We’ve just returned from a 3 night stay at Bears Lodge (Winter Wonderland) with TUI. I’d read some mixed reviews so was a bit apprehensive, but can honestly say our stay was just magical from start to finish. The hotel itself is set round a frozen lake within a forest. The scenery was spectacular and it was very cosy at night with twinkly fairy lights outside. We stayed in a log cabin complete with log fire and sauna. The cabin was so warm and cosy and very clean. I really wouldn’t call it basic like some of the reviews I’d read. My children (and us!) enjoyed tobogganing down the hill onto the frozen lake. We also really enjoyed the food. Again, some of the reviews had said the food wasn’t the best, but it was honestly so good… really tasty and lots of different options, including plenty of options for gluten free people (like me). Breakfast was also delicious, again with lots of options including full English, continental, porridge and different types of homemade bread. The Tui day was absolutely amazing… one of the best days of my life! We did so much in the day (husky ride, Santa visit, reindeer visit / talk, ginger bread decorating, elf school) and it was extremely well organised. The snowmobile ride to see Santa made me quite emotional. The secluded location made it feel very special and intimate. I snuck my children’s letters to Santa to the elf who greeted us outside his cabin and Santa welcomed them in by name. There was also a good balance between outdoor/indoor activities so we weren’t out in the cold for too long. The elves and the reps made the day really fun. My children really enjoyed playing in the snow with them. I’m so pleased I booked Bears Lodge with Tui. It exceeded our expectations and I can’t really find the words to say how wonderful it was. Just pure magic!
Has a lot of potential but needs a lot of work to be 5 star. Firstly when we arrived the man on reception was really nice but didn't help us with our luggage to the room. The room itself was VERY small: there isn't even a wardrobe or anywhere at all to put any clothes. Meaning you can never feel relaxed in the room and there are just suitcases and clothes everywhere. It was nicely done up. It was also VERY hot in the room and the only way to cool it down enough was by opening the window. This meant we were woken up a lot through the night by various sounds. Including the grounds staff clearing snow very early in the morning. The breakfast was nice most of the time. However often the food out in the buffet was cold and it was a limited choice. I asked for fresh eggs as they were really cold which they made me but it took absolutely ages to get. While we were there the restaurant for lunch was shut (we didn't realise or were told this when we booked it) I am 3 months pregnant and I need to be able to eat food regularly. When I asked about food at lunch I was told there are snacks in the room or we could go into town. The snacks in the room are basically pot noodles or chocolate. To get into town it is 50euros per head per way, so it would've cost us 200euros for a trip to town just to get some food??! The reason we booked the resort was for a relaxing few days in a 5 star hotel experience. I had to kick up a bit of a fuss to be offered room service at lunch time, which was very limited options - I had to have fried chicken and chips every day. They then wanted to charge us 25euro room service fee even though it wasn't our fault the restaurant for lunch was shut?! Dinner was mostly nice, again not a lot of choice and the menu never changed and I wouldn't say it was 5 star food. Service was good at dinner, the staff were really lovely and helpful. The spa is very beautiful which is the main thing that attracted us to the hotel. However you can only go for 2 hours during a 2 night stay. Or you have to pay extra (100euro) Also both pools were cold even though one was supposed to be a thermal suite. We were never offered a drink while we were in the spa. No one offered us treatments or really talked us through the facilities. You couldn't get a drink anywhere during the day, we were told the kitchen was closed so we couldn't even order a coffee?!?! Limited options for activities on the resort without going into town (again 200euro charge extra to get into town) The reindeers were very cute and shout out to the grounds staff who were so friendly and helpful. Overall disappointed and wouldn't go back. Needs a lot of work on service to be good!
Firstly, we booked this hotel through TUI. I would never use TUI again for a holiday, they were unprofessional and there was a real lack of their presence at the hotel. We travelled in a group for the Santa break and the room situation in that there is a maximum of three occupants didn’t work for us and this is where I felt cheated by TUI as it was presented as a family hotel. However, this review is based solely on the hotel. The hotel is in a fantastic location and the breakfast was amazing. Dinner is on a similar level to all other hotels in the area and, as someone who has travelled to Lapland previously, it is very different from the UK anywhere you go in Lapland so don’t read too much into the reviews that say the food is terrible and awful, it’s not, it’s just very different from the UK. The hotel staff are welcoming and friendly, they will do what ever they can to accommodate help accommodate you and were overall lovely. I would highly recommend this hotel to couples or small families.
Great location, 5 min. walking from all major restaurants and bus stops in the city center. Very friendly staff. Fast WIFI. Excellent security. You must use your keycard several times (to enter the first floor, the elevator and your room). The breakfast buffet is the best of Rovaniemi! Definitely eat your breakfast here! One thing that could be improved is the cleanliness of the shared bathrooms. Perhaps it was bad luck, but in the evening both of them were a bit dirty. It could have been the fault of unclean guests though. Some people are selfish and have bad manners.
LLimJasonWe are a family of 5 and booked 2 family rooms in this hotel. The rooms were big, compared to another Rovaniemi hotel that we stayed in and the amenities were wonderful. Free use of Sauna, 24hr gym, just located directed opposite the supermarket and most of all, the hotel has a microwave that you can heat up the food brought from the supermarket! What a deal!.
Some areas for improvement, it would good if the Sauna can be 24hrs instead of closing at 10pm. If the hotel can provide utensils like spoon and fork it will be even more awesome.
Overall our best stay in Rovaniemi for the price point, I think its a steal. Oh BTW, Burger King and McDonald is just opposite and 24hrs too.
ผผู้เข้าพักNot a good start. Checked in with not much of a welcome by female receptionist, she gave us our key and pointed to some steps. Found our room and started to unpack when a man used a key pass and entered our room and then went out again and then came in again, and went out again…..we were baffled! A few minutes later the not so friendly receptionist came in to our room, (it would have been nice if she had knocked) saying that were in the wrong room….like we’d put ourselves in the room! She went out again and then came back saying we’re in the room and we’ll have to move. Next the Crystal Rep. knocked on the door and said they’d been a mistake and we’re been put in the wrong room and she would find out what room number were moving to (the receptionist never came back to apologised). Then the man came back and barged passed us and put his suitcase in the room and disappeared again! The Crystal Rep helped us move to the other room …..thank goodness for her - she said she would feedback to the hotel manager and the next day he apologised for the inconvenience and gave us a voucher for tea and cake …..we would have preferred the receptionist to apologise for entering the room twice and making out it was our fault that we were in the wrong room!! The room was very basic but clean and comfortable. …..there was a kettle as described but not tea, coffee, milk or sugar as described in a review we read. We didn’t steep properly as you can hear everything going on in the other rooms….we were woken up at 6am every morning to what can only be described as someone tap dancing in the room above. The hotel was filled with at least 95% of families that were on the Santa Package so a very noisy place, and our evening meals were not relaxing at all as the children were constantly running around in the restaurant and climbing over the furniture….it was manic. The food was good but not much of a selection - the Chefs in the kitchen were wonderful and served us with hot vegetarian meals. The breakfast selection was good but if you like warm portage and warm pancakes you will be disappointed as hot food was always luke warm ….as the the soup in the evenings and the water in the earn was never boiling.
ผผู้เข้าพักA lovely cosy place to stay, however the location really is in the sticks where transport is limited to around 3 buses to or from the city with the last bus arriving at 7pm. But the room was great and extremely warm in the minus 15 degrees temperature.