Best Western Hotel Arctic Eden

The staff were friendly and helpful, and breakfast had a good range of options. I had a solid stay at the Best Western Arctic Eden Hotel, in a great spot in the old part of Kiruna. The building feels older, and the gym shows its age, as does the indoor pool, though both were still fine to use.

It’s a practical, cheaper hotel in a handy spot near bus stations, but it felt more like making do than relaxing. We had to ask to change rooms because the first felt claustrophobic, which wasn’t a comfortable start. Housekeeping changes the sheets every three days, which won’t suit everyone. The older building seems to be doing the best it can. The gym equipment is fairly new, but it’s divided among what felt like ten separate little basement rooms. The spa and pool are similarly functional, though clearly squeezed into limited space. Dining is limited to the pub and a Thai restaurant, and both were average at best. Nothing was bad, just mid-level food with little variety. “Eden” feels like a strong word for the experience.

The stay cost over €300 per night, but the room we were first given wasn’t in condition to match that rate. Both cleanliness and general upkeep were clearly below what I’d reasonably expect at this price. More troubling was how the person presenting himself as the manager handled the problem. His attitude wasn’t professional or appropriate for customer service. For this rate and an international brand, I expected much better quality and service. The photos speak for themselves.

The hotel is well placed in the old city center, though a little far from the new center. The rooms were nice and breakfast really good. One evening we even saw northern lights by the hotel, which was lovely.