Lapland Hotels Bear´s Lodge

Excellent service from the hotel staff. Breakfast has more quality then quantity. Hotel is a little bit out of the way especially if you drive a rented car as most of the roads have no street lights and you will have to depend on the high beam from the car to lead you through..it can get overwhelming esp if the first time you are driving in the snow. 10am to 3pm is the only period you can drive anywhere safely as beside the lights, there are stil icey roads to tackle

We went to Lapland with TUI and stayed at Lapland Bear’s Lodge, and overall it was an absolutely amazing experience. TUI really made the whole trip extra special and a lot of the magic came from them. From the airport the experience started straight away. We were greeted by an elf who took photos with the children, and the staff were brilliant at keeping the magic alive. They even played along with my child’s custom made Lapland boarding pass, which was such a lovely touch. The flight itself was really good. Breakfast on board was nice, and the crew kept everyone awake and excited with games, music and jokes, which helped a lot after such an early start. When we arrived, the TUI reps were very easy to find as Captain T, (AKA Thomson the Dog), was there. We did have a short wait for the coach because one family hadn’t shown up, but once we were given the go ahead we set off quickly. Collecting the snow suits was super fast and organised. They somehow just know what sizes you need by looking at you. You don’t try anything on here, you just get given a big bag with everything in it. Our first impression of the hotel wasn’t great, and this is the main reason I’ve dropped a star. Check in isn’t until 4pm, which would be fine if there was somewhere to go or something to do until then. Instead, everyone ended up packed into the lobby and restaurant. There was nowhere to sit, luggage everywhere, children and babies crying, and it felt very chaotic. We couldn’t even get changed into our snow gear as there was nowhere to change, so we ended up ordering lunch and then changing in the corridor. It would really help if there was a luggage room and a space to get changed on arrival day. (or check in to be earlier!) This would free up the restaurant for people who actually want to eat and encourage others to head outside and enjoy the snow. There is also a much larger restaurant at the back which was closed during the day and opening this on arrival day would make a huge difference. It was very stressful and not the magical arrival we were hoping for. We did order lunch though and although a small, limited menu, it was really tasty! Apart from that, most things were fantastic. Our room had bunk beds and was a good size. It did feel like it could do with a refurb as there were a few bits that were broken or a bit tired, but the beds were very comfortable and the room felt cosy. We slept with the curtains open every night to watch the snow fall, which was lovely. The shower was great after a cold day. A better radiator or drying space for wet clothes would have been useful. There was a cupboard in the bathroom that we assumed was for drying clothes, but we weren’t sure if it worked or what it was meant for. It didn't seem to give off any heat? Food was average and will depend on how fussy you are. Breakfast was nice enough. Dinner options were a bit limited. I managed to find something to eat every night, but my partner struggled as he is more fussy. Chil

Absolutely fantastic hotel, loved out time staying here. Friendly staff and always very helpful. Amazing location in a beautiful spot. Food was great, not at huge selection but plenty for us. Rooms were a nice size and always clean. Loved having lots of fires to sit by and enjoy an evening drink. Would happily stay again.

We booked this hotel through TUI labelled as the Winter Wonderland Hotel and Log Cabins. To keep this review fair to the hotel and TUI respectively, I have rated the hotel only and will cover TUI separately within this review. THE HOTEL We stayed in a Superior Cabin, with Jacuzzi/ whirlpool bath, sauna and 4 beds. Unfortunately, the jacuzzi/ whirlpool bath didn't work and had a fault on its controller. The sauna also did not work. Needless to say this was very disappointing. We would have contacted hotel reception to try to rectify these issues, however the reception were very unhelpful in being able to offer advice on how to work the fireplace - so it was assumed that they didn't care too much about things working properly in our cabin. When we were there the outside temperature was minus 25 degrees and the cabin was cold at night, this wasn't helped by the fact the radiator in the downstairs bedroom never worked. In general the cabin felt poorly maintained and in need of some refurbishment. The cabin was not as such a cosy place to rest as I hoped it would be. It would have also been nice to have a drying room. Inside the hotel, there was very minimal communal areas to sit with a drink from the bar. There was also a small shop at reception. Breakfast and dinner was available, and had a few options to choose from. There was always something different at dinner. At busy times, food ran out and sometimes staff had to be alerted to this. TUI We have stayed in Lapland with TUI before and therefore found ourselves comparing this break against our previous. It took 2-3 hours from landing at Rovaniemi airport to arriving at the hotel, with a stop in between to collect thermal wear. On the coach we was advised to 'try everything on' but once in there, some people were hurried by the rep to get back on the coach as the hotel had its own facility for exchanges if needed. Unfortunately, not everyone got this message, hence the 2-3 hour journey from airport to hotel. FYI the hotel facility was great for exchanges. Arriving at the hotel, tired and hungry at 6pm, we was hurried into a welcome meeting which lacked any kind of atmosphere, no welcome drink, no information about hotel or local area, or the included activities to see santa, just given the hard sell on excursions. The next day was 'Santa and tasters day'. This included organised activities at the hotel grounds, where other TUI hotel guests were also brought to (this occurred almost everyday regardless of if it was your santa day or not). Organised activities at the hotel was, sledging and mini-snowmobiling, football and hockey with elves. On this day TUI provided lunch at the hotel, as well as 'elf school'. Lunch was ok, as was the school. From the hotel, TUI transported guests by coach to a short distance away, where husky sledding tasters happen. The husky sledding was short, but good enough. You are then transported in a trailer attached to a snowmobile to a cottage in a quiet area,

