Lapland - Search for Santa

In mid-December, my family and I embarked on an unforgettable journey to Levi, Lapland. With my husband and our three children (aged 16, 13, and 6), we were all buzzing with excitement to see Santa, hit the slopes, and, if luck was on our side, catch a glimpse of the mesmerizing Northern Lights.

Levi – A Vibrant Lapland Resort

Levi is one of the larger resorts in Lapland, making it an excellent choice for those who want a village with a bit more going on. The resort offers a supermarket, plenty of shops selling gifts, clothing, and ski equipment, as well as numerous bars and restaurants. If you enjoy après-ski, Levi has plenty to offer, including a nightclub, games and karaoke bars, and even bowling. However, it’s worth noting that prices in Lapland can be quite high, so budgeting accordingly is essential.

Accommodation: Levi Hotel Spa

We stayed at the Levi Hotel Spa, a beautiful main hotel with excellent facilities. Upon arrival, we found the reception area bustling with activity, but check-in was efficient, and we received our room key straight away. Our accommodation was in one of the outside buildings across the car park. The room was clean and functional, featuring a mini kitchen, a small bunk room, a double bed, and a single sofa, complete with a charming balcony. However, for a four-star hotel, I found the room to be quite basic. The building itself seemed to be in need of a fresh coat of paint and updated flooring.

Hotel Facilities & Dining

The main hotel was well-equipped with various amenities, including:

A well-stocked shop

A pizza restaurant

A lively games bar

An Asian restaurant

A buffet restaurant

The buffet restaurant was well-organized, with dietary labels for all dishes. While I appreciated the effort to cater to different dietary needs, I did feel that the vegan options were quite limited. However, after speaking with the chef daily, I was pleased to receive specially prepared vegan meals, which was a great touch.

Family-Friendly Features

Levi Hotel Spa is an excellent choice for families, offering fantastic facilities such as a large pool area and a playroom suitable for all age groups. These features made it a wonderful place to relax and unwind after an action-packed day in Lapland.

Activities with Inghams Holidays

We booked our holiday with Inghams Holidays and enjoyed a variety of incredible activities that made our Lapland experience even more magical.

Husky Dogs

This was a truly unforgettable experience. The huskies were well cared for, and it was exhilarating to drive the sled through the breathtaking winter wonderland. The thrill of gliding over the snow while being pulled by eager, energetic dogs was simply amazing.

Reindeer Experience

We had the opportunity to feed and stroke the reindeer while learning about their care from our guide. I loved hearing that they roam wild during the summer months. The experience was made even more special by the fascinating stories shared by the guide and the warm, delicious hot berry juice we enjoyed afterward.

Snowmobiles

This was my absolute favorite activity! Zooming through the stunning snow-covered countryside and across frozen lakes was exhilarating. We stopped at a secluded farm hideaway for a snack and a hot drink before heading back to Levi, making it an unforgettable adventure.

Santa’s Village

The children absolutely loved Santa’s Village, which was filled with festive activities such as cookie making, decoration crafting, reindeer petting, sledging, and, of course, enjoying hot berry juice. The village itself was charming and magical, especially when illuminated at night. However, the main modern building felt slightly out of character compared to the rest of the village. The interaction with Santa was brief and somewhat similar to UK Santa experiences, but the overall atmosphere was enchanting, and the kids had a wonderful time.

Skiing

Levi is a fantastic destination for skiing, with well-maintained slopes suitable for all skill levels. Whether beginners or experienced skiers, everyone in our family had a great time on the slopes, enjoying the fresh snow and breathtaking scenery.

If you are a new or experienced skier, this resort suits all levels. This was Evie’s first time skiing, and the rest of us had not skied in a while, so we spent most of our time on the nursery slopes. I was really impressed with what they offered. We had to take a bus from Levi, but it ran every 15 minutes and was very easy to use. The nursery slopes allowed us to gradually move up to bigger slopes as we gained confidence, ending with what we called the "rainbow slope," which was beautifully lit up.

There was also an indoor play area for little ones to warm up or take a break, as well as options for sledding and tubing. Evie picked it up really quickly and even progressed to her first blue run! Throughout the resort, there were plenty of huts to warm up by a fire, which was much needed as the temperature dropped significantly to -23°C as the week progressed.

Final Thoughts

Despite a few minor shortcomings in the room’s decor, our stay at Levi Hotel Spa was amazing, and I would highly recommend it for families looking for a comfortable and fun-filled base in Levi.