Glass igloo stays: sleep under the northern lights

Have you ever imagined watching a clear night sky while the northern lights move above you? There are few winter experiences more appealing than that. And in a handful of places across the Arctic, you can watch it from bed in a warm glass igloo.

But this name can be misleading. When you hear “glass igloo,” you probably picture a small transparent room with glass all around you. In reality, it might be a traditional log cabin with a glass-roofed bedroom, a geodesic dome made from clear polycarbonate, or a more enclosed room with one large viewing window. 

These places are also easy to misjudge from photos alone, so it is worth understanding exactly what you are booking before you choose one.

What actually makes a glass igloo stay worth the trip

A glass igloo stay is worth it when you have a clear view of the sky, the surroundings are dark enough to see the aurora properly, and the room you are staying in is comfortable and warm. If the view is limited, artificial light interferes with the sky, or basic facilities are inconvenient, the experience can fall short quickly.

But what are glass igloos in practice? They are heated rooms with a clear roof or large transparent panels that let you see the sky from the bed. Some have transparent roofs and upper walls around the bed, while others are traditional cabins with a glass-roofed bedroom.

When you compare glass igloo hotels, pay attention to three things:

1. The view from the bed. The northern lights do not always appear directly overhead. They can begin low on the horizon or move across different parts of the sky during the night. A room with a wide transparent roof and upper walls allows you to follow more of that movement without getting out of bed, while a narrow skylight limits you to whatever happens to pass above it.
2. The surroundings. You will see the aurora more clearly against a dark sky. When the northern lights are weak, nearby artificial lighting can make them difficult to see at all. Bright parking areas, illuminated paths, and neighboring buildings can also create reflections on the glass, so look for a property with little artificial light around the rooms.
3. The bathroom setup. Some igloos have a private shower and toilet inside the room, while others use shared facilities nearby. That difference feels much more substantial when you have to step outside in snow and freezing temperatures.

When you compare properties, check these three details first, then look at extras such as saunas, restaurants, or daytime activities. Those are nice to have, but they are not what you are booking the igloo for.

Kakslauttanen, Finland: the original glass igloo

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort is about 6 miles (10 km) south of Saariselkä, a small resort town in northern Finnish Lapland. The resort is divided into two areas, the East Village and the West Village, about 2.5 miles (4 km) apart. The first glass igloos were built here in 1999, and Kakslauttanen remains one of the best-known places to watch the northern lights from a glass igloo in Finland.

The smallest are the Small Glass Igloos, 270-square-foot (25 square meters) rooms with two single beds directly beneath the glass roof. Each one also has a private shower, toilet, and electric sauna. Small Glass Igloos are available in both the East and West villages, so you can choose the same room type in either part of the resort.

There are also more spacious igloos in the West Village called Kelo-Glass Igloos. These are traditional log chalets with a separate glass-roofed bedroom. The rest of the chalet has a living area, fireplace, kitchenette, bathroom, and private sauna. Kakslauttanen also has one 3,337-square-foot (310 square meters) Luxury Kelo-Glass Igloo for large groups or families, with three regular bedrooms and three glass bedrooms for a total of up to 12 guests.

Most of the resort’s main activities take place in the West Village, so if you book a Small Glass Igloo, which is available in both villages, check the exact location before confirming your room. Kakslauttanen is a good fit if you want several accommodation options and enough to do at the resort during the day. You can see the northern lights here from late August through April, so you don’t necessarily have to plan a glass igloo trip in the winter.

If Kakslauttanen is your main destination in Lapland, the most convenient way to get there from the US is to fly to Helsinki Airport (HEL), then take a domestic flight to Ivalo Airport (IVL). Finnair operates nonstop flights from New York (JFK) to Helsinki, with the journey taking a little over 8 hours. After a layover in Helsinki, you proceed to the flight to Ivalo, which takes roughly 2 hours. 

The resort is another 22 miles (35 km) from Ivalo, and the drive takes about 30 minutes. Kakslauttanen can arrange the airport transfer, so you only need a rental car if you want to explore the surrounding area independently. Rovaniemi Airport (RVN) is another gateway for glass igloo trips in Finnish Lapland, but Kakslauttanen is roughly three hours away by road from there, so Ivalo Airport is a much more convenient option.

