Northern Lights hotels and tourism are booming, and the best evidence of that is the number of people flying to the extreme latitudes of our planet every year to chase the magical Aurora Borealis.
My experience taking photographs in the best Northern Lights destinations, such as Canada, Norway, and Iceland, has taught me that when you plan a trip like this, the most important thing to know is the best time to see the Northern Lights.
Northern Lights on the beach of Uttakleiv, Lofoten Islands, Norway
This is much easier when you stay at a Northern Lights hotel, where you’ll be able to see the “Green Lady,” even from your room.
Staying in one of the best Aurora Borealis hotels will make your experience unforgettable, whether it’s watching the Aurora from a transparent igloo room in the middle of the boreal forest or from a wooden cabin in the Arctic.
Northern Lights in the Reine Fjord, Lofoten Islands, Norway
There is an endless list of Northern Lights accommodations, and it just keeps growing. Here, we’ll only focus on the best Northern Lights hotels in the world.
Best hotels to see Northern Lights
To sum it up, these are the best Northern Lights hotels:
- Eliassen Rorbuer: My favorite hotel to see the Northern Lights for many reasons.
- Hotel Rangá: The best Northern Lights hotel in Iceland and one of the few in the world which specializes in Aurora watching.
- Blachford lake lodge: The best Northern Lights hotel in the Northwest Territories of Canada.
- Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort: The best Aurora Borealis hotel to enjoy the green lights from an igloo hotel in the Finnish Arctic.
- Pinetree Lodge: Enjoy the best Northern Lights accommodation in the middle of the Swedish boreal forest.
- Alyeska Hotel: The best Northern Lights hotel in the middle of the Alaskan wilderness.
- Arctic Hotel: The best Northern Lights hotel to see the Aurora reflected in the icebergs of Greenland.
Northern Lights at Uttakleiv, Lofoten Islands, Norway
As you can see, you can find specialized Northern Lights hotels practically all over the world. Now, we’ll look at the best ones in more detail:
1. Eliassen Rorbuer, my favorite Northern Lights accommodation
For me, the best hotel to see the Northern Lights is this group of old Norwegian fishermen’s cabins.
There aren’t enough words to describe the feeling of going out of your cabin and seeing the impressive Reinefjord painted green by the Aurora.
Eliassen Rorbuer has been the most impressive Northern Lights hotel I’ve stayed in. I can’t wait to return to Norway to repeat the experience.
1. Eliassen Rorbuer, my favorite Northern Lights accommodation
2. Tromso Ice Domes, the most original hotel for seeing the Northern Lights
Further north and in one of the most popular destinations to see Northern Lights in Norway, the Tromso Ice Domes offers the best experience for seeing the Aurora.
The hotel is an ice igloo that has all the comforts for spending a warm and unforgettable night inside. You can even take a snowshoe Northern Lights tour and see the Aurora by the light of a bonfire.
If you’re traveling to Norway to see this phenomenon, you may also be interested in reading our article on the best hotels to see Northern Lights in Norway or our guide to best places to stay in Tromso. We also have a guide where we tell our experience staying at the Tromso Ice Domes.
2. Tromso Ice Domes, the most original hotel to see Northern Lights
Another very popular hotel is the Radisson Blu, from which some of the best Northern Lights Tours in Tromso depart.
3. Hotel Rangá, the best Northern Lights hotel-observatory
Not many Northern Lights hotels are specialized in observation, but the Hotel Rangá, in Iceland, is one of them.
The lights of the hotel are adapted to avoid light pollution at night, and they have a service that wakes you up if the Aurora starts dancing across the sky.
In any case, the thing that makes this hotel different is the real observatory on the rooftop, perfect for seeing the Northern Lights.
3. Hotel Rangá, the best Northern Lights hotel-observatory
4. Reykjavik Domes Hotel, the best Northern Lights “Glamping”
As you probably know, “glamping ” refers to ” glamorous camping,” where campsites are located in the middle of nature but have all the amenities of a classic hotel.
