Finland · Finland
Arctic Light Hotel
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At a glance
Arctic Light Hotel occupies Rovaniemi’s former city hall, a 1949 functionalist building that the Gröhn family converted into a boutique hotel and opened in 2015.
The conversion preserved much of the original fabric, from the vintage elevator and reindeer-motif staircase railing to the Paavo Tynell lighting fixtures that remain in the former city council chamber.
Rovaniemi sits on the Arctic Circle, its street plan designed by Alvar Aalto in the shape of a reindeer’s head and antlers, and is the gateway to a wilderness that draws travelers year-round, from Northern Lights hunting in winter to midnight sun canoe trips in summer.
A family-owned boutique hotel in the heart of Rovaniemi, housed in a listed 1949 city hall building with original architectural details preserved throughout.
Highlights
- The only hotel in Rovaniemi occupying a listed historic building, with original Paavo Tynell lighting fixtures, a vintage elevator, and a reindeer-motif staircase railing preserved from 1949.
- The hotel sits steps from Rovaniemi’s main activity providers for husky sledding, snowmobile safaris, and Northern Lights excursions.
- A short walk from the train station, with overnight sleeper services direct from Helsinki and a seasonal airport 8km away.
Accommodation
Rooms
The Magic rooms are the entry point, covering 20 to 26sqm in double and twin configurations, each with an en-suite bathroom and rain shower.
The design references the Arctic without overplaying it, with lighting engineered to simulate the quality of the northern sky.
Deluxe Rooms
The Arctic room steps up to 36sqm and adds a separate sitting area, while the Aurora Loft at 30sqm trades some floor space for a higher position in the building, where the natural light shifts noticeably through the day and across the seasons.
Suites
The Polar room brings a private sauna into the picture, with a king bed, rain shower, and a palette drawn from Arctic color tones across 36sqm. The Polar+ extends this to 45sqm with a separate lounge.
The Polar Street rooms take a different approach at 43sqm, sitting at street level with a private entrance and their own lounge, more self-contained than the floors above.
Signature Suite
The Suite covers 53sqm and includes a fireplace, a balcony with city views, a bathtub, and a king bed. The Christmas Cabin is a self-contained 53sqm space in a separate building a short walk from the main hotel, with a living room, dining table, and bedroom, suited to travelers who want more distance from the main building or a longer stay.
Further information
Food & Drink
Arctic Restaurant
The hotel’s ground-floor restaurant draws on produce from Lapland’s rivers, lakes, and forests, with salmon, king crab, reindeer, and willow grouse across a seasonal menu. Breakfast was developed with Finnish-American TV chef Sara La Fountain and includes vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options as standard. Reservations are recommended in peak season.
Plan B
The hotel’s lounge bar serves cocktails, wines, and lighter bites throughout the day and evening, with a heated glass terrace available for drinks during colder months.
Wellness
Arctic Light Hotel has a sauna available for guests and offers massage and spa treatments on request. A 24-hour gym with cardio and weights equipment is also on site.
For a more involved wellness experience, the hotel can arrange access to local sauna facilities and cold water swimming, which are central to Finnish culture in this part of the country.
Finland
Finland operates on Eastern European Time, two hours ahead of the UK and seven ahead of the East Coast of the US. The country is larger than it looks on a map: Helsinki to Rovaniemi in the heart of Lapland is around 830 kilometers, and domestic flights are the practical option for combining a city stay with an Arctic itinerary.
Our Experts
Whether you're after a cosy couples' escape or a charming family holiday, Finland has something for any traveller. Picture yourself bombing across a frozen landscape on a snowmobile before nestling up by a roaring log fire.
There are few experiences more magical than watching the Northern Lights dance across the Arctic sky. Why not spend the night in your own luxury igloo and see them for yourself?
Outstanding service booking our Lapland trip, with great attention to detail.
Catherine T.
He listened to what we wanted and built a beautiful itinerary personalised to us.
Brian K.
Our trip was so thoughtfully planned, and every detail was seamless.
Carly C.
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Frequently asked questions
What does Out Of Office do?
Out Of Office is a luxury LGBTQ+ travel company specializing in tailor-made vacations and extraordinary journeys around the world. We create bespoke luxury vacations, LGBTQ+ honeymoons, safaris, cruises, beach escapes, private tours and group trips, with every itinerary designed around you. Our travel specialists combine global expertise, first-hand destination knowledge and trusted local partners to create seamless, highly personalized experiences.
Is Out Of Office a gay travel agency?
Out Of Office is an LGBTQ+ owned and run luxury travel specialist, with particular expertise in gay and LGBTQ+ travel. We understand the additional considerations that can come with traveling as an LGBTQ+ person or couple, from local laws and customs to finding genuinely welcoming hotels and experiences.
We welcome every traveler, including friends, families and allies. Many of our clients are not members of the LGBTQ+ community, but choose Out Of Office for our luxury travel expertise, personalized service and discretion.
Do you create tailor-made LGBTQ+ vacations?
Yes. Every tailor-made trip with Out Of Office is designed from scratch around your interests, travel style, budget and the way you want to experience a destination. We can arrange luxury hotels, private transfers, flights, guides, excursions, cruises and special experiences as part of one personalized itinerary. The journeys shown on our website are there to inspire you rather than restrict you; only clearly identified group departures operate as fixed itineraries.
How do you choose LGBTQ+ friendly hotels and destinations?
We combine first-hand destination knowledge with trusted local expertise to recommend luxury hotels, resorts and experiences where LGBTQ+ travelers can feel informed and welcome. We also consider the laws, customs and attitudes of each destination, because LGBTQ+ rights and experiences differ around the world. Our team regularly visit many of the properties we work with and where a destination requires greater awareness, we give you clear and considered advice so that you can make an informed decision about where and how you travel.
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For every booking made with Out Of Office we commit to planting trees in your name to help reduce the impact of travel on future generations. You'll even get a link to see where your trees are planted in the world via our partner Ecologi.
We donate to Rainbow Railroad with every booking
Rainbow Railroad helps LGBTQ+ people escape state-sponsored violence and persecution. A donation goes with every trip we sell, funded by us and never added to your price.
Start Planning Your Trip
Tell us where you would love to go, when you are thinking of traveling and what kind of trip you have in mind. One of our LGBTQ+ travel specialists will create a tailor-made itinerary designed around your destination, style and preferences.
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