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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

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tuomashaapala
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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
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
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
Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos  
Northern lights captured at Ranua in March 2020   tuomashaapala / Atlas Obscura User
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
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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. 

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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

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tuomashaapala

Edited By

jonathancarey

  • jonathancarey

Published

May 9, 2020

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Arctic Guesthouse & Igloos
1 Pappilantie
Ranua, 97700
Finland
65.927597, 26.530021
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

Ranua Wildlife Park

Ranua, Finland

miles away

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Photo of Ranua

Ranua

Finland

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Photo of Ranua

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