Wilderness Hotel Inari in Winter: Worth Staying There or Not?

I’ve spent a lot of time researching where to stay in Lapland, and I chose to invest in a winter trip to Wilderness Hotel Inari because it felt right.

Here’s my full review of staying there with the details on what really worked, what didn’t, and who I believe this hotel is actually a great fit for.

Before I start: I want to make it clear that I paid for my stay at Wilderness Hotel Inari myself. I spent a lot of time choosing where to stay – I was picky, compared dozens of places, and this one stood out. Everything I write here (good and bad) comes purely from my own experience and my own opinion. No one (not the hotel or anyone else) paid me to write this review or influence what I say.

Why Wilderness Hotel Inari Caught My Attention

During the time of booking, my husband and I were based in Rovaniemi, and I wanted to plan a meaningful road trip around Lapland above the Arctic Circle… somewhere with guaranteed snow, that real winter-fairy-tale feel, a good chance to see the Northern Lights, and a quiet place to rest in true wilderness.

It was early December, snow kept coming and melting in Rovaniemi (so weird to say this about the first month of winter in this destination), and the sky stayed cloudy. We wanted a proper winter getaway – remote, beautiful, yet with plenty of activities, and not insanely expensive. Many hotels near Rovaniemi, like Apukka Resort or Sky Ounasvaara, for example, looked great but were way over budget.

After hours of scrolling through Booking and Expedia, I found the Wilderness Hotel Inari in northern Lapland, located in untouched nature (its name speaks for itself), by a lake, with a river nearby, offering a variety of activities, and surprisingly reasonable room prices.

Of course not hostel-cheap, but for winter prices, around €200 per night for two with breakfast and aurora lights just above our heads sounded very good to me. So I booked it.

Quick Overview

Wilderness Hotel Inari is about 330 km north of Rovaniemi – around a 4-hour drive on good winter roads. It’s easy to reach by car (the E75 highway goes all the way and is kept clean from snow), and the drive itself feels quite interesting… you ride through snow-covered trees, meet reindeer on the road, and feel like you’re on the edge of the world.

The hotel sits right by Lake Inari (although in winter it’s frozen and merges with the landscape), just a few minutes from the village. Even though it’s surrounded by wilderness, it’s not one of those tiny “five-cabin” places in the middle of nowhere. It’s actually quite big – with different types of rooms, chalets, and glass-roof igloos, so it doesn’t feel lonely or cut off.

There is always some quiet life around and you see guests walking between cabins, cars coming and leaving, and smoke coming from saunas.

Everything is well organized: there is a restaurant with good food, a sauna by the lake, and different winter activities offered directly through the hotel – huskies, reindeer rides, snowmobile tours, and more. You don’t really need to plan much yourself if you don’t want to.

It’s not luxury, but it’s very comfortable with warm cabins, clean and modern grounds, and quiet Scandinavian simplicity. For me, it was exactly what I wanted – snow, silence, nature, being in one of the best locations for watching Northern Lights, yet still in civilization.

Accommodation Options

The hotel is much bigger than I expected – it has around 60 rooms in total, spread between the main building and several smaller areas near the lake. There are different types of stays depending on what you want and how much you are ready to pay.

🛏️ Wilderness Room (Double/Twin) – simplest option, a standard room with either a double bed or twin beds, bathroom, and all the basics. Good for couples or solo travellers who just want a comfortable base in the wilderness, without spending extra for special features.

🌌 Aurora Cabins – these are the small glass-roof igloos everyone dreams about. Best for a short special stay where the main draw is watching the Northern Lights from bed through the glass (cone shaped) roof. They have quite limited space, so good for one or two nights if you want that special experience.

🛖 Log Cabins – classic Lapland-style wooden houses with a small kitchen and fireplace. Warmer and more spacious than igloos, great if you want privacy or plan to stay longer. Best for groups or families wanting maximum space, more privacy, a kitchenette or living area, and staying longer.

🏡 Arctic Chalets – modern rooms or mini-apartments closer to the main building, with all the comfort and still a good view outside. Best for small families or friends who want a bit more room and comfort (living area, maybe sofa-bed) but still at the hotel.

