Levin Iglut (Golden Crown): Glass Igloos Above Levi
A practical look at Levin Iglut (Golden Crown) above Levi, Finland: igloo types, prices, season, transfers and what makes it a strong aurora base.
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Levin Iglut trades a central Levi address for elevation: the glass igloos sit on the top of a fell with a 360-degree view of the sky and valley, which is exactly the angle you want when the aurora is active. The trade-off is distance from town, so you plan around transfers rather than strolling to bars and ski lifts. For couples and small families who want the sky overhead rather than a resort corridor, it is one of the most focused places to sleep in Finnish Lapland.
What Levin Iglut is and where it sits
Levin Iglut, also marketed as Golden Crown, is a glass igloo hotel built on Utsuvaara fell outside Levi resort in Kittilä, Finnish Lapland. The igloos face the valley from the top of the fell, and the resort is open from September to April, which covers the dark months when aurora watching is realistic.
The location is deliberately removed from Levi centre, about 9 km away, so the night sky is less washed by resort lighting and you watch from your own bed rather than a roadside. Kittilä airport lies roughly 15 km off, a short taxi or pre-booked transfer ride. Because there is little around the igloos, most guests eat on site and arrange safaris through Levi operators who collect them.
Glass igloo types: Suite, Prime Superior and Superior
The hotel splits its accommodation into three glass igloo categories. Suite igloos are the largest at 53 m² and take two adults with two children under 13; Prime Superior igloos are 23 m² for two, with some able to add up to two children under 13 for a fee; Superior igloos are also 23 m² and sleep two plus two extra beds at a charge.
The difference is mostly position and space rather than the glass itself. The nine Prime Superior igloos sit in or just behind the front row facing the valley or forest, while the 15 Superior igloos are set on the side of the fell. Suite igloos add a lounge, private terrace with a heated outdoor jacuzzi and a welcome basket, which is where the romantic premium lives.
What each igloo includes
Every igloo has a private bathroom, a small kitchen, WiFi and a motorised double bed or twin beds that you can tilt toward the glass roof. That bed control matters: you can lie back and scan the sky without standing at a cold window. Breakfast is included across the categories, served in the Aurora Sky restaurant beside the igloos.
Shared BBQ facilities with an open fireplace give guests a self-catering option, and the Prime Superior and Suite categories add welcome drinks, champagne or a welcome basket depending on the type. Repeat guests describe adjusting the bed and watching the aurora from inside a warm room as the core of the experience.
Aurora Sky restaurant and dining at the resort
Aurora Sky is the on-site restaurant, offering Nordic cooking with a view over the fell and a choice between a set tasting menu and à la carte. Its published service window covers dinner from 6 to 11 pm and breakfast from 7.30 to 10.30 am, running from mid-January to the end of April.
Outside that window, or if you want a cheaper night, the kitchenette and shared BBQ let you cook for yourself rather than depend on a single restaurant. Guests with a car can also drive into Levi centre for a wider choice of restaurants, roughly a ten-minute run down the fell.
When Levin Iglut is open and how the aurora season lines up
The igloo hotel runs from September through April, and that span is not accidental. Aurora visibility depends on dark nights and clear skies, and in this latitude the usable window stretches from roughly late August or September into early April, with December and January giving the longest nights.
Snow and winter activities are a separate question. If you want husky safaris and snowmobiling as well as dark skies, aim for December to mid-April when the ground is reliably white; an autumn stay gives you darker evenings but less snow. The hotel's own guidance frames September to April as the aurora period and December onward as the snow period.
Aurora viewing from the igloo versus chasing from Levi centre
Watching from a Levin Iglut bed is a stationary strategy: you stay warm, keep the glass roof in view and wait for gaps in the cloud, with no driving and no group schedule. The limitation is that you see only the sky above the fell, so if cloud sits over Utsuvaara all night you have no Plan B on site.
The alternative is a guided aurora chase from Levi centre, where operators drive toward clearer sky and often lend thermal suits. A sensible split is to book one or two chase nights and keep the rest of your stay flexible for watching from the igloo. Neither approach guarantees a sighting, since solar activity and cloud both decide the outcome, and Kp readings are only a rough guide. If you would rather weigh this same choice in a bigger city base, see our guide to the northern lights in Rovaniemi.
