Located at the confluence of two rivers and right on the Arctic Circle, Beana Laponia is a seriously stylish boutique stay and the perfect base for trying your hand at some of Finnish Lapland’s most exciting winter adventures. The name means ‘Dogs of Lapland’ in the local Sami language and the owner’s husky farm is at the heart of the experience.
Chic, individually designed rooms with sled dog-influenced décor, overlooking the snow-laden tundra, faux-fur throws and stylish Scandinavian décor make Beana Laponia about as dreamy as Finnish winter escapes get. Secure a suite for the ultimate indulgence, your own private sauna.
Fill your days on a series of adventurous excursions, all with top guides and skilled wilderness experts. Close to the hotel slip and slide down a private toboggan slope. Step into the wild on snowshoes or forest skis and slip through the forests in perfect silence so you can hear the snow falling. Go further with a snowmobile journey before you swap horsepower for hoof power and visit a reindeer farm. Encounter a local artisan as well and discover how reindeer antler is used as a raw material for exquisite crafts. Meet the husky pack and head out on a dog-sled safari of the highest quality with a leading long-distance racer to learn the art of mushing, stopping in the forest or on the shore of a frozen lake for a rustic picnic around a camp fire. You can even opt for an overnight dog-sled adventure, staying a in a remote cabin with no real amenities, warmed by a traditional wood-fired sauna.
Leave the evenings free for drinks in the lobby bar Lumitassu before unashamed intimacy over indulgent dining. The cosy Restaurant Sulokuono takes advantage of the Arctic bounty on the doorstep to serve up delicious bistro-style meals. Settle in for a glorious showcase of contemporary Scandinavian cooking, with a daily-changing menu featuring fish from nearby Lake Unari, reindeer meat and wild boar from the next village along with home-pickled berries. For a truly special dining experience, ask us as well about securing a table for two at the ornately carved Ice Restaurant of the nearby Arctic Snowhotel, a spectacular construction made every year from ice that simply melts away in the spring. If the predictions are looking good though, hike to a traditional Sami lavvu tent and light a roaring campfire for the chance to listen to folk tale, while you wait for the Northern Lights to make an appearance overhead.