We stayed in a Wilderness room (although I was considering also an Aurora Cabin), which for us turned out to be a better choice than the glass igloo (more on that below) and felt perfect to be honest – quiet, warm, and with beautiful snow piled up outside the windows (literally).👇

Food & Dining

The hotel has one main restaurant, Restaurant Ukko, located in the central building right by Lake Inari. Breakfast and dinner are served there, and during the day it works as a lounge and bar area where you can sit with coffee and watch the snow outside.

Breakfast is buffet-style, offering warm dishes, porridge, eggs, bread, local jams, and good coffee. After spending some time outdoors in the morning, it feels like exactly what you need.

Dinner is à la carte and focuses on Lapland ingredients like whitefish from Lake Inari, reindeer, mushrooms, and root vegetables. Portions are generous, atmosphere is very relaxed, so no need to dress up.

It’s not fine dining, but food quality is solid, prices are average for the region (just to give an example – Sauteed reindeer with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam costs €31, Reindeer fillet – €40, Salmon soup – €23). I think it is a big plus that there is no need to drive around in search of food after an activity.

If you stay several nights, the menu changes slightly and you can also order lighter snacks or drinks at the bar. Vegetarian options are available, though limited.

Activities & Experiences

What really surprised me here was the amount of activities. Honestly, there’s probably everything you can think of that exists in Lapland! Prices for some tours are slightly higher than with outside operators, but here you pay a bit more for comfort and good organization, not for nothing.

We could only afford one paid tour, and it was honestly hard to choose because there were so many options! There’s a Sami Culture Evening with Lappish Dinner, Santa Visit in his forest cabin, winter biking, snowmobiling, ice fishing, husky rides, and all kinds of reindeer experiences.

There are even different versions of aurora tours – on skis, with snowshoes, on a heated sleigh, by car, or even with a tent! You definitely won’t get bored here!

One morning, we simply rented snowshoes at the reception (€25 per person for a full day) and went walking through the forest nearby – it was so much fun! You can also rent skis or snowmobiles directly from the hotel if you prefer to explore on your own.

So when it comes to activities, you definitely won’t be bored – even though you are staying in one of the least populated areas of Lapland.

Who It’s For (& Not For)

Wilderness Hotel Inari is perfect for people who want to experience real Lapland in its primal form, far from any tourist polish, yet with easy access to its nature and everyday local life. It’s for people who don’t need refined luxury but value good organization, nature, and atmosphere.

Couples, families with older kids, and anyone traveling for the aurora and special moments will enjoy it most.

It’s also a great choice if you don’t want to plan everything yourself. You can just come for the whole length of your trip (although, personally, I’d still mix things up and visit other parts of Lapland too), eat well, and book any activity directly at the reception. Everything runs smoothly here, and that’s rare in such a remote location.

But if you prefer city life, cafes, and big choice of restaurants, this isn’t your place for sure. I saw negative reviews from people who were complaining that there was nothing around the hotel (yes, that’s true, there is not much, just one small village with a museum) and activities at the hotel were expensive, so they were bored. That’s going to happen to any urban-oriented person with a lower budget.

Speaking of which, if you are on a very tight budget, the total cost of a trip here (either renting a car in Rovaniemi and driving yourself or hiring a private transfer, then room costs and activities) can be on the higher side.

In short, if budget allows and you want to disconnect and experience the real wilderness of Lapland in all its beauty without giving up warmth and good food, you’ll love it 100% (but also choose right room, sharing more on this below). Otherwise, if you want a lot of buzz, nightlife, and a long list of dinner spots to choose from, then this hotel is not a good choice, to be honest.

Prices & Things to Know Before Booking

Winter is the main season for Wilderness Hotel Inari, so prices change a lot depending on dates and room type. But (!) what is great is that their prices never skyrocket in the same way as most other hotels in Lapland (besides 10 days in December around Christmas and New Year).

Prices usually fluctuate between €180–280 per night for a Wilderness Room for two with breakfast (depending on when you book, of course). Chalets and igloos cost more proportionally, but still less than other accommodation options in Lapland, especially around Rovaniemi.

Breakfast is always included, and dinner costs about €70–80 for two people depending on what you order. Activities start from around €100–150 per person, but you can easily skip those if your main goal is to stay here for the aurora only.

