights, in their own backyards in October last year, travelling into the wintry depths of the arctic circle and watching the show from there is still a bucketlist activity for most.
Seeing the sky dance in shades of green, purple, red and pink feels magical, even if we know the cause to be solar wind rather than something more supernatural. And this year in particular is set to see stronger aurora displays after the sun reached its maximum phase in the 11-year solar cycle, according to NASA.
The northern lights are constantly occurring – even during the daytime – but the conditions need to be just right for you to see them with the naked eye. The winter months between September and April are the best time as the sky is dark enough, with March considered the best month for seeing the northern lights. With some rare exceptions, you’ll also need to be within the Auroral zone, which covers parts of Finland, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Canada and Alaska to view them.
Given the best time of night to see them is between 11pm and midnight (although they can be seen throughout the night), choosing the best hotel for seeing the northern lights is incredibly important. Which is why we’ve prepared this round-up with all your options.
Best northern lights hotels: Alaska
Borealis Basecamp
Found 25 miles outside of the city of Fairbanks, Borealis Basecamp is in a prime position for seeing the northern lights. The 40-room resort features a mix of geodesic igloo and cube rooms and suites, with the former offering clear ceilings and the latter featuring floor-to-ceiling windows, both of which are designed to allow you to watch the show from the comfort of your bed. Alongside aurora viewing, you can book in for experiences including helicopter flightseeing and Alaskan dog sledding.
More information: borealisbasecamp.net.
Best northern lights hotels: Canada
Blachford Lodge
The journey to Blachford Lodge sets the scene for what will undoubtedly be an unforgettable experience, with guests embarking on a 30-minute bush plane flight from Yellowknife and landing either on the water, or on skis, depending on the time of year. The lodge itself, first opened in 1999, oozes rustic charm: Think warm woods, gingham prints and mounts on the wall. Guests can either stay in the main lodge or book one of the private cabins. Either way, you’re in for fantastic aurora viewing, whether in your room or in the hot tub. Other experiences include ice fishing, snowshoeing and igloo building, and there’s a sauna on-site should you need to warm up after.
More information: arctickingdom.com/blachford-lodge.
Northern Lights Resort & Spa
Located 23 miles outside of Whitehorse, Yukon, this resort is reached in just 20 minutes from Whitehorse Airport, with the option to book a helicopter transfer. A family-run resort offering the best of both worlds, guests can choose between cosy log cabins and modern glass chalets with floor-to-ceiling windows. While this is undoubtedly one of the best hotels for seeing the northern lights, the resort also focuses on wellness, with infrared and Finnish saunas as well as a massage menu. Much needed after a late night watching the northern lights in the skies above.
More information: northernlightsyukon.com.
Best northern lights hotels: Finland
Arctic TreeHouse Hotel
Nestled among the trees in Finland’s Lapland, guests can (hopefully) tick off two major bucketlist activities: Seeing the northern lights, and visiting Santa’s supposed hometown of Rovaniemi. The standalone suites and glasshouses are dotted along a steep slope, each offering sensational views, with the higher room categories featuring terraces and private saunas. While many of the hotels on this are more down-to-earth, Arctic TreeHouse Hotel is pure luxury, with guests able to book in for a private visit to the traditional Lappish sauna, or for treatments at the Syvä Wellness Nest.
More information: arctictreehousehotel.com
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
Perhaps the most famous address on this list, Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is instantly recognisable thanks to its iconic glass igloos. There are a range of igloos for two or four guests, but you can also book into a cabin or chalet for a more traditional experience. View the northern lights from your room, or head to the Kakslauttanen Planetarium, opened in 2021, where you can learn about the stars above. For adventures outside of the hotel, book a husky or reindeer safari hosted by local guides, or jump on a snowmobile.
More information: kakslauttanen.fi
Levin Iglut
Another option for those seeking out a social media friendly igloo stay, Levin Iglut is located in Levi, around a 15-minute drive from Kittilä Airport. All of the igloos offer amazing views through the glass windows and ceilings, but for an extra special experience, you can also book into one of three suites, which also boast an outdoor Jacuzzi and a private terrace. While we can’t blame you if you want to spend your entire trip in the igloo, you can also book reindeer sleigh rides, husky tours, or try ice fishing and cross-country skiing.
More information: leviniglut.net.
Torassieppi Eco Reindeer Resort
The more remote Torassieppi Eco Reindeer Resort’s nearest airport is also Kittilä, an hour’s drive away. Found on the shores of the eponymous Lake Toras-Sieppi, the main attraction here (aside from the chance to see the northern lights) is the 200-year-old reindeer farm Lapinkartano, where you’ll be able to learn more about Sámi culture at the museum or embark on a reindeer safari. Plus, the resort borders the Pallas-Yllästunturi National Park, should you want to go hiking, and the area is also home to a sled dog farm. Standard rooms and cabins are available, as well as, you guessed it, glass igloos.
More information: harriniva.fi.
Wilderness Hotel Inari
Situated on the shores of Lake Inari, you can reach Wildness Hotel Inari after a 40-minute drive from Ivalo Airport. Offering a mix of accommodations, guests can book into log cabins, chalets, or an aurora cabin, complete with glass roof. One of the best hotels for seeing the northern lights, you can also try ice fishing, or go on a reindeer sleigh ride or husky safari.
More information: wildernesshotels.fi.
Best northern lights hotels: Greenland
Hotel Arctic
A short drive from Ilulissat Airport, Hotel Arctic is among the best hotels for seeing the northern lights. You can book a regular room in the main building, but for a real once-in-a-lifetime experience, there are also seven aurora cabins with glass walls and ceilings, with panoramic views over Disko Bay (and of the northern lights, which are known as ‘arsarnerit’ in Greenland). Popular activities in the nearby town include iceberg sightseeing on the Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and dog sledding.
