If you're trying to decide where to stay in Levi, you'll quickly discover there's no shortage of hotel round-ups online. Most simply list ten or twenty hotels with a brief description of each.
This isn't one of those guides.
After planning three DIY trips to Finnish Lapland, I've realised that choosing where to stay is about much more than finding the highest-rated hotel. Are you travelling with young children? Do you need a kitchen? Are you relying on activity transfers? Do you want to be able to walk everywhere, or are you hiring a car? Would you rather have a private sauna or wake up in a glass igloo?
Those are the questions that really shape your trip.
In this guide, I'll explain the accommodation we chose and why, the hotels we seriously considered, and which options I'd recommend for different types of travellers. Rather than simply listing hotels, I'll help you work out which area and style of accommodation is the best fit for your own Lapland adventure.
Just a quick note before we begin. Some of the links in this guide are affiliate links. This means we may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through them, at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products, services and experiences we've used ourselves or genuinely believe will help you plan your trip. Thanks for supporting Build a Break.
⭐ Best overall area: Levi Village Centre
👨👩👧 Best for families: Levi Unna Mànnu Suites or Levi Hotel Spa
💕 Best for couples: OloResort or Northern Lights Village
✨ Best bucket-list stay: Northern Lights Village
🎿 Best for skiing: Levi Panorama Hotel
🌌 Best for Northern Lights: K5 Hotel or Northern Lights Village
🚶 Need a car? No – stay in Levi Village Centre and you can easily walk to restaurants, supermarkets and most activity pick-up points.
💡 Top tip: In Lapland you'll spend far more time in your accommodation than you probably expect. Think beyond the bed—features like a sauna, drying cupboard, washing machine and kitchen can make a huge difference after a day in the snow.
Before you start comparing hotels, I'd recommend thinking about how you want to experience Lapland.
On most city breaks, accommodation is simply somewhere to sleep. In Lapland, we found the opposite was true.
With temperatures sometimes dropping below -25°C, you'll probably spend much more time in your accommodation than you expect.
Between activities, we often headed back to warm up, dry our hats, gloves and snoods, have some lunch and relax for a while before heading out again. In the evenings, we were usually happy to curl up with a hot chocolate and a film rather than staying out late.
Because of that, choosing the right accommodation can make a huge difference to your trip.
When we planned our first DIY visit to Levi, these were the things that mattered most to us:
• Location – We weren't hiring a car, so we wanted to be within walking distance of activity pick-up points, restaurants, shops and the supermarket.
• Space – Travelling as a family of four, we preferred an apartment rather than squeezing into a standard hotel room.
• Kitchen facilities – Our children have dietary requirements, so being able to prepare some of our own meals was a big advantage and also helped keep costs down.
• Washing machine and drying cupboard – These became two of our favourite features, allowing us to pack lighter and quickly dry winter clothing after a day in the snow.
• Private sauna – After spending hours outdoors in freezing temperatures, having our own sauna was something we appreciated every single day.
Your priorities might be completely different.
If you're travelling as a couple, you may prefer a secluded glass igloo or luxury resort away from the village. If skiing is your main reason for visiting, staying close to the slopes could be more important than being near the restaurants. Families with younger children might prefer somewhere with a swimming pool or indoor play facilities.
There's no single "best" place to stay in Levi. The right choice depends on the type of holiday you're hoping to have.
In the sections below, I'll share where we stayed, the other hotels we seriously considered and who I think each option is best suited to.
After comparing lots of different accommodation options, we chose Levi Unna Mànnu Suites, and honestly, I wouldn't hesitate to stay there again.
Normally, I always say accommodation is just somewhere to sleep. We'd much rather spend our money on experiences than a luxury hotel room.
Lapland completely changed that.
With temperatures dropping as low as -28°C during our trip, we found ourselves returning to our apartment throughout the day to warm up before heading back out for our next activity. In the evenings, rather than staying out late, we'd often make hot chocolates, put on a film and relax together after a day in the snow.
