Isn’t life amazing? Sometimes, for me at least, it’s hard to believe we’re all just here on this beautiful planet full of wonders like the Grand Canyon, giraffes and the dazzling phenomenon we call the northern lights.
I’ve been lucky to see the former two of those wonders, but the northern lights have eluded me thus far. Probably because I’ve never been to the Arctic areas where the ethereal green, yellow and sometimes red lights are most often spotted dancing in the sky.
Sooner rather than later, I’d like to make that trip happen. But luckily many of my colleagues here at The Points Guy have had their own adventures chasing the northern lights, so we put together some handy guides on setting expectations for a trip and if it’s best to see them by land, air or sea.
No matter how you see them, chances are you’ll need a place to sleep before, during or after the hunt in one of the best places to see the northern lights.
Whether you want to root the experience in stylish Reykjavik or sleep directly under the lights in a glass igloo in Finland, here are the best hotels to see the northern lights.
Ion Adventure Hotel
Part of Design Hotels and a member of Marriott Bonvoy, Ion Adventure Hotel offers a once-in-a-lifetime stay in Selfoss, Iceland, that’s likely to come with a tantalizing taste of the northern lights.
With just 45 rooms, this hotel is as intimate as it is remote (about an hour from Reykjavik). The rugged design, full of concrete features, seems to mirror the lava fields which the property calls home. At the Northern Lights Bar, floor-to-ceiling windows offer great views of the landscape and sky outside. Hotel staff can arrange various types of adventures (there’s a reason it’s in the name) to get even closer to the magic in the sky.
Marriott Bonvoy members can book the Ion Adventure Hotel for as little as 50,000 points a night, while cash rates start at around $276.
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Hotel Ranga
A member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World (and Hyatt by extension — at least for now), Hotel Ranga in Hella, Iceland, is a rustic property with eclectic, luxury finesse.
The hotel describes itself as “a cross between a hunting lodge and (palatial) log cabin.” However, it also happens to have an observatory where a local astronomer helps guests see the cosmos — even with an untrained eye. If you’re afraid of missing the lights in the middle of the night, just press a button on your in-room phone and the hotel’s aurora wake-up team will notify you when the glowin’ gets goin’.
A Category 7 World of Hyatt hotel, award nights here can be found between 25,000 and 35,000 points. Cash rates start around $300 a night.
Reykjavik Edition
With a collection of uber-chic hotels around the world, Marriott’s Edition brand, founded by famed hotelier Ian Schrager, is the epitome of cool.
In Iceland, the Reykjavik Edition is no exception. However, it may even be on a different level considering its prime location in a super-trendy city that also happens to be a place to spot the northern lights. In the hotel, one great viewing spot is The Roof bar, serving drinks and sustainably sourced food with a side of stunning mountain and ocean views.
Cash rates at the Reykjavik Edition start around $392 dollars a night while Marriott Bonvoy members can snag an award night from 59,000 points per night.
Hilton Reykjavik Nordica
If you’re a Hilton Honors member looking for the northern lights, consider a stay at the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica, one of four Hilton properties in the capital city.
As our review of the hotel notes, the location is not necessarily ideal if you’re looking to experience Reykjavik itself. However, it’s a good home base for the many adventures near the city, including ones that head out in search of the northern lights. After a busy night exploring the magic in the sky, guests can return to the hotel and unwind at the spa, warm up in the sauna and try a local beer at the bar.
Cash prices at the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica fluctuate but can be found as low as $158 a night, though most nights are slightly more expensive. Hilton Honors members can book for as little as 45,000 points per night.
Star Arctic Hotel
The Lapland region of Finland is one of the best places in the world to catch a glimpse of the northern lights, and in the village of Saariselka, the Star Arctic Hotel might be the best place to stay.
Perched atop the Kaunispaa mountain, the hotel is exactly what you’d expect from a stylish Scandanavian hotel — and honestly, the design might rival the beauty of the aurora itself. Here you can book a Scenic View Suite with huge windows to gaze at the lights or opt for a glass-topped cabin so you can see them from bed without even having to turn over. For the full Finnish experience, stop in the hotel’s restaurant for locally sourced reindeer meat and fish.
Depending on the time of year you visit, rates fluctuate pretty dramatically. Rates during peak northern lights opportunities start around $408 per night.
Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort
Another property on the list from Lapland in Finland is the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort.
