Rovaniemi, Finland

Octola Lodge & Private Wilderness

The Nordics • Stay • Octola Lodge & Private Wilderness in Rovaniemi, Finland

What’s the retreat in a nutshell?

In an undisclosed location, a 20-minute drive from Rovaniemi International Airport in the Finish Arctic Circle is Octala, the ultimate luxury getaway with its very own 300-hectare private wilderness and wildlife. The remote low-lying timber lodge retreat, which was founded by former pro snowmobile racer Janne Honkanen, can be reached by car, snowmobile or helicopter.

What are the rooms like?

Depending on the size of your party, Octala can cater to different needs. The Octala Lodge, consisting of two wings, has a total of ten en-suite bedrooms, while the Octala Villa has two en-suite bedrooms. All in all, there is space for a total of 24 guests. Rooms are spacious, layered and very chalet-chic.

What else?

At Octola, guests can truly immerse themselves in the surrounding wilderness through a wide range of adrenaline-fuelled activities. Why not try a snowmobile safari, do some husky dog sledging, skiing, tobogganing or snow-shoeing? You might not ever have thought about wanting to give reindeer herding a try. But why not, now that you have the chance? Back at Octala, there’s an outdoor jacuzzi, a private gym, a hand-carved wood-burning sauna and a glass-roofed cabin that is perfect for watching the Northern Lights. A team of chefs are on-call to prepare an eight-course North Pole tasting menu, but if you like to keep things casual, you can always throw a bear burger (yes, bear) on the grill.

What’s the town like?

The northern Finnish town of Rovaniemi, undoubtedly most famous for being Santa’s hometown, is best experienced in winter when it flaunts its snow-filled winter wonderland look. Seeing it in all its glory, it is hard to imagine that it was almost completely destroyed during World War II. As the capital of Finnish Lapland, it is a prime location for seeing the Aurora Borealis – aka Northern Lights – that lights up the sky.