How to Visit Lapland Hotels SnowVillage from Levi (& Ylläs)
One thing to know about me is that if there is an ice hotel, I’m going to visit it (pending it is in Northern Europe, of course). I have had the pleasure of visiting all of the ones in the Nordics, and I have written about them on several occasions throughout this blog.
In this guide, I will discuss how to get to Lapland Hotels SnowVillage from Levi and Ylläs. Lapland Hotels SnowVillage in Lainio tends to be one of the lesser-known ice hotels in Finland, but it is one of my favorite day trips from Levi and Ylläs (can be a half-day trip).
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:
- Snowmobile trip to Lapland Hotels SnowVillage (covered below!)
- Ice carting adventure in Levi (unique activity and includes hot juice)
- Husky sledding from Levi (7km long – 2 persons per sled)
🛌 Top hotels and lodging in Levi:
- Northern Lights Village Levi (glass igloos nearby – I love them!)
- Levi Suites Gold (ski-in, ski-out in the city center; also loved 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!
While Lapland Hotels SnowVillage doesn’t offer a variety of accommodation and only allows one overnight guest per night (talk about feeling like a VIP), it is still worth visiting just to take a tour of the dreamy complex during the winter.
If you have any questions about visiting Lapland Hotels SnowVillage, let me know in the comments. Thanks!
In this guide, I’ll walk you through the following:
About Lapland Hotels SnowVillage
This winter, Lapland Hotels SnowVillage will celebrate 25 years and the theme is ‘Pure Celebration’. When I went last year, the theme was the underwater world. I will be updating photos in this guide this season with the new ones.
To channel the Pure Celebration theme, the ice sculptures and hotel will give nods to circuses, festivals, and other celebrations around the world. It will also have a Rio de Janeiro area and an Ice Bar paying respects to Ireland. I am pretty excited to see what they came up with!
Lapland Hotels SnowVillage changes the theme annually and announces the new one in the fall each year. This ice hotel has several different areas, like an ice chapel, ice cinema, ice bar, a disco, restaurant, and an ice slide.
There is one ice suite available to stay in overnight that you can book directly with the hotel (if they have availability left).
The slide inside the village
The snow suite
Entrance to the SnowVillage
Outside of the snow hotel, there is a cafe and gift shop (heated and NOT made of snow). It is a really cozy place to warm up and grab a coffee by the fireplace. You can also purchase some hand warmers if you get cold inside the ice hotel.
While this Nordic ice hotel tends to be smaller than others, it is one of my favorites in terms of artwork.
Opening Dates & Ticket Prices for 2025-2026
Lapland Hotels Snow Village in Lainio is open from December 25, 2025 to April 6, 2026. It’s open from 10am until 10pm daily.
Unless you purchase one of the guided excursions to the ice hotel that I mention below, the only way to get a ticket to visit is from the hotel directly (and not online). Tickets are available from 10am until 9pm daily and they cannot be reserved in advance. This ticket also allows access to the ice bar inside!
Ticket prices for the 2025-2026 season are:
- Adult: €26
- Child ages 4-14: €14
You can also book a guided tour of the ice hotel. It is €92 for up to 30 people. This is not inclusive of the ticket itself, which must be purchased separately. You can book a guided tour by contacting them at snowvillage(at)laplandhotels.com.
Where to Eat and Drink
As mentioned above, there is an ice bar, an ice restaurant, and a normal cafe/restaurant (with heating!).
The ice restaurant offers a 3-course dinner and is open throughout the ice hotel’s entire season from 5pm until 10pm daily. It is a set menu and you will need to make reservations in advance at snowvillage(at)laplandhotels.com. You can see the 2025-2026 menu here.
The set menu price is €92 for an adult and €46 for a child (4-14 years of age).
If you want to enjoy dinner inside in a more comfortable setting, you can check out their Glass Restaurant. They are open daily from 5pm until 10pm and the menu is available here.
Alternatively, they offer a lunch buffet with local flavors that you can book by getting in touch with them.
Another option for food on-site is Krouvi Cafe. This restaurant has a cozy fireplace and is open daily from 10am until 10pm. They have a soup buffet for €16 (adult) or €8 (child). You don’t need to make a reservation… just show up! I opted for a coffee and a pastry here instead of a full lunch, but I think I am going to have it on my next visit.
Snow Suite
As I mentioned above, there is a snow suite that you can stay overnight in. There is only ONE at the entire snow hotel, so talk about feeling like a VIP.
You can find out more information on their website, but just know that this option is €4500/night. If anyone is reading this and does the overnight experience, please let me know how it went!
How to Get to Lapland Hotels SnowVillage
Now comes the fun part – how to get there! It really depends on where you’re coming from. Of course, a private car is an option (and they have plenty of parking). Other ways to reach the SnowVillage are by taxi transfer, shuttle bus, or guided tour.
