Wilderness Hotel Nellim
Wilderness Hotel Nellim is owned by our good friends Jouko and Mari Lappalainen. Nellim was their first hotel (they now also own the delights of Nangu, Muotka, Juutua and Wilderness Hotel Inari) and is now renowned as an Aurora destination. It will always hold a special place in our hearts for being the first place many of us saw the Northern Lights. The hotel has been upgraded over the years and now has a wide range of accommodation options including rooms, suites, log cabins and unforgettable Aurora Cabins which are all within a short walk of the main reception and restaurant building.
A tiny village, Nellim is a remote spot close to the shores of Lake Inari and surrounded by incredible wilderness, providing perfectly dark skies, ideal for Aurora viewing.
Hotel facilities
- The restaurant/reception building is the focal point at Nellim. With locally-made furnishings, the atmosphere is charming. Hearty buffets of local and international favourites are served three times a day. There is usually a soup and salad selection, two choices of main meal and a pudding for evening meals
- Guests can relax next to the roaring fire and enjoy a drink from the bar in the restaurant
- A sauna is available for guests to use and can be reserved at reception in hourly slots
- There is a fully stocked gift shop which offers a range of local produce and souvenirs for you to take home
- Tea and coffee making facilities are available in the main building for guests outside meal times
- Cross-country skis and snowshoes are available to hire from the onsite activity centre
- The small lake behind the hotel is a great spot for some independent Aurora stakeouts
Double Wilderness Room
Twin Wilderness Room
Arctic Suite
Many guests like to upgrade to one of the six Arctic Suites at Nellim, all of which are situated in one of the annexe buildings across from the reception and restaurant. The suites offer guests additional room and their own space in which to relax after a day or night of activities.
Each suite varies in size and facilities. Suites are allocated on a first-come, first-served basis according to the accommodation which best suits your party.
Cabin
Nellim offers a variety of cabins which offer varying facilities and which are mainly within easy walking distance of the hotel. Cabins are allocated on a first come, first served basis, according to the accommodation which most suits your party and availability. Specific facilities cannot be guaranteed.
Log Suite
Located between 30-70 metres from the main building these log suites are designed to be the highest standard of accommodation Nellim offer. The suites are approximately 33m² and there are four suites in each of the separate log buildings.
Aurora Cabin (keeping room)
The team at Nellim are world-experts when it comes to Northern Lights viewing, and frequently devise creative new ways to appreciate this natural phenomenon. The Aurora Kotas at Nellim and Muotka are well in keeping with such a tradition: combining a cabin structure with glass tepee elements, they provide a large glass roof above the sleeping area, allowing visitors to lose themselves in the magic of night-time Northern Lights displays.
Each Kota contains a double bed and being a bit larger than an Aurora Bubble, it has room for a third person on a sofa bed. The 18m² space has simple and inviting décor, as well as pleasant lighting which illuminates the area without disrupting aurora-watching experiences. Linking to their natural setting, the majority of the Kotas do not have a shower- even so, each includes a toilet and a small sink. At Nellim, there are also two Aurora Cabins that have a shower and are slightly larger at 29 m²
Aurora Bubble (keeping room)
What a concept this is! These bubbles represent the absolute pinnacle of the increasingly sophisticated search for the Northern Lights.
Essentially, the Aurora Bubble brings the Arctic wilderness and the night sky into the comfort of your own bedroom. Each bubble has a heated bedroom with a large north-facing dome window, allowing you to gaze at the firmament from the comfort of your own bed!! This is Aurora hunting in style.
The bubbles are situated in an area of minimal light pollution and all have a small compact toilet.
Of course, we can neither guarantee that the Northern Lights will appear nor can we ensure cloud-free skies because Aurora hunting will always carry an element of luck. What we do know is that the Aurora Bubbles represent a genuinely unique and memorable experience.
Aurora Cabin (not keeping room)
The team at Nellim are world-experts when it comes to Northern Lights viewing, and frequently devise creative new ways to appreciate this natural phenomenon. The Aurora Kotas at Nellim and Muotka are well in keeping with such a tradition: combining a cabin structure with glass tepee elements, they provide a large glass roof above the sleeping area, allowing visitors to lose themselves in the magic of night-time Northern Lights displays.
Each Kota contains a double bed and being a bit larger than an Aurora Bubble, it has room for a third person on a sofa bed. The 18m² space has simple and inviting décor, as well as pleasant lighting which illuminates the area without disrupting aurora-watching experiences. Linking to their natural setting, the majority of the Kotas do not have a shower- even so, each includes a toilet and a small sink. At Nellim, there are also two Aurora Cabins that have a shower and are slightly larger at 29 m²
Aurora Bubble (not keeping room)
What a concept this is! These bubbles represent the absolute pinnacle of the increasingly sophisticated search for the Northern Lights.
Essentially, the Aurora Bubble brings the Arctic wilderness and the night sky into the comfort of your own bedroom. Each bubble has a heated bedroom with a large north-facing dome window, allowing you to gaze at the firmament from the comfort of your own bed!! This is Aurora hunting in style.
The bubbles are situated in an area of minimal light pollution and all have a small compact toilet.
Of course, we can neither guarantee that the Northern Lights will appear nor can we ensure cloud-free skies because Aurora hunting will always carry an element of luck. What we do know is that the Aurora Bubbles represent a genuinely unique and memorable experience.
Aurora Cabin
Arctic Nature Cabin
Lake Villa
Aurora Kota
Double Wilderness Room with sauna
Arctic Suite Small
Log Cabin
Single Room
Kasari Log Cabin
Arctic Lake Villa
Aurora Kota (not keeping the room)
Three Bed Apartment with Sauna
Peska Log Cabin
Cabins Lusma or Nuora
Arctic Sky villa
Arctic Suite 302
Twin-Wilderness Room With Sauna
Aurora Family cabin
Premium Aurora Cabin
Wilderness room
Aurora Cabin
For your best chance to see the Northern Lights, contact the UK’s only Aurora specialists