Finland : Kakslauttanen Christmas Holidays

The vast and breathtaking fell area of Saariselka lies 300 km north of the Arctic Circle and Kakslauttanen is a mere 80 km from the Russian border. This wonderful place, the location for our ever-popular Classic Lapland holiday, now offers the perfect setting for a truly white Christmas. 

The Kakslauttanen Hotel is just a 30-minute transfer from Ivalo airport. It has 37 spacious and cosy log cabins, each with their own private sauna, dotted amongst the trees, far enough away from one another to enable you to make the most of your own ‘garden’ area – ideal for building a snowman! On this 4-night trip you may wish to substitute a night in a cabin with a night in one of the other accommodation options: an ice room; turf cabin; traditional Finnish House or even a glass igloo! Twenty glass igloos provide an amazing experience - built in the traditional dome shape, the warmly heated igloos allow an uninterrupted view of the skies and make you feel like you are sleeping under the stars. If you are really lucky you can lie in bed at night and marvel at the aurora borealis above.

All the log cabins have their own electric saunas and the top of the range Queen's Suite has an outdoor hot tub. Also within the resort are a couple of more traditional wood/smoke saunas as well as the largest smoke sauna in the world, normally used for private groups. In the main reception building there is a lovely 3-tiered restaurant with open fire and Christmas guests stay here on an à la carte menu basis with a typical Finnish Christmas Eve Buffet included. The basement Piano Bar is warm and welcoming and finally, coffee, cakes and light snacks are available from the self-service counter. 

Although weather conditions can never be guaranteed, being this far north Kakslauttanen rarely suffers from a lack of deep, sparkling white snow! During the Christmas itinerary, special festive activities are included (see itinerary for details) and there are a number of additional optional excursions to help fill your time. Or if you prefer the more relaxing option simply stroll around the extensive grounds, take a few photos and admire the fascinating wooden sculptures scattered amongst the trees. The ski resort of Saariselka can be reached regularly by the Ski Bus from just outside of the hotel. Around a 20-minute ride, the little town offers several shopping and dining options. The Holiday Club Hotel is open to the public and has a great spa and swimming lagoon, ideal perhaps for an afternoon with the kids.

In December the days may be short, averaging 5 hours, but the lingering sunrise and sunset reflecting off the snow provides an enchanting polar light, great for photography. And by night, the stars and the moonlight provide their own magic and although sightings cannot be guaranteed, the magnificent northern lights could make an appearance - as well as Santa!

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