The Best Northern Lights Hotels in Norway

Someone recently asked me for my top tip for planning a trip to Norway, and without hesitation I told them to find great accommodation and go from there. There are so many unique accommodation options in Norway, and staying in the right place can totally make your trip.

I mean, this isn’t a country of big fancy cities where you’ll want to stay in some luxury hotel chain. Norway’s strength is its natural beauty and rich culture, and one of the easiest ways to ensure you experience both is to carefully choose a wonderful place to stay.

And I think this is especially true for a northern lights trip. Of course if you just want to see the northern lights you could easily book a hotel in Tromsø and take a northern lights tour out of the city to chase the lights. And I’m sure you’ll have a wonderful time.

But imagine instead watching the northern lights from the warmth of your own private glass igloo? Or forget warmth, you could spend the night in a real igloo made of snow and ice!

I’ve published a comprehensive guide to all of the Arctic Domes and glass igloos in Norway here.

Or maybe you’d prefer an authentic Norwegian cabin experience?

You’ll need to rent a car to reach many (but not all) of these northern lights hotels, as some are outside the main cities, away from the tourist crowds. You can compare prices and book your rental car here, and I’ve written a guide to driving in Norway here, including tips for driving here in the winter.

Here are some of my top recommendations for unique northern lights hotels in Norway:

I’ve also shared more northern lights tips here, as well as how to photograph (and film) northern lights here, and the best places to see the northern lights here. And if you want more help check out my northern lights ebook which covers everything you’ll need to know for your northern lights trip. 

Aera Glass Cabins in Tromsø

Tromsø is an excellent starting point for any northern lights trip. The city itself is beautiful with many things to do, and there are lots of fun winter tours and activities offered out of Tromsø. You can find my full guide to winter in Tromsø here. 

A lot of people want to stay in a glass igloo on their northern lights trips so they can watch the northern lights from the comfort (and warmth!) of their own bed.

This truly is the most magical experience I’ve had – though be warned you might not get much sleep if the northern lights are active! It’s hard to close your eyes when the sky is dancing above you. 

The closest and nicest glass roof accommodation near Tromsø is the stunning Aera Glass Cabins. They’re a splurge, but staying here would be a once in a lifetime experience! 

These are about a 30 minute drive from the city center and they have free parking. You can book a rental car from the airport here. 

Check current rates and availability at the Aera Glass Cabins here

North Experience Basecamp 

While Tromsø makes an excellent base for a northern lights trip, I also highly recommend renting a car and venturing away from the city a bit.  The glass igloos at North Experience Basecamp are perfect!

They are just under a 90 minute drive outside of Tromsø, by Lyngenfjord, which I personally think is one of the most beautiful fjords in Norway. The drive is really easy even in the winter as it’s on one of the main highways in the area, so you should be totally fine renting a car and driving here yourself.

The glass igloos here are perfect for watching the northern lights from the warmth of your bed. Plus they have an outdoor jacuzzi and a beautiful barrel sauna on the property as well. 

Check current rates and availability here

Aurora Fjord Cabins in Lyngen

One of my all time favorite northern lights hotels is the Aurora Fjord Cabins in Lyngen. These are right on the water and the views are incredible.

I watched the northern lights all night here! These are a two hour drive from Tromsø. 

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my experience staying at the Aurora Fjord Cabins here

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel

About an hour’s drive from Tromsø, the island of Sommarøy is one of my favorite nature getaways here. The views are stunning, and the water is so turquoise you’d almost think you were in the tropics.

You can easily visit on a day trip from Tromsø, but if you want to see the northern lights this is the perfect place to spend a couple of nights, as the skies are nice and dark for aurora viewing. 

I stayed at the Sommarøy Arctic Hotel when my friend Samantha visited, and they even allow dogs! We stayed in one of their standard (dog friendly) rooms, but if you aren’t traveling with a dog there are lots of other great options as well.

The three-bedroom houses right on the water look incredible. The hotel has a sauna complete with a walkway right into the sea so you can take some icy dips, and there is also a jacuzzi to rent.

The restaurant is also fantastic, with beautiful views out over the water. The northern lights came out right after we finished eating dinner and we simply walked out onto the hotel’s back terrace and took photos right there.

Check current rates and availability here

Arctic Dome in Alta

 

If you want to stay in an igloo without renting a car, the Arctic Dome at Glød Explorer is perfect because you can fly into Alta and they’ll pick you up at the airport.

This is also probably the most luxurious Arctic Dome I’ve stayed in. There’s an attached bathroom so you don’t need to go outside to use the toilet, and they will wake you up with a coffee delivery and even come inside to make a fire in the wood burning oven for you each morning.

 

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at Glød Explorer here

Wild Caribou Dome in Lakselv

Lakselv is a 2.5 hour drive from Alta, and they also have their own airport (though flights here are typically more expensive than flights into Alta). Here you can stay at the Wild Caribou Arctic Dome, which is perfectly positioned for watching the northern lights! I love that this Arctic Dome is totally secluded and it’s definitely a unique experience, far off the tourist path. You will need a car to get here. 

