Northern Lights Village Levi: The Good, the Bad, and the (Not) Ugly

A few years ago, I had the chance to stay at a Northern Lights Village property (they have three) and I vowed to check out their other ones at some point. I finally had the chance to stay at Northern Lights Village Levi and was easily reminded of why this company is the benchmark in Lapland.

Quick Levi Travel Guide

If you’re traveling to Levi last minute, be sure you have hotels and tours booked ahead of time. Below are some of my top picks:

🇫🇮 Best tours and activities in Levi:

Ice carting adventure in Levi (unique activity and includes hot juice)
Snowmobile tour to see the northern lights (top adventure option)
Husky sledding from Levi (7km long – 2 persons per sled)

🛌 Top hotels and lodging in Levi:

Northern Lights Village Levi (glass igloos by Levi – reviewed below!)
Levi Suites Gold (ski-in, ski-out in the city center; also love this)
Break Sokos Hotel Levi (centrally located and has a cafe in the lobby)

🍲 Popular places to eat in Levi: NiliPoro, Salteriet, Ravintola Ämmilä, Kekäle, Lost Tacos

🚗 Planning to travel around Finland independently? Find and compare the cheapest rental car rates here!

If you’re new around here, I often stay at northern lights hotels and glass igloos in Lapland. I do it on my own dime so I can give reviews on here of whether or not they are worth your money (since they are extremely expensive to stay at during the high season).

I live in Rovaniemi and there is nothing I hate to see more than when someone arrives and their expectations are not met in terms of accommodation.

a glass igloo hotel with northern lights overhead — Northern Lights Village Levi in Lapland, Finland

Before we get into things, I can tell you straight up that the Northern Lights Village properties in Saariselkä, Levi, and Pyhä are truly some of the best places to stay across Lapland, hence their popularity. So, this post is going to be overwhelmingly positive. While I do list a few things that could be perceived as negatives by some people, it is nothing that the resort can really control; it is more just personal preference for some.

Let me know if you have any questions about Northern Lights Village Levi by leaving a comment below or contacting me directly.

📝 Megan’s Notes

We had an oddly warm spring here in Lapland, and when I stayed at Northern Lights Village Levi, a lot of the snow had melted. It was also just a few days before they closed for the season. During the winter, this will be a winter wonderland and look very different than what you may see in these pictures. Just something to keep in mind.

About Northern Lights Village Levi

Northern Lights Village Levi, like its sister properties in Saariselkä and Pyhä, offers more than just a place to sleep. This is a true Arctic experience with on-site glass igloos and activities galore. The restaurant at NLV Levi also offers a restaurant that has a tasty buffet and an à la carte menu (not always available depending on the season).

A glass igloo cabin from the front — My cabin from the outside

You can book your stay as a packaged deal or as accommodation only (with the option to do half or full-board). You can also book your activities upon arrival, but I recommend booking them beforehand to ensure availability.

NLV’s Saariselkä resort was opened in 2016 and managed by Markku Inkilä and Susanna Inkilä (husband and wife). Markku is passionate about aurora photography and has been published across various outlets worldwide, making him quite the expert on the northern lights.

a tiny aurora in the sky — The aurora starting to charge

The way the property was designed definitely must have had this in mind because this is one of the best (if not THE best) places I have stayed for northern lights viewing across Lapland. I’ll explain more in ‘The Good’ section below.

Northern Lights Village Levi has 100 igloos, 2 saunas, a restaurant, and a safari house (with a shop).

Why I Booked a Stay at Northern Lights Village in Levi (& How You Can, Too!)

I had previously stayed at Northern Lights Village Saariselkä and loved it. It was a few years ago and I have always thought about that stay since I had nothing negative to say about it. I had also stopped at their Levi location on a road trip but it hadn’t opened for the season yet, so I wasn’t sure how things operated there.

When I was driving back from Enontekiö to Rovaniemi recently, I decided to finally stay at Northern Lights Village Levi. I get a lot of emails about the place from this blog, and I was always sad I couldn’t share my experience there, so I had none.

a bed in a circular glass igloo cabin with trees and snow on the outside — Finally got to stay at NLV Levi

In this post, I am sharing the good and the bad about my stay at Northern Lights Village Levi. And, as mentioned above, there really wasn’t anything bad from my stay personally so I will just list a few things that may be perceived as bad by other people and to prepare yourself for.

For reference, I stayed at Northern Lights Village Levi on April 4, 2026 for one night in their Aurora Cabin (they also offer larger Aurora Suites).

Check Northern Lights Village Levi rates and availability

The Good

The Igloos (Design and Spacing)

In recent stays, I have been at resorts that have had very few glass igloos and cabins. While this tends to be a perk, it can also be quite negative, meaning that there is not a full staff to take care of the igloos. They may skimp on housekeeping or not clean the windows properly, etc. This was absolutely not the case at NLV Levi.

First of all, there are 100 igloos. Which is, yes, A LOT. But they were spaced out pretty well that I never felt creeped out by having one super close next to me (there are no curtains). The reception provides you with a map to locate yours. Mine was #17 and it was very close to the main building.

A map with 100 glass igloos on it — The map of the property (you can see my igloo circled)

On the map, I felt like I was in the worst location, squeezed between others, and no large trees in front of me. However, at night, I realized that there probably isn’t a bad igloo on the property. I had plenty of darkness (minus the April days being quite long) and never felt like I was on a property with that many igloos.