By the way, visibility here is almost always great, even in December, so the chance of seeing Northern Lights is very high. You can easily walk out and find the aurora near the hotel.

A few practical things if you decide to stay here:

• Book very early for December or February. December is the most expensive month, but surprisingly, it still gets sold out for many days ahead of time. February is also busy because this is one of the best months for northern lights and for skiing (in nearby Saariselkä), so many people plan trips here during this season.
  
• If you want a nice view from your room when booking the Wilderness Room, then during the booking process, request a room away from the parking lot or ask for a room in the block that is next to Log cabins (in this way, you’ll get a nice view of the inner yard, and very uiet room, just like the one we got).
  
• When you book Arctic Chalet for the view from the window (as hotel promotes through their photos), send a request ‘to have a room with a lake view’, you can even mention that you booked this chalet specifically for the view. Otherwise, they may assign a chalet which is on the second row facing other chalets, not the lake. In that case, you won’t get any view.
  
• WiFi in many rooms is just horrible for some reasons. During our stay it was working only on one day. But in the lobby, it worked just fine. So if that is important, have your mobile internet ready or purchase mobile data to have uninterrupted coverage.
  
• Bring warm PJs to sleep in. Rooms are warm, but sleeping in short sleeves feels a bit cool.
  
• If you don’t have a car, plan to eat all meals at the hotel since there’s nothing nearby.

Is Wilderness Hotel Inari Worth It? My Honest Take After Staying There

For me – yes, it was worth it.

Not because it’s fancy or luxurious (it’s not), but because it gave exactly what I was looking for: real snowy winter, that once-in-a-lifetime nature stay thanks to unique activities, and Northern Lights right outside the door.

Of course, it’s not a cheap stay, especially if you add a few tours or upgrade to an aurora cabin. But considering the location, the quality of service, and how beautiful it is there, I think the price makes sense.

If you have a car, there are also other things to do in the area – visit Wild Spirit Park (with wild animals), go to Saariselkä, explore Inari village with a small but interesting museum of the Sami people, or drive north to the Utsjoki area.

However, if you expect nightlife or want to explore many restaurants and shops, it’s the wrong spot.

For me personally, staying in the area of Inari where Wilderness Hotel is located was one of those stays that remind you why people dream about Lapland in the first place.

Wilderness Hotel Inari vs Other Wilderness Hotels

Before booking, I also looked at (and partly visited) other hotels from the same group, so I had something to compare with.

During this trip, I spent a few hours on different days at Wilderness Hotel Juutua in Inari town. I went there for the spa, which was absolutely amazing – they have outdoor jacuzzis right by the river (if you read my other articles about Lapland, then you have seen my photos from there and know what I mean). I also had dinner at their panoramic restaurant, which I honestly liked more than the one at Wilderness Hotel Inari.

Out of curiosity, I asked if I could see their rooms (I mentioned that I am a blogger and often recommend hotels on my site) and they kindly showed me around. The rooms were clean and modern, but MUCH SIMPLER compared to Wilderness Inari. Prices are also lower, so it’s a good option if you want something more basic in town.

Still, for a winter getaway, I’d choose Wilderness Hotel Inari because it is more comfortable and overall atmosphere is on another level (you can visit Wilderness Juutua during the day too).

Another one I considered was Wilderness Hotel Nellim (they also have igloos available), but the location is just too remote. It’s harder to reach and takes more time to get there, and their amenities are simpler (from what I see is offered through description and on photos).

There are also quite a few negative reviews on different platforms where people mention that rooms don’t fully match what’s shown in the photos. So it seems to be the right choice only if your main goal is aurora hunting or hiking, but if you don’t care much about the hotel itself.

So, I perosnally think that Wilderness Hotel Inari is a solid choice in northern Lapland to stay with comfort in a beautiful setting, and easy access to everything.

Would I stay here again? Probably not, just because there are still so many dreamy places in Lapland that sit high on my list. But I would definitely recommend staying here in winter for people who want a lot of magical moments without spending too much.

Other Places to Stay in Lapland

• Affordable Lodging Options in Rovaniemi – for a budget-friendly winter stay