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jeffandtina2018
Stuttgart, Germany

Winter Wonderland

5.0 of 5 bubblesReviewed Feb 7, 2019
We just wanted to say a big thank you to all the staff and of course all the puppies at Snowhotel Kirkenes for a most amazing trip. I wish we could remember the names of all the staff that spent time with us during our stay. They were all very helpful and super friendly and were among the best we have seen. They made sure to let us know about what was going on during the day and try to make sure we were involved with all the fun. Our trip was so much more than we could have imagined and could not have found a better place to celebrate a 50th Birthday. We stayed for 4 nights, 3 in a Gamme and 1 in the Snowhotel. The Gammes were very nice. They were clean, warm and very nice to relax in. The big window gave us an amazing view over the hotel and the surrounding area. Just beautiful. The overnight in the Snowhotel was also amazing. The night we stayed there will be unforgettable. During the day prior to our overnight in the Snowhotel, the outside temps were around -36c, which made the -4c in the hotel seem mild. We had room 17 which had the forest view carved into the walls of the room. All the rooms were done very nicely and it was very interesting to see all the different rooms and the thought that went into the creation of them. The ice bar was also very cool. Drinks were served in ice shot glasses and you were asked to smash the glasses on the bar after you finished your drink. We went on puppy walks in the mornings, did the snow fun and went on a few excursions. The first thing we did was the Husky taxi, which is absolutely amazing. It's about a 45min ride from the airport, but the views, the dogs and the whole experience made it seem much shorter. It was just awesome! The next day we did the King Crab excursion. We both love seafood, and king crab is on the top of our list. I can honestly say that the king crab here is the best we've ever had. We have never had it so fresh and that of course just made it taste great. The next day we went on a snowshoe hike through the hills surrounding the Snowhotel. The views from there were breath taking and our guide was ready to answer all the questions we had. The country is just so beautiful all around. After the 2-3hr hike, we made it back and had dinner. That same evening we went on a Northern Lights hunt with a great guide that took us where the lights were. Needless to say, we were not disappointed. We actually seen the northern lights every night we were there. Some nights were stronger than others, but it was still amazing to see. The next day we made a little trip down to the little city of Kirkenes. There is not much there, but it is still a nice little town to walk around in and have a look. They do have a shopping area and some restaurants. Speaking of restaurants, the Snowhotel had amazing dinners and awesome wait staff. They have a set menu, but are also ready to make some changes if you have any food allergies. Every night was a different menu, and from what we heard, we were able to try all the menus offered. All the menus were excellent and it was all fresh and locally sourced ingredients. The Gabba was a nice place to pick up a snack or something hot to drink during the day. Definitely a nice place to warm up when it's cold outside. If we had to say anything negative, it would be that we weren't there long enough. We could have stayed a couple more days, even with the cold temperatures. I'm sure we are forgetting some things, but we could not have ever thought that this trip would be as amazing as it was. It far exceeded our expectations. Thank you to everyone at Snowhotel Kirkenes for an unforgettable trip.
Date of stay: February 2019
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
5.0 of 5 bubblesValue
5.0 of 5 bubblesLocation
5.0 of 5 bubblesService
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      148 - 153 of 644 reviews
      Reviewed February 5, 2019 via mobile

      After we came at the reception, we had a small visit of the site, the gaba, the dogs, the reinders, restaurant and of course the snowhotel !
      We had a very good and tasty dinner in a beautiful and restore restaurant ! We spend some time in the VIP access saloon and then we went in our unique and incredible bedroom ! This night will stay in our memory as a perfect night !
      Definitely a thing to try in Kirkenes as a « once in a lifetime journey » !
      Ps: the breakfast was very tasty as well !

      Date of stay: February 2019
      Trip type: Traveled with family
      Thank Bodyboy8
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Reviewed February 1, 2019 via mobile

      As part of a recent holiday, I stayed here for 2 nights in the Gamme cabins and can say it was absolutely amazing!!!!

      From the moment of meeting the transfer driver at the airport until being dropped off at the Hurtigruten terminal at the end of my stay, the staff here where so friendly, helpful, engaging and made my stay even better! They are a real credit to the hotel!

      The cabin was spacious, warm, cozy and welcoming! The viewing window was huge and well worth sitting in front off to watch the nights sky!

      It was so nice to be able to walk around the grounds and look inside the Ice Hotel and the rooms with all the carvings on their walls and the Ice Bar itself! After having a drink in the Ice Bar, it's traditional to smash your glass (made of ice!) on the bar itself!

      While here, I did a husky sleigh ride and that was awesome too! The dogs were lovely and super friendly and did have the chance to 'drive' the sleigh and mush the huskies! A nice touch was being able to see the huskies at anytime and give them lots of cuddles! All of the dogs were friendly and loved the attention!

      There is alot to see and do here and if you want to see snow - this is a place to come too! The whole vibe of the hotel is very chilled and relaxed - just remember to bring some thermals and winter gear and it was about -30°C with wind chill on ones of the days!!!

      Date of stay: January 2019
      Trip type: Traveled as a couple
      1  Thank henryaroundtheworld
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Reviewed February 1, 2019

      We visited the Snowhotel in January, just as the sunshine was beginning to show itself again, which was amazing to see. I couldn't get enough of the scenery.