This is what the Reykjavik Domes Hotel offers; you can see the Northern Lights in Iceland outdoors from a heated igloo-tent with all the services you’ll need.
If you want to see more accommodations in this region, you can check out our article on the best hotels to see Northern Lights in Iceland.
4. Reykjavik Domes Hotel, the best Northern Lights “glamping”
You can also check here the best Northern Lights night tours from Reykjavik and if you can spend some days in the capital city of Iceland check here the best things to do in Reykjavik.
5. Blachford LakeLodge, The best remote hotel to see the Northern Lights
The Blachford Lake Lodge is located in the middle of Lake Blachford, not far from Yellowknife, one of the best places to see northern lights in Canada. To get to the hotel, you’ll have to take one of the company’s bush airplanes, which takes you directly to the remotest hotel for seeing the Northern Lights.
Despite its remote location, this hotel offers all the services you’ll need, such as restaurants, heating, Wi-Fi, excursions, day activities, and the most important thing: a Northern Lights alarm service!
5. Blachford LakeLodge, The best remote hotel to see Northern Lights
6. Northern Lights Resort & Spa, the best Northern Lights relax-hotel in Canada
Located in the famous Northern Lights area of Whitehorse, Canada, the Northern Lights Resort & Spa offers a golden opportunity not only to see the Northern Lights but also to relax in the sauna and spa.
If your goal is to disconnect from the world while watching the Aurora, this is your best bet. For more options, check out our article on the best hotels to see Northern Lights in Canada.
6. Northern Lights Resort & Spa, the best Northern Lights relax-hotel in Canada
7. Hotel Alyeska, the best Northern Lights hotel in Alaska
When you think of Alaska, mountains, glaciers, and untouched nature inevitably come to mind.
If you want to see the Northern Lights in Alaska while surrounded by pristine nature, the Alyeska Hotel is one of the best Northern Lights hotels in Fairbanks.
Additionally, this hotel offers skiing activities, glacier walking tours, and wildlife-watching excursions, as well as many more services and restaurants.
7. Hotel Alyeska, the best Northern Lights hotel in the Alaskan wilderness
8. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, the best Northern Lights hotel in Lapland
If you’re planning to see the Northern Lights in Finland, the Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort offers an otherworldly experience.
This Northern Lights hotel in Finland consists of transparent igloos so you can see the Aurora from your room as well as wooden chalets with services such as sauna and spa.
In addition, you can take specific tours from the hotel to see the famous reindeer of the Lapland region.
8. Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort, the best Northern Lights hotel in Lapland
9. Pinetree Lodge, the best Aurora Borealis hotel in the boreal forest
I’m sure you’ve seen countless images of the Northern Lights in Sweden dancing above the boreal forest.
At the Pinetree lodge, you can experience and capture that beautiful moment, since it’s located in the middle of the boreal forest in the Swedish Arctic region. It’s one of the best Northern Lights hotels in Sweden.
Additionally, this hotel offers a bar and restaurants with local food from the Lapland region.
9. Pinetree Lodge, the best Aurora Borealis hotel in the boreal forest
10. Arctic Hotel, the best Northern Lights hotel in Greenland
The Arctic Hotel, located in the UNESCO-listed Ilulissat fjord, offers a panoramic view of the famous Disko Bay, where you can see icebergs sailing across the sea.
Furthermore, the views from the hotel are ideal for seeing the incredible spectacle of the Northern Lights reflected in the sea icebergs.
10. Arctic Hotel, the best Northern Lights hotel in Greenland
As you can see, the best Northern Lights hotels list is extensive, but any of the Aurora accommodations included above will make your experience unique and unforgettable.
Finally, don’t forget to check the Northern Lights forecast every day through the NOAA space administration official website as well as the cloud forecast in your area through Windy.com.
If you’re a photographer and your goal is to capture Northern Lights pictures, I also recommend you check out our Guide to photographing Northern Lights.
Good luck on your trip and Northern Lights chasing experience!