Because of that, we wanted somewhere that felt like a home rather than just a hotel room.
As a family of four, Levi Unna Mànnu Suites ticked every box on our wish list.
We had a spacious open-plan living area and kitchen, two separate bedrooms, two toilets (which was a huge bonus travelling as four girls!), a washing machine, a drying cupboard, our own private sauna and a large smart TV where we could log into Netflix and Disney+.
The washing machine meant we could pack much lighter than we normally would, while the drying cupboard quickly became one of our favourite features. After spending hours outside in the snow, we could dry boots, gloves, hats and snoods ready for the next day's adventures.
The private sauna was another feature we used every day.
After being outside in temperatures approaching -30°C, it was the perfect way to warm up before settling in for the evening.
Location was just as important as the apartment itself.
We weren't hiring a car, so we wanted to be able to walk everywhere. The apartment was only a couple of minutes from Zero Point, where many of our activity transfers departed, a short walk from the supermarket, and within easy walking distance of Levi's restaurants, cafés and shops.
Looking back, it was exactly the right choice for the type of trip we wanted.
If you're travelling as a family, planning a DIY Lapland holiday or simply like having a bit more space than a standard hotel room, I'd highly recommend considering an apartment like this.
Before booking our accommodation, we spent weeks comparing hotels, apartments and cabins across Levi.
Rather than simply choosing the highest-rated hotel, we looked at what would work best for the type of trip we were planning. We weren't hiring a car, wanted to be able to walk to activity pick-up points and restaurants, and knew we'd be spending more time indoors than we normally would on a city break.
These were the other properties that made our shortlist and why we considered them.
If we were travelling with younger children, Levi Hotel and Spa would probably have been our first choice.
Having the spa, swimming pools and Ailu Family indoor soft play all on site would be a huge advantage, especially after a long day outdoors or if the weather was particularly cold. It's also centrally located, so you can easily walk to restaurants, shops and many activity meeting points without needing a car.
I'd recommend it for: Families with younger children looking for plenty to do both indoors and outdoors.
Even if you decide not to stay at Levi Hotel Spa, it's still worth knowing that you don't need to be a hotel guest to enjoy the facilities.
The spa, swimming pools and Ailu Family indoor soft play are all open to non-residents, making them a great option if you're looking for somewhere to warm up after a day in the snow or need an indoor activity for younger children. We included both in our 25 Best Things to Do in Levi guide, where you'll also find plenty of other family-friendly activities to help plan your trip.
K5 Hotel was another property that made it onto our shortlist and, if seeing the Northern Lights is high on your priority list, it's easy to see why it's so popular.
The hotel sits beside a frozen lake on the edge of Levi village, which is widely regarded as one of the best places in the resort to watch for the aurora on a clear night.
Although we didn't stay here ourselves, we still walked down to the lake during our visit, and the location is fantastic. Even if you're staying elsewhere in Levi, it's well worth wandering over one evening to see if the Northern Lights make an appearance.
I also feature this spot in my Guide to Seeing the Northern Lights in Lapland for Free, where I've shared our favourite viewing locations and tips for giving yourself the best chance of seeing the aurora without booking an organised tour.
One of K5's most popular features is its resident reindeer. You don't actually have to be staying at the hotel to visit them either. During our trip, we discovered you can buy bags of lichen from reception for around €7 and feed the reindeer yourself, making it a lovely little experience even if you're staying elsewhere in Levi.
Another reason we considered K5 was the variety of accommodation available. Whether you're travelling as a couple looking for a standard hotel room, a family wanting extra space or a larger group needing a villa that sleeps up to eight people, there's an option to suit most travellers.
One thing worth knowing is that K5 is incredibly popular and often sells out well in advance, particularly for December and the February half-term holidays. If it's high on your shortlist, I'd recommend booking as early as possible.
