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Apukka Resort Rovaniemi Review

Apukka Resort Review. During our DIY trip to Lapland in December with the boys, we stayed for one night at Apukka Resort in Rovaniemi. Choosing one of their glass igloos with the hope of seeing the Northern Lights unfortunately that wasn’t meant to be. However, there is so much more to the beautiful family-friendly glass igloo resort in Rovaniemi.

Where is Apukka Resort Rovaniemi located?

Apukka is located on the outskirts of the city of Rovaniemi north of the arctic circle. Approximately 18km from the Rovaniemi city center which takes around 15 minutes by taxi. It is only 10km from Rovaniemi airport or Santa Claus Village. Making it a very suitable location to explore the local area. We arranged a taxi before arriving in Finland which you can do via Lahitaksi.

Alternatively, Apukka does have a shuttle bus which picks up from the city centre and Santa Claus Village. However with four large bags and the fact that our previous hotel was not in the centre either we felt a tax would be a lot less stressful. Especially when you take in the additional cost of the Shuttle a taxi worked out a few euros more expensive.

It is possible to buy tickets for the shuttle bus in advance via their website. Tickets cost 10€ for an adult and 5€ for a child between the age of 4 and 14. It runs five times a day from the city centre to the resort and back again. A timetable is available online, but also at the reception.

If you are driving then you can use the address – Tutkijantie 28, 96900 Rovaniemi, Finland. There is free self parking available.

Arriving at Apukka Resort Rovaniemi

One of the draws of the resort is that they run a whole host of different activities. Including a couple of bucket list things, we wanted to tick off our list. Namely a Husky Safari and a Reindeer Safari. I timed our arrival so that we could check in before our first activity. I think many others did the same and it was a little chaotic. So much so that despite arriving half an hour before our activity we did not have enough time to check-in.

In the end, we popped our bags into the luggage storage which is right next to reception and went and got ready for our activity. All of the activities are close to the main entrance. Just look for a round metal sign with the name of your activity such as HUSKY or REINDEER. You will be met there by a guide although they do actively encourage you to put on the thermal suits which are included in the price of the activity.

Checking in to Apukka Resort Rovaniemi

After our exhilarating husky ride, we headed back to reception to check in. During check-in, the very helpful reception staff give you a map and details of everything in the resort. It was a very thorough check-in and much appreciated. For a change, the information given was also very handy and covered absolutely everything we needed during our stay. Including wifi details, restaurant timings and things to do around the accommodation. When you are only staying for one night this sort of help is invaluable as you don’t really get a chance to work it all out otherwise.

I had condensed everything we needed down into one bag since this was the second stop in our 6-night itinerary. But if you have multiple bags then you will be pleased to know that there are plenty of giant wooden sledges to move your bags around with. I was very impressed to find that staff had put these outside the igloos at check out to save you having to hunt one out.

Check-in time is generally 3 pm and check-out time is midday. Early and late check-in is avaliable but needs to be arranged in advance.

Aurora Cabin Glass Igloos at Apukka Resort Rovaniemi

Charlie and I have previously stayed in a glass igloo with a panorama glass roof when we visited Levi for The World Cup. So I knew what to expect. However, watching it through my husband’s eyes was very special. If you have not had the opportunity to stay in a glass igloo before then add it to your list. It is a very magical experience even without the aurora borealis. There is something very special about going to sleep looking up at the dark sky.

Our glass igloo or Aurora Cabin was set up to accommodate four of us with the living area boasting a large sofa bed for the boys. While the twin bed made up as a double bed was placed under the heated glass roof to give you the best views. There was also a desk and mini fridge and shelving unit. Hexagonal in shape there is actually more space in one than you would expect. This is helped by the small entranceway where you can leave snow gear and boots without the need to take it into the main living and sleeping area.

There is also an electric fireplace, not that we needed it as the air conditioning kept us perfectly toasty. There is a wet room-style private bathroom with a rain shower. One thing to note is that you have about 20 minutes of hot water at a time due to the way it is heated. After which it takes around 2 hours to heat up again. This was perfectly fine for us. But if staying with teenagers it is something to be aware of. However, I would take the environmental benefits of doing it this way.

All of the glass igloos are located in one area and are positioned in such a way that your view is not obscured by another. They are also in very close proximity to reception, the restaurant and all activities.