Lyngen North, Norway: fjord views without the crowds

Lyngen North is a small glass igloo resort in Norway on the Spåkenes Peninsula. It faces Lyngenfjord, with the Lyngen Alps rising on the opposite side of the water. From September through April, the northern lights appear above the fjord and mountains, which makes the setting unique and distinctive among other glass igloo destinations.

The 180-degree igloos face the fjord and mountains through large glass sections, while the 360-degree igloos have transparent walls on all sides for a panoramic view. For aurora viewing, the 360-degree igloos are the better choice because the aurora does not stay in one part of the sky. It can appear low over the horizon, move overhead, or spread across several directions, so the 360-degree igloos make it easier to keep watching without getting out of bed.

Lyngen North is much smaller than Kakslauttanen, with only a handful of igloos. This means fewer neighboring rooms and less activity around you at night. The Spåkenes Peninsula is also far enough from Tromsø to avoid most city lights. The property has its own restaurant, Solvind, which serves breakfast and dinner. Lyngen North is a good choice if you want a quiet stay and care as much about the fjord and mountain setting as the aurora. Because there are so few igloos, it is worth booking early if your travel dates are fixed.

If you are coming from the US, fly into Tromsø Airport (TOS) and continue to Lyngen North by car. During the main aurora season, you can fly Icelandair from Boston (BOS) to Keflavík Airport (KEF), with the journey taking about 5 to 6 hours, then continue to Tromsø after your layover. The Keflavík–Tromsø flight takes close to 3 hours and operates seasonally, so check that it is available for your dates. If it is not available, you have another option with Finnair via Helsinki, with the Helsinki–Tromsø flight taking approximately 2 hours. 

The drive from Tromsø to Lyngen North takes about 3 hours. This is a scenic route that crosses the fjords twice, first by ferry from Breivikeidet to Svensby and then from Lyngseidet to Olderdalen, before continuing north to the Spåkenes Peninsula.

Aurora Igloo, Iceland: the accessible option on the Ring Road

Aurora Igloo South is a glass igloo property in Iceland just outside Hella, a small town in South Iceland about 62 miles (100 km) east of Reykjavík. The property is close to Route 1, Iceland’s Ring Road, so it fits naturally into a trip along the South Coast.

The igloos here are geodesic domes made from transparent polycarbonate panels instead of glass. Most of the dome is clear, so you can see a broad section of the sky from the bed while staying protected from the wind and cold outside.

There are two room types. Standard igloos are 161 square feet (15 square meters), with a double bed and heating, but no bathroom: guests use shared bathroom facilities in a separate building about 165 to 330 feet (50 to 100 m) away. Private igloos are slightly larger at 194 square feet (18 square meters) and have their own shower and toilet. In winter, that difference is worth paying attention to, because staying in a Standard igloo means getting dressed for the cold every time you need the bathroom.

The location near Route 1 is one of Aurora Igloo’s biggest advantages. Many of South Iceland’s waterfalls, beaches, and other major stops lie along the same route, so you can spend the day exploring, stay in the dome that night, and continue farther along the South Coast the next morning. Northern lights are visible in South Iceland from late August into mid-April.

From the US, you can fly into Keflavík International Airport (KEF) and rent a car for the drive to Hella. This is the easiest of the European glass igloo stays to reach because you can fly nonstop to Iceland from several US cities. Icelandair operates such flights from New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Chicago (ORD), Seattle (SEA), and other US airports. Delta and United also operate seasonal nonstop flights to Keflavík from New York, Boston, Chicago, and several other US cities. From New York, for example, the flight to Keflavík takes about 6 hours. 

From the airport, the drive to Hella is about 81 miles (130 km) and takes roughly 2 hours in normal conditions. Take Route 41 toward Reykjavík, then join Route 1 and continue east through Selfoss to Hella. 

Borealis Basecamp, Alaska: the option that doesn’t require an ocean crossing

If you want to watch the northern lights from a glass igloo in Alaska, Borealis Basecamp is about 25 miles (40 km) north of Fairbanks, surrounded by 100 acres (40 hectares) of boreal forest. It is the only property in this guide that US travelers can reach without an overseas flight. Once you arrive in Fairbanks, the rest of the trip is by road.

