Hotel Karhu

Hotel Karhu is placed in a very good area if you want to experience the authentic spirit of Lapland. Ice roads covered in snow, silence, a lot of snow, cozy atmosphere and a very good place to see the Northern Lights. Inside, the Hotel lobby is cozy, warm, with confortable sofas and an electric fireplace. |The brakefast is TOP. Home made bread and butter. Omlette, boiled eggs, ham, vegetables and salads, nutella, croissants, very tasty cookies and cakes, very quality juices, cranberry shots, cranberry mousses and blackberry, jams, etc. Lidl is just nearby|Inside rooms you will find preety confortable matresses and pillows and nice, big and new TV. You will find a very good shower.

We stopped here for a night during our trip from the north. This place is a very quiet town and there is nothing much around the area. It is one of the cheapest hotel in the area to stopover for a night. There is free sauna in the evening, free breakfast and free wifi. You have to ask for the password. Breakfast selection was limited but it was better than nothing. There is a microwave and fridge at the staircase for use. The hotel is relatively big. The room and toilet were newly re-furbished i guess. The toilet comes with a modern shower system. The old reception staff was a little blur and did not know what we were asking when we were checking out with them how was the northern light sightings for the past few days. The place is good for 1 night.

We came once again to the Midnight Sun Film Festival, and to the Bear Inn Hotel. Now the room price during the festival was 160 euros. It is of course too much, except during those five festival days. Everything is quite basic, the room, the breakfast etc., but the service is friendly and this is probably the best alternative if you want to stay in Sodankylä. If we will come to the festival next year, I think we'll try to find some kind of alternative accommodation.

Hotel Karhu is placed in a very good area if you want to experience the authentic spirit of Lapland. Ice roads covered in snow, silence, a lot of snow, cozy atmosphere and a very good place to see the Northern Lights. Inside, the Hotel lobby is cozy, warm, with confortable sofas and an electric fireplace. The brakefast is TOP. Home made bread and butter. Omlette, boiled eggs, ham, vegetables and salads, nutella, croissants, very tasty cookies and cakes, very quality juices, cranberry shots, cranberry mousses and blackberry, jams, etc. Lidl is just nearby Inside rooms you will find preety confortable matresses and pillows and nice, big and new TV. You will find a very good shower.

The number of hotels in Sodankylä are few but this is a decent choice. Should not be compared to high-end alternatives in large cities -- this one offers a bed (fairly good) and standard amenities and nothing more. But to sleep one night - more than ok!

Have stayed here before and I will stay here again. The beds are a bit small but comfortable and the bathrooms also a bit small, but everything works. ||The receptionist and other staff are very friendly and helpful and speak English.||There is a free washing machine and dryer in the basement, as well as a sauna if you don't get a small sauna in your room.||Breakfast is basic but good enough. I haven't dared ask for a fried egg or anything different and just settle for the seemingly artificial scrambled egg. Cereals, toast, bacon and sausages, cold meats are all good. Supper is reasonable, with fixed meals when I was there, no a la carte.

We came to the Midnight Sun Film Festival, and succeeded in getting a room in the Bear Inn Hotel. It is in the center of Sodankylä and from there it is a short walk from there to the film theater and other important places of the festival. The prices during the festival (140 euros!) are almost double compared with the normal summer price, but it is worth it - if you attend the festival. Our double room was basic, not large, the shower was good, beds ok. The breakfast buffet was sufficient. You can have lunch and dinner there also, but we did not try these. The usual price for a double room is, I think, something like 80 euros, and it is an ok price.

This hotel is best for a short stops or a people who have work gigs nearby. Hotel itself is located next to a highway. ||||Dinner buffet is ok but there was not really a ala carte although they had a plenty of stuff in their list in their web pages. When I asked the chef about the ala carte he was so surprised and unsure what ingredients they have so I didn't wan't to try my luck. Beers etc were surprisingly cheap in the bar.||||Rooms were quite cool during the midsummer hot weather. There was free LAN-connection in the rooms, not WIFI