The Restaurants at Apukka Resort Rovaniemi

There are three options when it comes to eating. The main restaurant Aitta is split into two. You can book a buffet time slot in advance these are either 6 pm-8 pm or 8 pm-10 pm. The resort is very popular with families and so we could not book in advance for the 6 pm-8 pm slot as there was no availability. This seemed to catch a lot of people out from what I could tell. It is not possible to book the a la carte side of the restaurant in advance. However, when we checked in the receptionist suggested popping over to the restaurant to see if there was a table on the a la carte. I am glad we did as we managed to book a table then for 6.30 pm.

The buffet and a la carte restaurant are basically the same things based on local cuisine. But there is a section partitioned off which has less of the busy buffet feeling to it. Although the boys could still access the play lodge if they wanted. The buffet menu changes daily and you can find the menu on the Apukka website they also have a children’s menu. It costs 35€ for adults and 15€ for children. With starters, main and dessert you can go up as much as you like. Drinks are not included.

The buffet covers some of the a la carte offerings. But not all of it. My husband wanted to try reindeer so a la carte worked for us. However, as Harry is still extremely fussy and he had spotted the plain pasta under the buffet they kindly said he would be able to access the buffet while the three of us had a la carte. I was impressed by the flexibility they showed, which we did not find everywhere we went.

The third option is Pizzeria Kota. Again it is not possible to book this in advance although I wonder if you try when you arrive you may be able. It looks really nice and we would have definitely visited on our second night.

Dinner at Restaurant Aitta

The a la carte menu serves traditional Lappish food. Although there is not an extensive list of options I think they had all bases covered. Including vegan and vegetarian. Wine generally is not cheap in Finland, especially in a restaurant. Expect to pay upwards of 40€. Considering the higher-end nature of the resort I found the food and drink prices to be less than I was anticipating. Two courses for three people with soft drinks and two bottles of wine came to 200€.

Charlie opted for the beetroot to start, while the husband and I had reindeer rillette. For the main, we all opted for a Reindeer shank served on mashed potato. Service was prompt but not overbearing. The presentation was very good and the food tasted delicious. We sat next to the window watching the snow fall surrounded by twinkly lights.

Breakfast at Apukka Resort Rovaniemi

Breakfast is included in your room rate. It is served buffet style in the main restaurant. There is a great variety of continental items, fruit, veg and cooked breakfast items. I can definitely vouch for the salmon fillet which was delicious on seeded crackers. My only complaint was that we were still so full from the meal in the evening that we probably didn’t do it justice.

There was lots of choice for the kids as well. Harry was pleased to find cereals and there was oat milk available without the need to hunt someone down. Charlie particularly liked the cold meats and cheese board. We even found some things that we had not heard of before including fish butter. Although none of us was brave enough to try it. There was an area specifically put aside for those looking for vegan alternatives.

We went for breakfast at 8 am and the restaurant was not busy and so it was a very calm experience.

Lobby Bar Rishi

Next to reception, there is a bar and cafe area. Along with a small gift shop. A good place to grab a coffee, beer or glass of wine. They also sell snacks and sweet treats. A good place to keep warm while waiting for a transfer or after enjoying the snow.

Facilities and Amenities at Apukka Resort

I was very impressed with everything that Apukka has to offer. All the staff were super friendly and really helpful. We did not have one bad experience and during our stay, we came across a lot of different people. The resort has free wi-fi throughout and it is so good it allowed us to stream a Christmas film for the boys in our Aurora Cabin after dinner. Some things that deserve a special mention

Aurora Alarm

Apukka offers a Northern Lights alert service. To stand the best chance of seeing the Northern Lights you are provided with a code at reception which you can use with an app. The app will alert you if the aurora is spotted in the area. There are cameras placed at Apukka. Just remember to make sure you have alerts turned on.

Snow Tubes

The boys were very excited when they discovered that there were snow tubes and sledges available. The snow tubes become available once all the activities are finished for the day. But on our second day after our reindeer safari, we found them to be free. They had a great time throwing themselves down mounds of snow. There were some plastic sledges for the little ones and a more gentler slop for those not quite as mad as our two.

