We stayed here at the end of January to get married and really cannot praise it enough! There were 16 of us in our party ranging in age from 20 to 75, we stayed for four nights and all had a fantastic time. Having landed in Ivalo airport after a long day travelling our transfer to the igloo village was smooth and everyone was checked in and dropped off by their cabin no problem. We weren’t sure what to expect given the location high in the Arctic Circle but the food each night was very good and included fresh vegetables and salads; they catered very well for a large group that included vegetarians. There are also some great drinks and cocktails served in the piano bar, at reasonable prices too. The sledges by the main reception building are a great idea for getting around and you are given a map when you arrive so you know where everything is. The board in reception clearly displays the pick up times for activities and the airport which works well.
Accommodation: we treated ourselves to a Queen Suite and were very glad we did, it was so clean and luxurious – under floor heating, roll top bath, canopy four poster bed, huge walk in shower, sauna and of course the outdoor hot tub, we didn’t want to leave! The party was always in our cabin so everyone could use our fantastic facilities. Our guests all opted for standard cabins and other than a few minor issues such as light bulbs that needed changing and a problem with heating (that was swiftly fixed) they were all happy. The kitchenettes are a definite plus; we would suggest bringing items like tea bags, hot chocolate sachets, biscuits and pasta/porridge pots with you to avoid having to go into town for supplies. We had a glass igloo on our wedding night and were surprised how warm, clean and spacious they are with gorgeous views over the hills.
Our wedding: we had been in touch with Mari for a number of months in the run up to our day and she was always very helpful and accommodating. On the day we were also looked after by Pum and Dwee, who were both fantastic. We were the first to be married in the Ice Chapel as it was late being built due to the mild winter but we had a perfect day and everything ran efficiently and was very well organised – from the right colour flowers in the chapel to our reindeer and sleigh transport. We had brought many things with us such as decorations, candles, place cards etc and all were laid out just as we had requested and looked after and packed away for us to collect the following day. The owner also came to wish us congratulations and present us with a gift which was a lovely touch and very personal – not the sort of thing you would get from a hotel chain. We had a private room for our reception and the food on our wedding day was brilliant, an obvious difference in presentation from the other days we ate – even different cutlery and glasses were used for our special occasion. We had chosen our wines and champagne ahead of time and the service was great, never an empty glass. We turned the music up for dancing quite late into the evening but this wasn’t problem, we left the main building just before 1am. We really couldn’t have asked for more from our day!
Activities: we had pre-booked all activities through our agent (Travelbee) and chose the 2 hour husky trip, 2 hour evening reindeer sleigh trip, and 4 hour snowmobile trip. The huskys were great fun and the guides were very knowledgeable and friendly, there is opportunity to swap with your partner so you can both try driving the sleigh and the scenery is beautiful. The only down side is that the dogs are a little smelly and do their ‘business’ on the run! The evening reindeer sleigh ride was very sedate, 2 hours was long enough even with a stop half way for a hot drink around the fire. We deliberately chose an evening ride in the hope of seeing the Northern Lights and they didn’t disappoint – absolutely stunning a real once in a lifetime moment. The snowmobiling was by far the best activity; we covered 40km and stopped for lunch half way (a lovely salmon and potato soup/chowder with toasted cheese sandwiches) the guides were great and let us open them up on the way back, we got up to speeds of 80kmph. We stopped up high on a hill with views reaching over to Russia – stunning, but with the wind chill it was -40c!
Tips: do the husky trip in the morning when the tracks are clear of poo, take one of the free newspapers in the reception porch area to help you get your fire started – and read the instructions on the back of the map so you don’t get smoked out of your cabin! Make sure you have a sledge or two outside your cabin for fun and taking your luggage back the day you leave. If going during winter take as many thermals as possible, the temperature got down to -26c whilst we were there. We would also recommend silk glove and sock liners, balaclavas, and hand warmers.
General: we would have to agree with some reviews that say the reception area is a little chaotic but this takes nothing away from your experience. We did not once witness the owner being rude to anyone, staff or guests, and all staff were very friendly and helpful. Whenever we saw him he always had time to speak and when we left he said farewell to everyone individually. Upon checkout we didn’t find any errors or ‘hidden charges’ in our final bill which other reviews have mentioned. The reviews that moan about no room service and having to transport their own luggage on sledges; all we would say is you need to remember where in the world you are and enter into the spirit of this wonderful and unique place. It may be on the expensive side but it is a true one off experience and we would thoroughly recommend it.
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