The property has 36 igloos. Unlike the mostly transparent domes at Lyngen North and Aurora Igloo, these rooms have solid walls and a curved 16-foot (4.9 m) viewing window that extends over part of the roof. The room feels more like a conventional hotel room, but you can still watch the sky from the bed. Every igloo also has a private bathroom.

Borealis Basecamp also has newer Aurora Cube rooms. Instead of the curved viewing window found in the igloos, the cubes have a large transparent wall facing the sky. It gives you a comfortable place to sit with a drink and watch for the aurora before going to bed.

For families or larger groups, the Cube Suites are the most spacious option. They sleep up to five people, with two queen beds and an additional single bed, and have a separate sitting area. The suites also have a private sauna, walk-in shower, soaking tub, and a full wall of transparent glass for watching the sky.

Borealis Basecamp is a good choice if you want to do more than watch the aurora and turn the stay into a short winter vacation. During the day, you can go dog sledding or snowmobiling, take a helicopter flightseeing trip, join a sunset snowcoach excursion, or book a private sauna session. There are also three places to eat on the property, including the main restaurant, Latitude 65. Around Fairbanks, the northern lights are visible from late August through April.

If you are flying to Borealis Basecamp from the Lower 48, one of the easiest routes is through Seattle (SEA). Alaska Airlines and Delta both operate nonstop flights from Seattle to Fairbanks International Airport (FAI), with the flight taking about 3.5 to 4 hours. If you are starting elsewhere in the US, you can fly to Seattle first, have your layover there, then continue to Fairbanks.

Once you arrive in Fairbanks, Borealis Basecamp is about 25 miles (40 km) north of the city, and the drive from the airport usually takes 45 to 60 minutes. Shuttle transfers are available from the airport and major hotels in Fairbanks, so you do not need to rent a car unless you plan to explore other parts of the area. 

What a glass igloo stay costs and when to book

Prices at glass igloo hotels vary widely depending on the resort and type of room. At Kakslauttanen, for example, a Small Glass Igloo starts at $422 (about €360) per night, while the Luxury Kelo-Glass Igloo starts at $2,275 (about €1,960). The prices also change depending on how far in advance you book and when your stay is scheduled. 

• Kakslauttanen, Finland: Besides the Small and Luxury Kelo-Glass Igloos above, there are also Large Glass Igloos that start at $504 (€435) per night, and Kelo-Glass Igloos that start at $539 (€465). These are starting prices, so you can pay considerably more on busy winter dates. Kakslauttanen also offers winter half-board rates with breakfast and dinner included.
• Lyngen North, Norway: You can expect to pay $696–$804 (NOK 6,500–7,500) per night for a glass igloo, with higher prices possible when demand is stronger. Meals are included only if you book the half-board rate.
• Aurora Igloo South, Iceland: Standard igloos start at $140–$150 (ISK 17,000–18,000) per night outside the busiest travel periods. Private igloos, which have their own bathroom, are $250–$400 (ISK 30,000–49,000) during aurora season. Meals are not included, but there is a shared kitchen on the property for guests who want to prepare their own food.
• Borealis Basecamp, Alaska: Borealis Basecamp prices most winter stays as packages. For the 2026/27 season, the two-night Adventure package starts at $1,990 per party of up to 6 people, while the two-night Leisure package starts at $2,115. The price covers accommodation and some activities. Meals cost extra.

All four destinations have a similar aurora season, roughly from September through April, so you have multiple months to choose from. Christmas and New Year dates sell out first, so book those stays as soon as your plans are firm if you want to spend the holidays under the northern lights. Lyngen North is also worth reserving early because it has only a handful of igloos. If your dates are flexible, the rest of the season gives you more room to compare prices and room types before you book.

If you need help finding a hotel in Finland, Norway, or Iceland before or after your igloo stay, you can use AranGrant’s convenient hotel search to research the options and find one that fits your preferences.

Which glass igloo should you choose?

For a first glass igloo stay, Kakslauttanen and Borealis Basecamp are the strongest choices. Kakslauttanen has several room types and enough resort facilities to support a longer stay in Finnish Lapland, while Borealis Basecamp is easier to reach from the US and has plenty to do during the day.

Whichever one you choose, make sure you enjoy the stay even if the northern lights do not appear. The aurora is never guaranteed, but spending a few days somewhere memorable with friends or family still makes the trip worthwhile.