Outside Space

The outside space down towards the frozen lake is beautiful the resort is in the prime location to appreciate Finnish Lapland. When we visited it was safe to walk on it and since we had deep snow the night before a lot of it was untouched. It is a great place for a snowy walk and you can watch the sun rise and sun set which really should be on your must-do list. Especially as we had less than two hours of light during our visit. As well as the lake there are horses and reindeer that are easily accessible for children.

Saunas

There are a number of different private sauna options avaliable within the resort. They do need to be booked in advance and are understandably popular. So I would suggest that you look at doing this at the same time as you make your booking. As we had the boys with us we did not bother, but the lakeside one, in particular, looks very beautiful. They also have an ice sauna which I can imagine would be quite an experience.

Bookable Outdoor Activities & Tours

There are so many different activities that you can book to complement your stay. As we were not on one of their package deals we booked ours individually. But they do offer specific stays which include various activities. If you are thinking of visiting over Christmas then you may want to consider a family package. This will include huskies and reindeer as well as meeting Santa Claus. Other activities on offer include Northern Lights safaris, Snowmobiling tours, horse tours, Apukka fun day and ice fishing to name a few.

When I was doing the research for our stay in Rovaniemi I looked at various different tour providers and found that Apukka offered much longer tours than many others. Making them in my mind much better value for money. All of the activities they offer are open to the general public and not just those staying on the resort. During our stay we did:

Husky Safari at Apukka Resort

This was a bucket list item for us and it did not disappoint. An 8km husky safaris experience where we got to drive the sledge ourselves. Before warming up with warm drinks and meeting some of the 150 huskies they have on the resort. We even met some month-old puppies that were adorable. We really enjoyed our experience and it was without a doubt one of the highlights of our visit to Lapland. You can read about our full experience here – Husky Safari at Apukka Resort.

Reindeer Safari at Apukka Resort

Something else that was on the must-do list was reindeer sleigh rides. Although again was looking for a substantial experience as it is not the sort of thing we are likely to do again. I also wanted to ensure that they were only small groups. Think woodland, with snow-covered trees, arctic nature and plenty of time to take the experience in. That’s exactly what we found during our reindeer safari at Apukka. Plus the boys had the chance to feed them and learn all about reindeer and how important they are to Finnish culture around a fire pit after. You can read about our full experience here – Reindeer Safari at Apukka Resort.

Apukka Resort Review – Our Opinion

I was pleasantly surprised by our stay at Apukka Resort. Yes, a glass igloo is a bucket list item but that in its own right means it comes with high expectations. Before we arrived I didn’t think that Apukka would live up to them. For it to be perfect. Yet it got pretty close.

It has so much going for it that it is larger than its individual parts. The staff, the location, the views, the activities, and the food. It all works. When you book a one-in-a-lifetime holiday for one element of that holiday to stand out above all the others is a tall order. But Apukka Resort Rovaniemi managed that it is the ideal place to experience Finnish nature. We would definitely look to stay there should we find ourselves in Rovaniemi again. And since we have plans to visit Lapland in the springtime then we are likely to stay again.

Apukka Resort Review – Things to be aware of when staying at

As much as it stood out and we really enjoyed our stay there are a couple of things to make your life easier. There are so many people coming and going that it can feel very chaotic. This is because of all the tours and activities more than the accommodation.

Book your activities well in advance. In peak periods they tend to book up really quickly. I booked ours in September for a stay in December and some of the timed slots were already full.
Leave a good twenty minutes before your winter activities to get into your thermal suits, especially when travelling with kids. Before your activity. The warm winter clothing really made all the difference on the husky ride.
If you want the buffet book early, although I can definitely vouch for the a la carte.
The buffet is quiet for around 8 am for breakfast if you want to eat in peace and avoid the queues.

Make sure you allow yourself some time to enjoy the beautiful surroundings as well as enjoy some of the fun activities.

Booking & Pricing

There is no getting away from the fact that this is a more expensive option when building a holiday to Lapland. We balanced our stay by booking a budget hotel for the first four nights and then splurging on a stay at Apukka and the Snowhotel for our last two nights.

Prices start at 382€ for one night for 2 adults and 2 children at the beginning of November with breakfast. Please note that during peak times such as late November and December a minimum number of nights applies. You can check availability and book directly online. They also offer flexible stays for a higher price in case your plans need to change.

Apukka Resort Rovaniemi also has alternative accommodation types available including an ice cabin and family suites with self-catering apartments. You can check availability and make your booking here.