I'd recommend it for: Families, larger groups, couples and anyone hoping to maximise their chances of seeing the Northern Lights while staying within easy walking distance of Levi village.
Levi Panorama Hotel was another property we seriously considered and one that almost made our final shortlist.
Perched at the top of Levi Fell, it offers some of the best views in the whole resort, with direct access to the ski slopes, making it an excellent choice if skiing or snowboarding is the main reason for your trip.
One of the biggest advantages is that guests can use the Levi Gondola to travel between the hotel and the village below, making it easy to reach the restaurants, shops and activity providers in the centre.
Even if you don't stay at the hotel, I'd still recommend taking the gondola during your visit.
We did exactly that on our own trip to enjoy the incredible views across Levi and explore the top of the fell. (You can read more about how we planned our trip in our 5 Days in Levi for Under £500 per Person guide.)
For us, though, it wasn't quite the right fit.
We weren't hiring a car and knew we'd be heading in and out several times a day between activities, often returning to our accommodation to warm up, dry our winter clothing or grab some lunch before heading back out.
We preferred the convenience of staying in the centre, where we could simply walk a couple of minutes to Zero Point, the supermarket and Levi's restaurants, rather than needing to take the gondola each time we wanted to go back to our apartment.
That said, if we were planning a ski-focused holiday or travelling as a couple, I think we'd have made a very different decision. Waking up at the top of Levi Fell with panoramic views and stepping straight onto the slopes would be an incredible way to experience Lapland.
I'd recommend it for: Skiers, snowboarders, couples and anyone who values spectacular views over being in the heart of the village.
Northern Lights Village Levi was another property we seriously considered, and it's easy to see why it's one of the most sought-after places to stay in Lapland.
Most people know it for its beautiful glass-roof Aurora Cabins, where you can watch the night sky from the comfort of your bed if the Northern Lights decide to appear. It's undoubtedly a bucket-list stay, but there's far more to the resort than just the accommodation.
What really caught our attention was the range of activities available on site. Alongside husky safaris, reindeer experiences, snowmobiling and aurora excursions, the resort is home to its incredibly popular Searching for Santa experience.
Families are guided by Santa's elves through gingerbread baking, reindeer encounters and a search for Santa's secret cabin, ending with a private meeting with Father Christmas. It's one of the highest-rated Santa experiences in Levi and can be extremely difficult to book unless you're staying at the resort because demand is so high.
The only reason we didn't choose Northern Lights Village was because of the type of trip we were planning.
Our Levi holiday was designed as a budget DIY trip, where we wanted to keep accommodation costs sensible while spending more of our budget on experiences.
By choosing a spacious apartment in the centre of Levi, we still had an excellent base with easy access to supermarkets, restaurants and activity pick-up points, while giving ourselves the freedom to book excursions with a variety of different providers rather than relying on those offered by a single resort.
We'd also already decided that we wanted to spend a full day and evening at Arcandia, experiencing both the magical Elf Court and the incredible Darkness Experience. As that was our chosen Santa experience for the trip, we didn't feel the need to pay a premium to stay somewhere offering an alternative Santa attraction as well.
If you're deciding between the two, I'd recommend reading my Arcandia review, where I've shared exactly why it became one of the highlights of our family's first trip to Lapland.
For our family, that approach worked brilliantly. We managed to enjoy an unforgettable five-day Lapland holiday for under £500 per person, proving you don't need to stay in one of Lapland's luxury resorts to have an incredible experience. If you're looking to keep costs down too, I'd also recommend my 10 Top Tips for Visiting Lapland on a Budget, where I've shared the money-saving tricks we've learnt after planning three DIY Lapland trips ourselves.
That said, if budget wasn't such a consideration or we were celebrating a special occasion, I think Northern Lights Village would be an incredible place to stay. Between the glass-roof Aurora Cabins, the excellent range of on-site activities and the hugely popular Searching for Santa experience, it's easy to see why it's one of the most sought-after resorts in Finnish Lapland.