Thank you everyone at the hotel! All the staff were incredibly kind and helpful. I actually made a note of everyone I wanted to thank individually here on TripAdvisor, but unfortunately, I lost it. We booked a cabin with an en suite sauna, and it was wonderful. The cabin had a fireplace that kept us warm and cozy, the beds were very comfortable, and the view was absolutely perfect. Both breakfast and dinner were excellent—we especially loved the cheese soup, it was unforgettable! We also tried the private sauna and the ice hole experience—never felt more alive! Thank you again to everyone for making our stay so special.

We travelled as a family of four and had the best Christmas. I will make my review constructive with a few pointers that I hope will be helpful. I am going to review our experience, the hotel and Tui. I want to start off by saying that I read a lot of people saying how magical Lapland is and I was curious as to whether we would experience this ‘magic’. It was an incredible stay with a few minor, minor issues but overall, it was truly wonderful. We were first met by elves at the airport which was a nice touch. Whilst waiting to board, there was a snow ball fight with the elves with fluffy balls. This was lovely for the kids. After an hour on the flight, we were given a meal which included orange juice, a veg patty, an omelette and beans. The kids were given an activity pack including a competition but the Tui staff said this would be completed upon our return but this didn’t happen. When we landed, it was quite a long wait for our luggage. The airport is small and a lot of people congregate in the middle of the pathways without any common sense to wait by the side so that was frustrating but once we were out of the airport, we went onto our named ‘Snowflake’ coach where an ‘elf’ talked us through the next step. We went to pick up our thermals. We were told not to try them on which I believe was different to the previous guests due to how long it takes. We were fine with this. Prior to this, there was some inconsistent information regarding whether the thermals were actually thermals or a water proof overall. We didn’t want to risk it so we brought our own things with us. We were kindly given thermals which was indeed a full thermal suit with boots and gloves. They also gave us socks, scarves and hats which Tui never mentioned before. Had we were given the correct information, we would have saved a lot of money however in saying that, the thermals that were given did smell a bit damp. At the hotel, we were told to tag up our luggage and it would be dropped off to our cabin. We then went to a Tui meet and greet. Prior to this, we received an email the day before from the rep giving us some information and letting us know we could email them for further info. I did do this but the rep never got back to me at all so that was futile. Our cabin was beautiful although slightly dated. We had full view of the frozen lake. We had a fireplace and a sauna. We enjoyed staying in the cabin however, the main room downstairs was cold due to gaps in the corners of the walls so if that is sealed up, no draft would come through over your head when sleeping. This can be easily fixed. The gap was quite big. In the cabin you get: Firewood (a whole closet room worth), soap in the bathroom, washing up liquid, coffees and tea. Bring a sponge and if you are staying half board, bring your own food for that. We brought cous cous, rice, snacks and soups with us. Old pictures on tripadvisor showed the TV having a DVD but when I enquired, the hotel said they replaced the

Mixed Feelings – Amazing Elves, Disappointing Service We recently visited for the taster days, and while there were some magical moments, the logistics and service left a lot to be desired. The Lodges & Activities The lodge itself was perfect—comfortable and exactly what we needed. A huge shoutout to the elves, who were absolutely amazing and truly made the taster days special for the kids. Service & Facilities Unfortunately, the resort experience fell short in several areas: Check-in: A 4:00 PM check-in time is quite late, and it was made worse by the tiny reception area. Having everyone arrive at once in such a cramped space was chaotic. Staff: The receptionist was rude and not helpful in the slightest, which is the last thing you want after a long journey. Baby Facilities: This was a major issue. There are no baby changing toilets in the hotel. I was forced to change nappies either on a public sofa or trek all the way back to our lodge. Dining: The food was very basic—it "filled a hole" but wasn't a culinary highlight. Drinks are also incredibly expensive, so I highly recommend bringing your own snacks and beverages. Travel & Location On our free day, we visited Santa’s Village. Be warned: a taxi is roughly 120 Euros each way. We managed to find someone to taxi-share with on one leg of the trip to cut costs, but it is a significant expense to plan for. Verdict While the "magic" parts (the lodge and the elves) were great, the poor management and lack of basic facilities for parents were frustrating. I would go back to the area, but I would definitely stay elsewhere next time.