It’s known for its glass-domed igloos that seem to allow the northern lights to wrap you up like a blanket. Beyond chasing the lights, the resort offers extensive incredible activities like husky safaris, snowmobiling, sleigh rides and skiing. It’s a winter wonderland that you have to see to believe.
Nightly rates start around $587 per night.
Related: Searching for Santa: A once-in-a-lifetime trip in Finland’s snowy Arctic
Icehotel
Most likely, no two trips to the Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, will be the same. That’s because each year, a new iteration of the hotel is built from ice and snow which melts away when it starts to warm up after April.
Though there are permanent, year-round accommodations, pairing a trip to catch the northern lights with a stay in a temporary hotel made of Mother Earth’s natural elements is surely the only way to do it. As for experiences, the hotel can organize dinners under the lights, photography lessons to learn how to capture the perfect image of them and snowmobile safaris at night for a high-speed way to chase them.
Rates at the Icehotel depend on room type but snow rooms can be found for between $300 and $500 a night. As TPG reporter Emily McNutt found during her stay, you can also book a transfer from the airport via dog sled.
Northern Lights Resort & Spa
You don’t have to go all the way to Iceland or Scandinavia to see the northern lights. There are opportunities to see them in Canada’s Yukon. At the Northern Lights Resort & Spa, near the town of Whitehorse, glass chalets are available to book that offer huge windows looking out into the sky directly from the bed.
The resort offers a series of three- and four-night all-inclusive packages that include special viewing experiences, three meals daily, use of the saunas, winter clothes rentals and even dog sledding.
For the 2023-24 season, the resort is entirely sold out for the $1,371 per person Aurora Viewing Package. But, you can already submit a request to book for the 2024-25 season.
Arctic Treehouse Hotel
If the best way for you to see the northern lights is from panoramic floor-to-ceiling windows in a chic, Scandanavian-designed suite perched over the treetops of Lapland, the Arctic Treehouse Hotel has your name on it. In the Arctic Circle in Rovaniemi, Finland, this stylish hotel offers many free activities like snowshoeing during the winter months. The hotel also offers delectable dining at its restaurant, Rakas.
Rates vary throughout the season but seem to start in the high $700 range and jump to over $1,000 a night during peak season.
Eliassen Rorbuer
A resort in the Lofoten Islands in Norway, this property comprises a series of cottages used by fishermen in the storybook village of Hamnoy. Seriously, it looks like a scene from a Disney movie.
According to the hotel, guests can hunt the northern lights for 182 days of the year while sleeping in waterfront cottages with large skylights. Being on the water, guests can take boat trips to take in the scenery from a distance and then join an outing with a guide or photographer to catch the show in the sky.
Though there are many different types of accommodations, from three-bedroom apartments to small cottages, rates are generally very affordable and can be found starting at $193 per night.
Moxy Tromso
There’s a reason Moxy won the TPG Award for Best Affordable Hotel Brand in 2023: It has everything a guest could need, including a comfortable and fun room, a vibey lobby and locations in interesting places all around the world. And that includes Tromso, Norway, an incredible place to check out the northern lights.
At this Moxy, guests can start their mornings at the breakfast buffet before exploring the town. Then, gear up for a night of searching for the lights with dinner and drinks at Sky Bar Moxy; just be sure to ask for the secret menu. And though the hotel itself doesn’t provide northern lights tours, it can point you in the right direction for one of the many companies in the area that do.
Rates at the Moxy Tromso start at around $95 or 12,500 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.
Aurora Safari Camp
Inspired by the small bush camps in Kenya, Aurora Safari Camp is a play on an arctic safari in Swedish Lapland, where pretty much everything you need is included. For starters, the all-inclusive-style camp includes all of your food and drinks (even alcohol), as well as activities like steaming in the sauna, taking a fat bike out on the snow, snowshoes and Nordic skis. And don’t forget the charming rooms with huge windows perfect for gazing at the night sky.
For rates and availability, head to the company’s contact page to submit specific information about the trip you’re looking to plan.
Arctic Bath
Consider Arctic Bath a spa resort with a side of northern lights tucked away in Sweden’s Lapland. Here, you can take advantage of a modern take on traditional Swedish spa rituals (think: cold baths, saunas and more) during the day, and then spend the nights chasing the cosmos. It also has upscale dining that serves fresh Scandinavian fare in a modern restaurant. But best of all, you don’t have to try too hard to find the northern lights here — just clear skies and a bit of good fortune.
Rates at Arctic Bath start at around $575 per night.
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