      We stayed for the weekend so we stayed in both the Gamme cabins and the Snowhotel. I can understand why visitors with only one night at the resort would not choose to stay in the Snowhotel as it is a challenge. However, if you enjoy camping etc then it is nothing you won't have experienced before. I didn't feel like there was a lack of privacy as people do not tend to mill about in the hotel. They are either in the ice bar, in their room or in the warm areas. Everything about the hotel is fantastic. Each room is beautifully carved, one even had an ice sleigh bed. You get plenty of advice on how to survive and all the bedding etc you need. I thought it was great fun - not that I would do it again. A once in a lifetime experience.

      The Gamme cabin was warm and inviting, clean and cosy. The beds were comfortable, the room was a good temperature, and the shower was great. I loved just gazing out of the window at the incredible view.

      The King Crab safari and snowmobiles were highlights. We did see the Northern Lights out of the fjord, although it was -30 so it was pretty cold out there. The snowshoe walk was also an unexpected highlight as - together with our lovely and knowledgable guide - we were allowed to take one of the husky's with us. It was invigorating. The husky safari was also great. I loved having a go at controlling the team!

      For me the food was great, and I particularly liked the breakfasts, but it might not be for everyone. It was a set menu most nights, lots of reindeer, char and King crab. Drinks were expensive, but they are in Norway.

      All of the staff were great from the restaurant to reception to the guides. Most spoke several languages, all were friendly and outgoing, and really went out of their way to make sure we had a good time.

      I couldn't recommend it enough! Everyone should experience the Arctic Circle at least once!!

      Room tip: Take good mittens/gloves - they will be invaluable.
      Date of stay: January 2019
      • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
        • Rooms
        • Cleanliness
        • Service
      1  Thank Caroline P
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Reviewed January 29, 2019 via mobile

      The snowhotel is a gorgeous boutique experience. Yes I was glad when I arrived in minus 20 + conditions that I had a stunning gamme cabin as opposed to the snow hotel, but everything about the place was just magical. The snow rooms and bar are fun to check out and we loved meeting the friendly huskys and reindeer. I’d also highly recommend the arctic crab fishing experience. Truly once in a lifetime and worth every cent.

      Date of stay: January 2019
      Trip type: Traveled as a couple
      3  Thank elI9385LQ
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
      Reviewed January 24, 2019

      Like many others, we finished a Hurtigruten cruise in Kirkeness and had pre-booked the Snowhotel from Australia. Hurtigruten run busses to the Snowhotel for other tours, such as dog-sledding, so we had transport from the ship. The property is charming with reindeers on view, dog sledding to watch or partake in (we'd done dog-sledding in another port) a cosy restaurant (Gabba) and of course the Ice Hotel.
      Whether you choose to stay or not, the hotel is awesome and I would absolutely recommend going to see the 21 or so differently themed rooms which are created at the start of every winter. The carvings are so well done and I wondered through taking pictures of the different scenes, complete at times with crackling fires (achieved with lights). If you weren't in -4, it'd be easy to see a picture and think it was a cosy hotel room with the deer skin pelts on the beds.
      To help with planning, the hotel runs a shuttle to the 'downtown' area and there's a museum on the way which we wanted to see. check the times it closes tho as (from memory) it was around 2pm and we got there at 1.50 or so. Kirkeness itself - well at least in the dark and cold of winter - didn't offer much by way of sightseeing and wasn't an overly pretty town either (just in our opinion). If I had my time again, I'd stay at the ice hotel in the cosy guest lounge and read a book or take advantage of the excellent wifi.
      Any-hoo, back to the stay. As mentioned in other reviews, the staff are all lovely and multi-lingual and everything was taken care of (ie cases from the ships to the hotel). We met for instructions around 5pm and from there to dinner, which was delicious. (Dinner is served in a warm restaurant attached to the ice hotel, as is breakfast, also delicious). All instructions are provided and essentially you sleep in a balaclava and in a mummy-type-sleeping bag. Agree you would be best not needing to unzip in -4c for a bathroom stop however we didn't see the curtains across the entrance as any privacy issue. No one is up and walking around! Perhaps if you're easily wakened, take your pods in with you and listen to whatever makes you happy. There are shower facilities and places to leave your luggage and if you can't make it through the night, the aforementioned lounge which is warm and cosy, beckons.
      One thing to mention that was for me, I struggled with claustrophobia being so covered up. My husband and many others slept super well though. If I could turn back time, I'd definitely tour the ice-hotel but I'd stay in the cabins tho' this is no reflection on the way things are run or the facilities provided. Be aware too that there are no alarms for Northern Lights and it's unreasonable to think you'll be unzipping and popping out to look so cabins would be a better option if seeing the lights is your goal. The snowhotel do run night tours for this as well although on the night we went, while seeing the Russian border, we did not see any lights due to cloud coverage.
      So I left a long review in the hope that this helps you make the best call. I consider it an unforgettable experience and very well run.

      Room tip: haha...they're all equally gorgeous though you might like to ask for an ice-room nearer the toilets.
      Date of stay: January 2019
      • Trip type: Traveled as a couple
        • Location
        • Rooms
        • Service
      2  Thank Michelle J
      This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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