Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel

We spent one night in the Lodge then one night in the Ice Hotel and then one last night back in the Lodge. This place is pure class. The rooms are lovely and all face the river Alta. There is a sauna and a jacuzzi and I was surprised to be asked to pay 300NOK as a guest to use them for an hour. You get to use the sauna for free the morning after a stay in the ice hotel. The restaurant is built in the shape of a Sami laavu and is really lovely. Breakfast is buffet and lunch and dinner are a la carte. We were undecided about sleeping a night in the ice hotel and then figured we would probably regret it if we didn't so we booked one night in the ice hotel. One night is enough because you really only go into that part to sleep. You can tour the ice hotel during the day and it is so beautiful and inspiring and much bigger than we anticipated. We booked a suite which is a bigger room. There were five suites in total and each one has its own unique snow carving. The theme for this year was Greek Mythology and each statue and carving was drawn from these legends. We did not get cold in the ice room because you dress in thermals and the sleeping bags are rated to -40. The room is probably -4C. The smaller rooms are cosy but no art work. Whilst at Sorresniva we did the Reindeer and Sami experience with Mikkel. That was lovely and worth doing. He was fascinating to listen to. He is a fulltime reindeer hearder, not just someone dressed up as a Sami. We also did ice sculpting with Natalie and throughly enjoyed that. It includes a tour of the ice hotel and a drink at the bar. We did a three hour snowmobile tour with Kattel and she was a phenomenal guide. If you want to experience an ice hotel, this one is in the top three in the world.

The Sorrisniva Hotel experience blew us away. It was a beautiful hotel, wonderful helpful knowledgeable staff where nothing was ever any trouble and where they just went above and beyond expectations. The food, particularly the A le carte restaurant, was really lovely. Its a very picturesque location, ideally situated for local excursions and experiences. The hotel offers tranquility, a home from home feeling and the staff were so kind and great at each of their jobs. Highly recommend this place for a northern norway relax and spoiling of yourself!!

Awesome ice sculptures! You can see the work and passion in all the details. Also nice to have a guided tour for the story behind the art and the creation process.. Thank you Petros for the interesting and funny tour, we had a really good time :)

When we planned our trip to Norway, we mainly wanted to see the Northern Lights, but we also wanted to stay in an ice hotel (just for one night). It was a bucket list experience of a lifetime and worth every penny! We arrived in time for dinner in the dining room shaped like a traditional Sami teepee. It was delicious and hit the spot after our long and white knuckle drive from Tromso. The hotel's website has very explicit instructions for what to wear to sleep in the ice hotel (basically just a merino wool top and bottom and socks and a balaclava and gloves) and what not to do in the igloo (don't leave your cell on an ice table or it will get frozen to it and leave it in your sleeping bag). You are given a mummy sleeping bag that is rated to below zero, a pillow and you sleep on a bed of reindeer pelts. We chose to sleep in a suite, which have the intricate artwork and themes, rather than in a plain room. The entire hotel is like an art gallery or museum because everything is made from snow and ice. The whole hotel melts away at the end of the season except for the LED lights. This was the 25th year of the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel and their theme was the best of the last 25 years, so the snow and ice carvings were varied and very interesting. The biggest take away from the ice hotel for me was how quiet it was inside. The snow deadened all the noise. For me, it was hands down the best night sleep of my life. I felt like a baby in the womb snuggled in my sleeping bag and I wasn't cold at all. Now my husband, on the other hand, didn't have a restful sleep because he is of the age when a man gets up frequently at night to go to the bathroom. To do that, you have to get out of the sleeping bag, put on your boots without getting snow on your socks or wool undergarments and walk to the bathroom. Luckily it was right next to our room. He was certainly glad he had this experience and I wish he had the night's sleep that I did. The next morning we had a delicious and filling breakfast and then we headed out for a morning snowmobile ride. We each had our own snowmobile and the fresh snow on all the trees was breathtaking. They had special thermal suits for us to put on and we weren't cold at all. It was a ton of fun and I recommend adding this on to your stay. They also have a non-igloo part of the hotel and we were told that the King of Norway stays there in the summer to fish in the river on the property. So you know this is a well regarded place to stay.

Incredibly good food, fantastic surroundings, top-nodge-rooms, memorable activities and excelent travel company. An absolutely unforgettable experience! Can be strongly recommended! Thank you very much - I will happily return!!!