Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
Central Asia yurt night stars
Uzbekistan • 15 days, 14 nights
Central Asia Road Trip: Backroads & Bazaars
from
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum And Exhibit Hall
The Old Town Hall Bank Museum and Exhibit Hall
Der Mensch bezwingt den Kosmos (The Potsdam Mosaic)
De Tijdtrap
Qadian rooftop, Minaratul Masih, and Masjid Mubarak.
Aqsa Mosque
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
Cacio e pepe lasagna combines two classics.
C'è pasta... E pasta!
Spaghetto taratatà is named for the sound of rattling sabers.
Giano Restaurant
The gnocchi here get blanketed in a sugo with braised oxtail.
Cesare al Pellegrino
Romans insist you should feel the cracked peppercorns and cheese grains on your tongue.
Flavio al Velavevodetto
Tripe is fried to a crisp.
L’Osteria della Trippa
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Solo travel can be challenging and sometimes lonely, but it also often leads to the greatest adventures.
Dear Atlas: How Do I Unplug on a Solo Trip?
about 15 hours ago
Museum of Friends
The Art in This Museum Was Donated for Free
about 16 hours ago
Grasshopper Chapel and grounds.
How the Rocky Mountain Locust Plague Spawned Federal Disaster Relief
1 day ago
The Guy Bradley Visitor Center at Flamingo in Everglades National Park.
America’s First Game Warden Died Fighting for the Birds
1 day ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Finland Ranua Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos
AO Edited

Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos

This bed and breakfast is steeped in history and offers guests a unique way to experience nature—glass igloos on a frozen lake.

Ranua, Finland

Added By
tuomashaapala
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
AuroraHut Igloo moving on top of the ice during winter.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
AuroraHut Igloo moving on top of the ice during winter.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
The main building of the Guesthouse has served many roles over the decades.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Courtyard of the Guesthouse during summer.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Midnight sun seen in Ranua, Finnish Lapland.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
AuroraHut Glass Igloo on a lake in Ranua   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Stunning northern lights at Ranua in March 2020   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
10 glass igloos and the Guesthouse during summer.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
The ten igloos and Guesthouse during winter.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Air picture of the property during winter.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
10 Igloos and a Guesthouse during winter.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Northern lights captured at Ranua in March 2020   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos  
Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos  
Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos  
The second main building used to work as a submarine warehouse.   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Winter scenery at lake Ranua in 2020   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Winter in Ranua   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Stunning Northern lights pictured next to Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
AuroraHut Glass Igloo parked in middle of lake Ranua where there is no light pollution   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

When Auvo Leppänen anchored his boat next to a small cliff at lake Ranua, he realized that this location would be a beautiful place for tourists to stay.

A few months later, Leppänen decided to rent the old Gasthaus Ranua that had been serving its customers in different roles since the 1940s. The Guesthouse itself was constructed after World War II as a bed and breakfast. 

The building has been active ever since and still includes plenty of interesting older details. The reinforcements of the main building’s foundations are composed of rifle barrels used during the wars. The second main building, with single and double rooms, once served as a warehouse for the submarine that was once purchased as a tourist attraction on the property. 

Over the decades, the old Guesthouse building served as a gas station, bank, kiosk, and shop. Many of the indoor facilities were renovated, but its old-world charm was left intact. 

Eventually, Leppänen made the decision to install a new feature at the Guesthouse that would blend the traditional with the modern. He decided to contact AuroraHut and several glass igloos were installed along the property. 

Glass Igloos had become a vital part of tourism in Lapland during the previous years. But the idea was not to mimic what everybody else was doing, but to give his guest the ability to stay anywhere on the property.

These glass igloos are easily moved from one place to another during the year. In the summer months, the igloos use their own engines in the back of the dome, and during the winter season, they can be pulled atop the frozen lake. It's a great way to view the Northern Lights. 

Related Tags

Hotels Architecture Design Buildings

Know Before You Go

Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos offers its customers one of the best year-round igloo experiences. Even though glass igloos are considered to be a winter accommodation, many visitors actually consider these mobile igloos better options for the summer season.

Community Contributors

Added By

tuomashaapala

Edited By

jonathancarey

  • jonathancarey

Published

May 9, 2020

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos
1 Pappilantie
Ranua, 97700
Finland
65.927597, 26.530021
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Ranua Wildlife Park

Ranua, Finland

miles away

Santa Claus's Main Post Office

Rovaniemi, Finland

miles away

Rovaniemi's Arctic Circle Border

Rovaniemi, Finland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ranua

Ranua

Finland

Places 2

Nearby Places

Ranua Wildlife Park

Ranua, Finland

miles away

Santa Claus's Main Post Office

Rovaniemi, Finland

miles away

Rovaniemi's Arctic Circle Border

Rovaniemi, Finland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Ranua

Ranua

Finland

Places 2

Related Places

  • Granary in Jankowo up close

    Jankowo, Poland

    Walter Gropius's 1906 Spichlerz

    A Bauhaus co-founder designed this quirky, abandoned granary.

  • Lido, Italy

    Grande Albergo Ausonia & Hungaria

    An intricate ceramic tile facade adorns this five-star hotel.

  • The (W)rapper

    Los Angeles, California

    The (W)rapper

    This jagged colossus of a building is mostly held together by an enormous concrete exoskeleton.

  • Bølgen (The Wave)

    Vejle, Denmark

    Bølgen (The Wave)

    This unique architectural wonder is home to luxury apartments.

  • The Ancient House

    London, England

    The Ancient House

    One of London's oldest houses contains a mixture of both old and modern features.

  • Detail of Breuer’s concrete patterns

    New Haven, Connecticut

    Pirelli Building

    After decades of neglect, a brutalist icon is getting new life as an eco-friendly hotel.

  • House 10.

    Athens, Greece

    Stones of Frederica

    Elaborate stone houses constructed from the ruins of war.

  • Hallway of the hotel.

    Xilitla, Mexico

    Posada el Castillo

    The former home of surrealist Edward James, who gave Xilitla its main attraction.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.