Another thing that NLV does well is the interior of the igloos. I have stayed at several properties that offer a very basic interior and it kind of cheapens the experience. Mine had a (SUPER comfortable) bed, couch, a large bartop table with two chairs, a coffee station, a minifridge, and a windowless bathroom that was spacious with a lot of counter space.

a glass igloo with a bed, bartop area, and a couch in it — The interior of my glass igloo at NLV

a toilet and bathroom inside a cabin — Bathroom (shower is to the right)

They also had my favorite Rituals line provided for showering and washing hands. There is also a mini electric fireplace (for the vibes) and an air-conditioner.

I tend to get cold in these igloos, but this one was very comfortable and I stayed warm throughout the night. They also provide a sleeping mask for the longer days (this happens at the beginning of April).

a counter with mugs, tea, coffee, sleeping mask, and more — There were two sleeping masks in my cabin

Northern Lights Opportunities

This is probably the most important since you likely booked your stay here based on its name and the potential of seeing the northern lights.

What I will say is that this might be the best place I have ever stayed for northern lights viewing. This does NOT mean that Levi is the best place to stay in Lapland for the northern lights (although it might be… I don’t know). This means that this property provides excellent viewing of the northern lights if the skies are clear and the activity is favorable.

A glass igloo under pink and green northern lights — Not a bad aurora night…

Many resorts I stay at have what they call ‘safety’ lights everywhere that just kind of stay on. It is absolutely annoying if you want to see the aurora when it comes out. Most resorts also have automatic lights on each door that activate when someone is nearby.

This is something that Northern Lights Village Levi has, but it goes off within seconds. I have never seen this go off so quickly at other resorts outside of theirs. Sometimes the lights at other resorts stay on for 10+ minutes.

A glass igloo with a light on under the aurora — When the light goes on for a split second

A glass igloo with a light off under the aurora — Same place seconds later

Inside the cabin, the glass ceilings are impeccably cleaned and easy to see out of. At other resorts, they have stuff on them or are never washed, giving way to glares left and right. Inside the NLV Levi cabins, there are very few lights around.

What I mean by this is that when you turn your lights off in the cabin, there aren’t random lights on remotes and fridges that will reflect on the glass ceiling. While this seems so minuscule, it is a huge deal when trying to see the aurora from inside the cabin.

an aurora overhead in a glass igloo — The aurora inside my glass igloo (with a long exposure)

NLV Levi also has a QR code that you can scan at check-in to sign up for aurora updates, meaning you will be alerted when the northern lights are spotted on the property.

Okay, the last plus about the property is that it is the only thing nearby, meaning that no other lights are coming from other businesses or the city. It is a standalone resort and this makes a huge difference when trying to see the northern lights.

Good to Know

While the resort does its best to keep lights to a minimum at night for aurora viewing, this does not mean that other guests won’t sit with their igloo lights on, even if they step outside to see the aurora. Don’t be this person! If you are leaving your igloo to view the northern lights, turn your igloo light off inside.

Activities and Experiences

While I didn’t participate in any activities during my stay at Northern Lights Village Levi, there are plenty that you can choose from. They offer aurora hunting, snowmobiling, husky sledding, feeding reindeer, meeting Santa, and more. You can see more on their website.

Hopefully, I will get to check out some of their offerings next season.

On-Site Restaurant

This is some of the best food I have ever had at a resort. I enjoyed breakfast and dinner at Northern Lights Village Levi and both were buffet. Usually, I am put off by dinner buffets, but this was done so beautifully that now I kind of wish I had this at other places (it is likely not a sustainable option at smaller resorts).

A leather couch with tables and chairs behind it in a restaurant — Entering the restaurant area

The menu rotates and there are several options available. When I was there, they had slow-cooked lamb, two types of fish (including salmon), vegetarian options, and some kid-friendly options like chicken nuggets and fries. There were multiple side options, salads, and freshly-baked bread so delicious I am sad the resort is not closer to my house.

a woman in a purple sweater buttering bread on a plate — Can someone bake me this bread every day???

The breakfast buffet was extensive and had several crowd-pleasers like bacon, eggs, sausage, baked beans, toast, pancakes, fruit, and sandwiches.

Transportation

Another perk of staying at Northern Lights Village Levi is that they offer transportation to and from the airport (€21 one-way for adults), and a bus to and from Levi city center, where the ski resort is (€7 one-way for adults). All must be booked ahead.

Even though the resort is remote, you never feel far away from Levi’s center.

The ‘Bad’

As mentioned above, these are not particularly bad but are things you may want to know before heading there.

Hot Water Limits

There is a hot water limit in the cabins of 15 minutes at a time. It will reheat after 30 minutes. While this is pretty standard across many glass igloo resorts, many people don’t know this before arriving.

Seasonality

Northern Lights Village Saariselkä is open year-round, which makes sense for its location and the type of property it is. On the other hand, Northern Lights Village Levi is NOT open year-round and is a seasonal resort, focusing mainly on winter travel.

A photo of dim northern lights with light on the horizon — April 4 at the resort (you can see horizon light still at 11pm!)

If you have ever been to or through Levi in summer, you will know why. The entire village shuts down outside of the ski season.

Anyway, Northern Lights Village Levi is open from October 1, 2026 to April 10, 2027. This is the prime northern lights season in Lapland.

Check NLV Levi rates and availability

Remote Location

While this is very much a perk of staying at NLV Levi, it may also take some by surprise when they arrive and are confined to the resort unless booking transport to other places.

Glass igloo cabins under the northern lights — Almost no light pollution (except when people don’t turn cabin lights off)

The ski resort of Levi (Sirkka village) is around 17 kilometers away (15 minutes) by car and that is where you’ll find bars, other restaurants, and the ski resort. I mentioned NLV’s transport option above and it is super affordable, so you won’t have any issues getting to and from Levi center if you want to escape the resort for a bit.