In the heart of Finland’s Urho Kekkonen National Park lies Hotel Kakslauttenen, a holiday destination with a truly unique flavour. The national park is in Lapland, and shares many of its beautiful arctic trappings, but the big selling points of Kakslauttenen lie in the strength of its location combined with its unusual accommodation offerings.

Ivalo airport is just 35km away from the complex, with a bus transfer available straight to the hotel front-door. Once there, you will find the accommodation divided between more standard hotel fare – log cabins of varying sizes – and the hotel’s more unique aspects: igloos. These latter come in two forms – snow and glass – and are ranged in the heart of the snowy countryside.

One of the world’s most remarkable natural occurrences is surely the Northern Lights, and here in Lapland they can be seen with unrivalled clarity. The glass-roofed igloos offer views of crystal-clear night skies that ordinary windows can hardly do justice to, while the opportunity of seeing the northern lights while lying in comfortable beds at relaxing temperatures – even when the atmosphere outside has dropped well below freezing – is a fabulous opportunity not offered anywhere else.

More traditional snow igloos are also available, built every year for purpose. Wrapping up warm is essential here as temperatures, even inside the igloo, will hover between minus three and 6oC. The hotel provides visitors with socks and hoods to ensure they do not get cold during the winter nights. The snow igloos come in various sizes, but can berth up to five people in some instances, making them more suitable for larger parties.

Log cabins come in a variety of sizes and in some cases can hold up to 10 people. They are all constructed from kelo, a rare dead standing pine. Also on site are saunas – perfect for the cold weather – and four restaurants catering for various tastes. The most interesting of these is the Snow Restaurant, which melts and is rebuilt every year. In here, tables of crystal clear ice (which can seat up to 150 people) and snowy walls make for a completely unique setting. There is also an Ice Bar for those wanting something to warm their bellies.

The hotel organises a series of excursions into territories around the site itself and far beyond. Trips into Helsinki are offered, as well as various locations in Norway and boat trips into the Arctic. There is even a trip to Murmansk, Russia, offered to those who want to venture further afield. Summer and winter safaris are also possible, offering very different experiences of the Lapland countryside; one bathed in snow and ice, the other in clean sunlight and vivid browns and greens.

Conference and wedding services are also offered by the hotel, providing – as with all aspects of the hotel – a very different experience. For the average visitor, the glass igloos stand out as the most desirable choice, particularly for couples looking for a romantic getaway. Views of the aurora borealis can never be 100 percent guaranteed, but during the winter months the skies are at least guaranteed to be painted with hundreds of clear, sparkling stars.