More information: hotelarctic.com.
Best northern lights hotels: Iceland
Hótel Laxá
A short detour from the famed Ring Road just south of Lake Mývatn will bring you to Hótel Laxá. Away from any light pollution, the hotel’s standard and lake view rooms offer the chance to see the northern lights in all their glory, with optional wake-up calls should you not want to wait up. You’ll be surrounded by nature, with a number of nearby hiking trails, and the hotel is within driving distance of local attractions including the pseudo craters of Skútustaðir, the Mývatn Nature Baths, and the Grjótagjá Cave, which featured in Game of Thrones season three.
More information: hotellaxa.is.
Hotel Rangá
Another option just off the Ring Road, Hotel Rangá is on the south coast of Iceland between the villages of Hella and Hvolsvöllur, just an hour’s drive from Reykjavík. Perfect for those with an interest in learning more about the night’s sky, rather than just looking at it, the hotel is home to an observatory with two telescopes, and in the winter months local astronomers are on hand to talk about the constellations and planets you can see. You can choose between a number of rooms and suite options, each with amazing views of Eystri Rangá river, Mt. Hekla and the glaciers, and there are also three outdoor hot tubs for you to relax in just outside the rooms.
ION Adventure Hotel
Reached after a 45-minute drive from Reykjavík, ION Adventure Hotel cuts a striking figure, having been built into the side of the mountain with part of the structure held up by stilts. Aside from watching the northern lights from one of the 66 rooms and suites, you can head to the Northern Lights Bar, or take a dip in the hotel’s own natural hot spring pool. As the name may suggest, this is a hotel for the adventurous, with activities such as hiking, snowmobiling and horse riding all offered, plus nearby attractions including Thingvellir National Park and Kerid Crater.
More information: ioniceland.is.
Northern Light Inn
No prizes for guessing that the Northern Light Inn is one of the top hotels for seeing the northern lights in Iceland. Found near the world-famous Blue Lagoon, and situated within a ‘micro-climate blue hole’ that means there are frequently openings in the clouds above the area, northern light sightings typically happen here between 7pm and midnight. Furnishings in the rooms, which range from standard to family and deluxe, are simple, and you’ll be kept warm by geo-thermal heating, as the entire area is part of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global GeoPark. That makes exploring South Iceland’s Volcanic Way with hiking and volcano tours a breeze.
More information: nli.is.
Best northern lights hotels: Norway
Hattvika Lodge
Hattvika Lodge
The archipelago of Lofoten offers some of Norway’s most impressive scenery, which you’ll be able to enjoy from Hattvika Lodge in the fisherman village of Ballstad. Reachable in 15 minutes from Leknes Airport, the hotel is a perfect base for skiing adventures nearby. Accommodation here includes rorbu, or cabins, dating back to the 1880s, as well as ten newly-built free-standing hotel rooms.
More information: hattvikalodge.no.
Lyngen North
Found along The Arctic Route, the bus service connecting many of the main sights in northern Norway, Finland and Sweden, you can reach Lyngen North in just over three hours from Tromsø. Choose between sea cabins, overlooking the Lyngenfjord and the Lyngen Alps, 180 or 360-degree glass igloos, and the ultra luxurious sky suites as your base for viewing the northern lights and exploring the wider area, where you can go whale watching or skiing. You’re unlikely to miss any of the celestial action as the team have their own alarm system for when activity begins, with outside lights automatically dimmed when the northern lights are visible.
More information: lyngen-north.com.
Manshausen
Occupying its own island, Manshausen can be reached via express boat from Bodø to Nordskot, taking around 90 minutes, followed by a shuttle boat organised by the hotel. Architecturally stunning, the seven sea cabins and two sea towers have been thoughtfully designed to maximise the views across the water (and, hopefully, of the northern lights). In the main house, you’ll be able to dine at the on-site restaurant or visit the library, and there is also a separate sauna building, where you can alternative between the heat of the hot tub and sauna and the ice cold seawater pond outside.
More information: manshausen.no
Sorrisniva
Positioned along the banks of the Alta River, you can reach Sorrisniva after a 30-minute drive from Alta Airport. The rooms and suites in the Arctic Wilderness Lodge all feature floor-to-ceiling windows for panoramic views, and you can also head out on a tour via reindeer sled, showshoe hike or snowmobile to catch the best view. Combine your trip with a visit to the Igloo Hotel, which is specially built every year out of 250 tonnes of ice and 7,000m3 of snow, by grabbing a drink at the ice bar or staying the night.
More information: sorrisniva.no.
Best northern lights hotels: Sweden
Treehotel
Design is at the heart of Treehotel in Sweden, with no two rooms alike. Found in the forest near Harads, the nearest airport is Luleå, an hour and 10 minute drive away. While the unique architecture alone makes Treehotel worth a visit, the fact that the lack of light pollution and location within the Arctic circle make it a prime spot for seeing the northern lights is an added bonus. You can go horse riding, meet moose at Cape Wild wildlife park, or go on a husky tour.
More information: treehotel.se.
Sápmi Nature Camp
Set up with the aim of sharing Indigenous Sami culture with the world, Sápmi Nature Camp is found within the Sjavnja Nature Reserve, and can be reached within an hour from Gällivare Airport. Accommodation takes the form of lavvus, or tepee tents, with room for just 10 guests at a time. All meals are included, as well as the rental of warm winter clothes and skis and snowshoes, and you’ll spend your stay admiring the northern lights and learning about the local wildlife and reindeer herding.
More information: sapminature.com.