I'd recommend it for: Families hoping to experience Searching for Santa, couples celebrating a special occasion and anyone looking to tick a glass igloo stay off their bucket list.
If we were visiting Levi as a couple rather than a family, OloResort would probably be at the top of our list.
Set away from the centre of Levi, it's designed for travellers looking for peace, privacy and a more luxurious Lapland experience. Surrounded by snowy forests with very little light pollution, it feels much more secluded than staying in the village and offers an ideal setting for a romantic getaway.
Unlike our trip, which focused on creating an affordable DIY family holiday, I can completely see the appeal of choosing somewhere like OloResort for a honeymoon, anniversary or special celebration. Waking up surrounded by Arctic wilderness and ending the day watching for the Northern Lights from your accommodation would make for a truly unforgettable stay.
We didn't consider it more seriously was because it didn't suit the type of holiday we were planning. We wanted to be able to walk to supermarkets, restaurants and activity meeting points without hiring a car, whereas OloResort is better suited to travellers who don't mind being a little further from the village or who have their own transport.
If you're planning a luxury Lapland escape, however, I think this would be an incredible choice.
I'd recommend it for: Couples, honeymooners, anniversaries and anyone looking for a peaceful luxury retreat surrounded by Arctic nature.
For most first-time visitors, I'd recommend staying in Levi Village Centre.
Everything is within easy walking distance, including restaurants, supermarkets, equipment hire and many activity meeting points. We also found ourselves returning to our accommodation between activities far more than we expected, whether to warm up, dry our winter clothing or simply take a break before heading back out.
If you're hiring a car or looking for a quieter luxury escape, staying outside the village can be a great option. However, for most families and first-time visitors, the convenience of staying in the centre is hard to beat.
No.
We explored Levi without hiring a car and never felt like we needed one. Most organised excursions include transport or depart from central meeting points around Zero Point, and the village itself is compact enough to explore on foot.
If you're staying outside the village in somewhere like OloResort or Northern Lights Village, a hire car may give you a little more flexibility, but it certainly isn't essential.
As early as possible if you're travelling in December or during the February half-term holidays.
Some of the most popular hotels, apartments and glass cabins can sell out months in advance, particularly family accommodation and bucket-list stays such as Northern Lights Village.
If you've found somewhere you love and the price works for your budget, I'd be tempted to book it sooner rather than later.
Absolutely.
After looking around several of them as part of our work with various partners across Lapland, I completely understand why they're such a bucket-list experience. Waking up beneath a glass roof with the possibility of seeing the Northern Lights from your bed is something that's incredibly special.
The only reason we haven't stayed in one ourselves yet is because they haven't suited the type of trips we've been planning. Our recent visits have focused on creating affordable DIY family holidays, where we'd rather spend the extra money on activities than accommodation.
That said, if we were planning a honeymoon, anniversary or another special celebration, I'd book a glass igloo without hesitation. It's definitely something we'd love to experience on a future trip to Lapland.
If we returned to Levi tomorrow as a family, we'd book Levi Unna Mànnu Suites again without hesitation.
It gave us everything we wanted: plenty of space, a kitchen, washing machine, drying cupboard, private sauna and, most importantly, a fantastic central location that meant we could walk to almost everything.
That doesn't mean it's the right choice for everyone.
If we were travelling as a couple, we'd probably choose OloResort or Northern Lights Village. If skiing was our priority, we'd pick Levi Panorama Hotel. And if we had younger children who loved swimming, Levi Hotel Spa would be very difficult to overlook.
Ultimately, the best place to stay in Levi depends on how you want to experience Lapland. Hopefully, by sharing how we made our own decision, it's helped you choose the accommodation that's right for your trip.
Don't forget to explore our other Levi guides, including:
Whenever I spot great-value DIY Lapland flights and accommodation from UK airports, I share them with members of the Build a Break Travel Club. If you'd like to experience Lapland without paying package holiday prices, it's a great place to start.
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