The shuttle bus will be your cheapest option and I will highlight that more below. The taxi will be pricey (depending on location) and the guided tours are a little pricier, but you don’t have to think much about planning, so it is a nice option for those not on a budget.
Then you also have snowmobile tours to the village. I will highlight a snowmobile tour from Levi to SnowVillage and one from Ylläs to SnowVillage.
If you are coming up from Rovaniemi, it is best to drive or you can take the bus from Rovaniemi to Levi and then hop on one of the daily shuttles. You can also choose to stay in Rovaniemi and visit the Arctic SnowHotel instead, as it’s closer.
How to Get to Lapland Hotels SnowVillage from Levi
Levi is the place most people visit the SnowVillage from and you can get there in a few ways (not including driving): shuttle bus, taxi transfer, or with a tour. There are two tours I will recommend here — a simple guided tour (with transportation) and a snowmobile tour.
I will not go into depth on taxi info as that can be sorted by your accommodation, or you can use Meneva, a local Finnish company with a good app.
Bolt and Uber are also available in Finland but I don’t take them myself, as I have had drivers inexperienced in the snow who come up to make money for the winter season.
Taking a Shuttle Bus from Levi to the SnowVillage
The cheapest way to get to SnowVillage is with a shuttle bus. These are operated by Matkahuolto and run from December 25, 2025 until April 6, 2026. You can be picked up at the following places in Levi (and nearby):
- Levi Hullu Poro (Crazy Reindeer)
- Hissitie/Levintie
- Leviraitti
These are NOT the only stops – you can check the timetables on Matkahuolto’s website to see a full list depending on your location. These are just stops I am familiar with and areas I know that my readers often stay close to.
A ticket price to and from the SnowVillage is €20 (adults) and €15 (child).
The shuttles run three times a day and you can do all of your planning beforehand on their website. They leave the center at 10am, 2pm, and 5:30pm. They return from SnowVillage back to Levi at 12:30pm, 4:30pm, and 8:45pm. You can purchase tickets beforehand or right as you get on the bus from the driver. Learn more here.
Taking a Tour from Levi to the SnowVillage
The other option you have is to take a tour from Levi to the SnowVillage. This is a great option for those who don’t want to mess around with shuttles and planning. There are two options I recommend and they are:
- Day tour to the snow hotel from Levi
- Snowmobile tour to SnowVillage from Levi (gets insane ratings!)
How to Get to Lapland Hotels SnowVillage from Ylläs
To get to the SnowVillage from Ylläs, you can drive your own car, take a taxi (which I won’t touch upon much as you can read my recommendations with taxi above under the Levi section), take a shuttle, or sign up for a tour.
Taking a Shuttle Bus from Ylläs to the SnowVillage
This is the cheapest way to get out to the SnowVillage from Ylläs. Like the Levi transfer service, ticket prices are €20 (adults) and €15 (child). The shuttle bus from Ylläs to the SnowVillage departs from the following places:
- Hotelli Ylläskaltio
- Äkäslompolo (at Äkäshotelli)
It will return you to the same place that it picked you up. You can see timetables and ticket info here.
Taking a Tour from Ylläs to the SnowVillage
There are two tour options that you can choose from for getting from Ylläs to Lainio’s SnowVillage. They are:
- Visiting the SnowVillage from Ylläs with a snowmobile
- Guided tour of the snow hotel from Ylläs (transportation included)
Helpful Tips for Your Visit
✅ Dress warmly. I mean, it is pretty obvious since you’ve picked Lapland as your destination, but the ice hotel is below freezing… otherwise it would melt! Dress like you would outside. Gloves, hat, warm boots, etc.
✅ Be mindful that others want photos too. It never fails… every time I visit an ice hotel, you have a group that needs to do a 20-minute photo shoot and forgets that others want to grab the same pictures. Just do your thing quickly and move on to the next exhibit.
✅ You only need 2 hours at Lapland Hotels SnowVillage. If you’re taking a shuttle or tour, you may have extended hours, but you really only need a maximum of two hours to visit the ice hotel. You can spend the rest of the time in the cozy cafe if you are waiting on a transfer.
✅ Photographing ice hotels can be a challenge because of the low-light atmosphere. If you are looking for nice photos on a camera, adjust your white balance settings until you find the ones that you like. Photos can pull a bit warm on auto and too cool on K3500. I would also shoot on RAW if you want more editing freedom in post (they may be a bit grainy if you’re running a higher ISO).
Map of All Locations in This Guide
How To Use This Map
You can use your fingers/mouse to zoom in and out. To get more info about a place, simply touch/click the icons. Want to save this map for later use? Click the ‘⭐’ by the map title and it will add it to your Google Maps account (Saved > Maps or ‘Your Places’).
Do you have any questions about visiting Lapland Hotels SnowVillage in Lainio? Let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to help!
