Scandinavian Dream

We booked the lakeside sauna at Apukka, not a stay, and it was easily our favorite of the four saunas we tried on our Lapland trip. The water dip was amazing. Staff explained what to do, shared tips, and kept clearing ice from the stairs. Everything was very clean, well maintained, and properly hot. The cabin had its own changing area and was stocked with robes, slippers, towels, water, conditioner, shampoo, and body wash. Outside there were cozy chairs for cooling off if you didn't want to jump in the lake. I think our host was called Anders, and he was wonderful, such a lovely person for the hotel to have. The rest of the resort looked nice and cared for too.

We had a four-month-old with us, so mostly chose sauna activities while he slept. There's a lot to do across the huge resort, and you can pick how adventurous you want the activities to be. The photographer onsite was a nice surprise, and the pictures came out amazing. Our cabin was in one of the first rows, so when the Northern Lights showed up we could lie in bed and watch them. The staff were incredibly friendly everywhere we went, from reception to the servers and activity team. Food was good, though it didn't blow us away. Char, reindeer, and desserts stood out. We'd definitely return, 10/10. A couple of notes: Santa's village is a massive tourist trap, so go in knowing that. Rovaniemi itself wasn't as charming as we expected. It felt basically like a giant mall. We went into town for souvenirs, but there wasn't much more to it.

The staff were professional, kind, and available throughout, and made us feel at home from the start. Dinner at the restaurant was excellent too, with high-quality dishes presented nicely. Our two nights at Apukka Resort in February were amazing, and the activities lived up to what we hoped for. The Aurora Cabins are fantastic. They're cozy, spotless, and cared for down to the smallest detail. Waking up surrounded by Lapland's snow-covered nature and being able to watch the Northern Lights from bed through the panoramic glass roof is hard to describe. Breakfast was very good quality and well organized, though I personally would've liked a few more sweet options. That may just be my Italian taste. I highly recommend it for a magical Lapland experience. A stay I'll always treasure.

That little shop inside the resort was a nice extra, with handmade gifts that we didn't come across much around Rovaniemi. We spent four nights in a small, cozy independent room, well equipped and clean, with a warm Finnish feel. We were lucky enough to see the Aurora on almost every night. We tried the reindeer, train, sauna, and Husky activities. The staff were prepared, supportive, friendly, and always smiling. Food was great throughout, and breakfast especially was delicious, with both savory and sweet choices. The whole experience was truly unique.