Hotel Ivalo Review: Meeting Point For Travelers in Finnish Lapland

To be honest, I never thought I would be booking an Arctic trip. I’m a warm-weather holiday kind of traveler. Winter holidays way up north have never been on my list… until now. But sometimes, as a traveler, you have to say yes to new things. Yes to unique experiences, yes to once-in-a-lifetime adventures. So here I was in the heart of Finnish Lapland, in the midst of the Arctic wilderness, having checked in at Hotel Ivalo, a small but popular hotel in the region.

Hotel Ivalo is located in the Inari municipality, the region’s gateway. It’s often a destination for international travelers on packaged Arctic tours, so for us (and many other Asian travelers, it seemed), it was the first hotel stop on our northern lights itinerary, which we booked from Booking.com at a discount.

So did it meet our expectations? And what’s it really like staying at Hotel Ivalo? Let’s find out.

First Look: Not Flashy but Practical

Hotel Ivalo is not one of those sprawling hotels with dozens of floors and extravagant facilities. In fact, it’s a bit on the opposite side of the scale. But it’s got all the basics you need, which is what it comes down to. You can’t miss it, as it has a big neon signboard out front that lights up in the snow-covered dark. It’s a useful thing to have when the sun sets at 2 p.m. and leaves you to play by night light.

After our long day trip from southern Finland, we checked in at the reception area on the ground floor. The staff are polite, efficient, and English-speaking, which was a relief after the long flight. There’s a lift to get to level 2, though stairs are fine if you don’t mind a quick climb.

Hotel Ivalo has the following facilities:

• Free WiFi in the public areas and throughout the hotel
• Restaurant & bar
• Reception/lounge area
• Club Nord (activity desk with tours, northern lights excursions, husky safaris, reindeer sleigh rides, snowmobile excursions, etc.)

Club Nord is a helpful in-house tour desk where you can book various Lapland activities, tours, and excursions. It’s located near the main entrance and was quite busy with guests who hadn’t pre-booked these activities with a travel agency or operator. For independent travelers, it’s an easy way to organize your winter activities without having to look for tour operators elsewhere.

Room Review: Cozy, Clean but Confined

We were assigned a standard twin bed room on the second floor. It was small—about the same size as many mid-range hotels in Europe—but was decently equipped. The furniture and curtains were a bit outdated, but it was clean and everything seemed to be in working order.

Room facilities included:

• Wardrobe with coat hangers for your snow gear, jackets, hats, gloves, etc.
• Hairdryer
• Electric kettle, with complimentary tea bags and 3-in-1 instant coffee sachets
• Twin beds with white sheets and warm duvets

The beds were comfortable and we slept well despite the jet lag. The heaters worked well, too, and were able to keep the room toasty on the icy days.

A quick word on the kettle. As you know, I’ve read about (and cringed at) the stories of what guests have allegedly done with electric kettles in hotel rooms (yes, even boiled their underpants!). I didn’t spot anything unusual about our kettle, but it never hurts to rinse it out before use…just to be safe.

The bathroom is not expansive, but it’s functional. One nice thing about the bathroom is that there’s a partitioned area for the shower. In many small compact hotel bathrooms, the shower and toilet are within the same area, with the shower drain spilling all over the rest of the floor when you take a shower. At Hotel Ivalo, the shower area is separated by a door, and we didn’t have any shower water spilling over the rest of the bathroom.

The bathroom comes with clean towels, shampoo, and body wash, and you won’t have a problem with hot water, even during peak times.

Food at Hotel Ivalo: Buffet with a View

Our meals during our stay in Hotel Ivalo were included in our accommodation at Hotel Ivalo’s in-house restaurant. 

Lunch & Dinner Buffet

Hotel Ivalo serves both lunch and dinner buffet-style. I was quite surprised by the food, actually. Our first Finnish meal at Hotel Ivalo had:

• Pork with gravy
• Steamed potatoes and vegetables
• Vegetable soup
• Fresh salad bar
• Bread and butter
• Juices, coffee, and tea

The buffet station was usually placed in the middle of the restaurant. Guests can help themselves and do their own serving. There’s not a big variety of food, but it’s all warm and freshly cooked, and the seasoning is to our liking as first-time visitors in the region.

Mixed Veggies & Salad

Vegetables Soup

What I also enjoyed about the food was the ambience of the dining area. The restaurant had a soft orange glow and each table was decorated with candles and a few rustic elements. As the sun disappeared behind the mountains by around 2 p.m., the whole scene became very romantic and calming. I could easily imagine having dinner there after a long day of aurora chasing or snowshoeing in the woods.

Hotel Facilities & Amenities

Hotel Ivalo is small, but it has all the necessary facilities and services for a relaxing winter trip:

Bar & Lounge

Beside the restaurant is a more informal area where guests can order beer, wine, or hot drinks. A good place to relax after dinner or to chat with other guests and travelers.

Club Nord

As I mentioned above, the hotel has its own in-house tour desk where you can book various Lapland activities and tours:

• Northern Lights / Aurora Borealis tours
• Snowmobile excursions
• Husky dog sledding
• Reindeer sleigh rides
• Ice fishing and snowshoeing

Many of these tours can be pre-booked directly at the desk, which makes Hotel Ivalo a convenient base for your Lapland excursions and activities.

Location & Surroundings

Hotel Ivalo is in the town of Ivalo, located by the banks of the Ivalojoki River, and close to Lemmenjoki National Park. The area is surrounded by pristine Lapland wilderness and is good for local nature walks, photography, and of course spotting the northern lights during clear nights.

Just a short stroll or drive away from the hotel, you’ll also find a local supermarket, post office, and gas station if you want to grab snacks or any other necessities.

Getting to Hotel Ivalo

Address: Ivalontie 34, 99800 Inari
Breakfast: 7:00 am – 10:00 am
Opening Hours: Daily 24 hours, around the year.