We were looking at different options to best enjoy the different experiences in Santa Claus Village in Rovaniemi and we came to one conclusion:

This is a once-in-a-lifetime trip for us with many things on the bucketlist that will be crossed and it all happens in Santa Claus Village. So TD & I decided to splurge on Glass Resort so we can walk to everything. I also really wanted the experience of lying in my bed under the stars. Whether we see the aurora borealis is never guaranteed, but we wanted to stay in this very special hotel. You’ll see why in a bit!

There are many other resorts in Santa’s Village but this felt very us… despite being black, it had modern clean lines & bright interiors because an entire wall & the ceiling is glass.

HOTEL PICKUP

We booked for pick up from the train station & it was all very convenient with a spacious car. There was another nice couple with us from Australia.

We didn’t have to carry a single piece of luggage to the reception & to the room. This is good for us who don’t know how not to slip and slide in snowy/slippery surfaces.

They took care of everything, even though DiploBaby was determined to help out.

CHECKING-IN

Room check in is at 3pm but we checked in their small lobby which is beside the restaurant so we can leave our luggage as we find lunch & explore Santa Claus Village as we wait till 3pm.

TD checked us in as I took pics & DiploBaby was outside obsessed with the snow.

DiploBaby was so excited by the snow. He was even asking me permission if he can eat the snow. I knew there was no stopping him, so I just told him to make sure it was untouched, virgin snow. He was really enjoying it. Anyway European germs are nothing compared to tropical germs so they can only build up his immune system – as long as it’s not poop LOL.

LOBBY SHOP

If you forgot a few things at home their small lobby shop has some locally made scarves, socks & leather goods. They also have Rituals products if you forgot some toiletries at home.

LOUNGE + SNACK BUFFET

While TD checked us in, we were told to feel free to take a seat in the lounge & enjoy a little open snack buffet.

It was small & everything was healthy yet surprisingly very yummy. The perks of a splurge hotel. I had to ask where to get the veggie chips coz they were so good. The lovely lady from their restaurant told me they are Pírkka Juureslastut. So if you see them when you are in Finland or Sweden, give them a try!

It was nice to have while waiting to check in & planning where we can eat & explore as we wait for the room to be ready. It was almost lunch time so we were hungry. Rooms are ready to enter at 3pm.

WHERE WE ATE & WHAT WE DID WHILE WAITING

THE ROOM

We were SO excited when it was time to go to our rooms. If you recall we had a really tiny rooms on the overnight train & shared toilets + shower so I couldn’t wait to get a good shower in & change clothes!

We entered in to the kitchenette & closet space & I was already so happy. Normally I don’t like black but when done well, as Glass Resort has, it can still be bright and airy.

The glass wall is stunning & lets in so much light.

This is DiploBaby’s bed, but he refuses to sleep alone, so he & TD will be sharing it.

I liked that the introduction to the room & how to use different features is playing on the TV. They also provide a tablet to easily communicate with the lobby and even order room service.

Spiral staircase leading to the 2nd bed. The only thing is that the spiral staircase is a bit small. It was triggering my fear of heights a bit… so I clung on well to the banister to make sure I didn’t fall, especially when I would go down to use the toilet in the middle of the night.

I love how they turned the reindeer horn into a lamp using LED light strips. Here in Rovaniemi, they eat reindeer so they make sure none of the parts go to waste. It’s beautiful.

DiploBaby is already using the tablet to get some YouTube in. I had to keep him away because we have deleted YT on our iPads.

THE TOP FLOOR

Be warned that during the day it can be quite hot upstairs so we always closed the blinds. It’s definitely the greenhouse effect. Even if it’s cold outside it can be warm because of the glass. The easy way to remedy it is to open the door to let some cool air in. There is also an airconditioner, but it’s faster to open the door.

We had to be mindful when we were changing especially at night coz the whole wall is glass & we can be seen outside.

They provided a leather banner to hang by the stairs.

I mainly hung it so I wouldn’t fall down the stairs by accident.

Here’s a pic of the ceiling and the to fully appreciate the glass resort room. Btw each house has 2 rooms and the couple we were with on the van were the ones beside us.

View of the bottom.

THE KITCHENETTE

Normally I don’t feel the need for a kitchenette if there were a lot of dining options, but the servings in the GLASS RESTAURANT were so big, we always had to take home a lot of fries. They had a microwave/oven but I couldn’t make it work despite some help from the hotel staff. Too bad coz crispy fries are so much better than soggy microwaved fries.

We appreciated the Nespresso & fridge for our sparkling waters. The teas were great for digestion after the big meals.

When we came back to the room after they cleaned it, I appreciated that they had already washed the glasses & dishes in the dishwasher and they were ready to use again.

This kitchenette is not just complete, but they use PENTIK plates and cups.

Everything is complete for cleaning & washing up.

One design detail that is very Finnish is the dish drainer that lies right on top of the sink. I wish we could apply this in other countries because it’s really clever.

BATHROOM

The bathroom is spacious and there are so many design details that I appreciate!

1. The waste bin that’s not touching the floor because there are no dividers on the floor between the shower & rest of the bathroom.

2. The bidet. Though you need to turn on the faucet right before you use it, which can cause some logistic problems IMO. But hey at least they have a bidet! It’s not something we have in Switzerland or Germany.

The Sauna is right beside the shower which makes drying stuff easier. The glass divider is not attached to the floor, but they have 3. MASSIVE floor drains (4x the normal size) which means it doesn’t flood.

4. They provide AROMASENSE showers which removes calc, chlorine + provides natural aromatherapy + increases the water pressure without increasing water use.

5. All the towels have built-in hook straps #SanaAll

6. I super love the white toiletry rack

7. I love the extra-long squeegees they have here! It really makes drying the floor after each bath easier.

One thing I noticed though is the towel rack isn’t heated. I wonder why.

SAUNA

The built-in sauna was such a treat. We asked them how old is the minimum to use it and the staff said he had been using the sauna since he was a baby. In fact most homes have saunas in Finland. So we took it as a chance to introduce DiploBaby to it!

We just turned the temperature to 55 & told him to sit at te bottom of the steps. The higher you are the hotter it is. He loved pouring water over the hot rocks.

HOT TUB

To do the hot tub, we got our bathrobes from the closet. We used our rubber slippers instead of the fabric ones they provided out of personal preference.

Each room has a hot tub and they showed TD how to open & close the tub. I loved the coat hooks beside the tub. It blends in with the environment. We had to be very careful hanging our stuff coz it so happens that the spot going to the rack is super slippery.

DiploBaby’s robe is a bit small haha… but it kept him warm on the way to and from the tub.

I was super super super cold taking pics haha. After I took it I rushed back to the room to leave my phone because I didn’t want to accidentally drop it in the tub or snow.