Check current rates and availability at the Wild Caribou Dome here

Holmen Husky in Alta

Alta is one of the best places in Norway to chase the northern lights, and at Holmen Husky you can stay with huskies!

You can visit with the huskies or go husky sledding here, and the mini lavvu accommodation is super cosy. They even come with their own little wood burning stove! This also happens to be one of the most budget friendly options on this list.

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at Holmen Husky here

Ice Hotel in Alta

If you really want a once in a lifetime experience, what about staying in an igloo hotel made of snow and ice?

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is constructed entirely of snow and ice (rebuilt at the start of each winter season) and features beautiful ice sculptures. And don’t worry, they provide super warm sleeping bags and reindeer skins to keep you warm inside the igloo at night.

Check current rates and availability here

SnowHotel Kirkenes

Kirkenes also has an igloo hotel made of snow and ice that you can overnight in. Plus they also offer cosy little cabins with huge windows facing north, so you have the option to visit the ice hotel during the day but sleep in a warm cabin instead.

Plus they have a team of huskies and reindeer on site, and they organize king crab fishing excursions, husky sledding, and northern lights chasing tours. I stayed here on a solo trip and seriously had the best time – there’s so much to do and the staff are incredibly friendly, so I never felt weird about being there on my own. 

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at the SnowHotel here

Norwegian Wild on Senja

The island of Senja is about a two and a half hour drive from Tromsø and it makes for the perfect escape into nature. The landscape here is incredible, and it’s an ideal place to chase the  northern lights. In fact I’d say Senja is one of the easiest places to chase the northern lights independently if you don’t want to join a tour.

I recommend staying at Norwegian Wild, which offers a nice range of accommodation options from basic wooden cabins to their magnificent lighthouse and their Arctic Dome. Plus the owner Hege is one of the nicest people I’ve met. 

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at Norwegian Wild here

Aurora Borealis Observatory on Senja

Another popular accommodation option in Senja is the Aurora Borealis Observatory, which is not only a great luxury stay, but also the ideal place to watch for the northern lights. I feel like I’m always seeing incredible aurora photos on Facebook and Instagram that were taken here. They also have a jacuzzi! 

Check current rates and availability here

Dyrøy Holiday on Dyrøy

If you want to meet the kindest people in Norway, go to Dyrøy Holiday. Seriously, the owners are so nice and helpful, and they also organize a tour with the sweetest farmer’s wife. Just thinking about it makes me miss them all!

Not only do they have an outdoor hot tub on site where you can sit under the northern lights, but they also organize lots of winter activities during the day so that you can make the most of your stay in Northern Norway. Plus the island is surrounded by beautiful mountains. If you want a quiet escape into Norway’s most beautiful nature, this is where you should stay.

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay on Dyrøy here

Arctic Dome in Narvik

The Arctic Dome in Narvik stands alone on the side of the mountain above Narvik, so you’ll have your northern lights views all to yourself.

Plus, if you rent a car for your stay here you can drive across the border to Abisko, which is famous for having the most clear skies for optimal northern lights viewing (you can also take the train from Narvik to Abisko or Kiruna).

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at the Arctic Dome here

Svinøya Rorbuer in Lofoten

While you’ll have the highest chances of seeing the northern lights in the far north of Norway, if you want to see them against the most stunning landscape in Norway, head to Lofoten.

Whenever people ask me where to go in Norway if they only visit one place, I recommend Lofoten. It’s simply the most beautiful place in the entire country.

My favorite place to stay here is the traditional fisherman cabins at Svinøya Rorbuer. They also organize northern lights tours, so you can optimize your chances of catching the aurora.

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at Svinøya Rorbuer here

Lofoten Links Lodges in Lofoten

If you want a more luxurious escape where you can watch the northern lights from the comfort of your home, head to the Lofoten Links Lodges on the island of Gimsøy. I stayed here alone, but the cabins are really big so I think it would be fun to come here with your family or a group of friends.

Gimsøy is the best place in Lofoten to watch for the northern lights as there is a clear view north and very dark skies, and the lodges have huge floor to ceiling windows facing north for optimal aurora viewing. Plus they organize horseback riding along the beach!

Check current rates and availability here | Read about my stay at Lofoten Links Lodges here

Nusfjord Arctic Resort in Lofoten

Lofoten has so many incredible places to stay, but the very top of the list has to be Nusfjord Arctic Resort. Nusfjord is one of the cutest villages in the Lofoten Islands (read about my visit to Nusfjord here).

The Nusfjord Arctic Resort has beautifully designed cabins right on the water, and an outdoor spa built with a wooden bath, sauna and natural outdoor shower. I actually was about to book a night here in December but decided to wait to visit until the spa opens up again after the pandemic. 

Check current rates and availability here

Steigen Lodge Sjøhytter

I haven’t stayed here, but I came across Steigen Lodge while planning a trip last year and I haven’t stopped thinking about it since. These cabins are right on the water with stunning mountain views, which you can enjoy through their enormous floor to ceiling windows. In fact I think I’ve actually just convinced myself to book a stay here this winter – anyone want to join me?

Check current rates and availability here