Prices and what breakfast and extras add
Rates at Levin Iglut start from about 299 euros per night for an igloo with breakfast included, with Prime Superior igloos quoted from roughly 299 to 399 euros. Suite igloos sit above that, reflecting their larger floor area, private jacuzzi terrace and extras. Prices move with season and demand, so compare dates directly rather than treating these as fixed.
Breakfast is bundled into every category, which offsets part of the nightly rate, and the welcome drink or basket in the higher tiers adds value. Budget separately for dinners at Aurora Sky, taxis into Levi and any safaris, since those stack on top of the room.
Getting there: Kittilä airport, transfers and car versus taxi
Most guests fly into Kittilä airport, served by direct flights from Helsinki in about 1 hour 30 minutes. The airport is roughly 15 km from the igloos, and the usual approach is a taxi or a transfer ordered in advance, since there is no regular shuttle to the fell.
Travellers arriving by train reach Rovaniemi, about 170 km away, or Kolari, about 80 km away, then continue by bus to Levi and onward by taxi. Having a car gives you freedom to eat in Levi centre and chase clear sky yourself, but it means navigating snow and ice at night; taxis keep the trip simple at a higher per-journey cost.
Who it suits: couples, romantic stays and small families
Levin Iglut is built around couples. It reads best as a romantic stay, with the Suite igloos and their jacuzzi terraces aimed squarely at that, and the resort's facilities are modest for children. Families with younger kids fit the Prime Superior and Superior igloos through the extra beds, but should expect a quieter stay than a full-service ski hotel.
If you want a base with more family infrastructure, look at the wider range of accommodation around Levi before committing. Compare what you gain in space and services against the fell-top view that makes this hotel distinctive, and weigh the glass igloo options across Levi against this one.
Levin Iglut compared with staying in Levi centre
Levi centre puts you within walking distance of restaurants, ski lifts and tour pickups, and usually offers a broader spread of apartments and hotels at lower rates. Levin Iglut trades that convenience for a higher, darker perch where the sky is the main event, and you accept taxis or a rental car as the price of the view.
A third option is another aurora-focused property outside town, such as the cabins at a dedicated aurora village. Northern Lights Village Levi uses cabin-style accommodation with its own restaurant, which suits travellers who want an organised resort rather than a single glass igloo.
How many nights to plan for a fair chance of clear skies
Cloud is the deciding factor on any given night, so a single night in a glass igloo is a gamble on weather rather than a plan. Three nights gives you several chances at clear sky and room to fit a guided chase on the cloudiest evening; four or five improves the odds further without stretching a Lapland budget too far.
Book the igloo for the middle of your stay and keep a night or two in Levi centre at either end, so a cloudy first night does not use up your best accommodation. That structure also lets you combine a fell-top stay with a chase-based tour when the forecast turns.
Winter activities booked from Levi centre
Snowmobile safaris, husky sledding, reindeer farm visits and guided aurora evenings are booked through operators in Levi centre, about 9 km from the igloos. Many of these include pickup, which solves the transfer problem; when you book, confirm whether collection from Utsuvaara fell is part of the price.
Levi itself is Finland's largest and most developed ski resort, so downhill and cross-country skiing, ice karting and spa visits are all within reach. If you would rather base yourself in a quieter cabin setting, a nearby alternative is Northern Lights Ranch, which pairs aurora-focused cabins with its own restaurant.
Plan Your Visit
Levin Iglut works best as the centrepiece of a three- to five-night Levi trip: a Suite or Prime Superior igloo for the view, one guided chase night as backup, and a car or pre-booked transfers to bridge the 9 km to town. Book early for December and January, when dark nights coincide with peak demand.
Treat the aurora as weather, not a booking: check the forecast during your stay and treat the igloo as a warm base for watching rather than a promised show. Used that way, the fell-top setting earns its price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Levin Iglut from Levi centre and Kittilä airport?
The igloos sit on Utsuvaara fell about 9 km from Levi resort centre, so you reach restaurants, ski lifts and tour pickups by taxi, car or operator transfer. Kittilä airport is roughly 15 km away, a short taxi ride or a transfer arranged in advance. Because there are few services beside the hotel, plan your evenings around the on-site restaurant or a vehicle.
When is Levin Iglut open and when can you see the aurora?
The glass igloo hotel operates from September to April, which matches the dark-night window in this part of Finnish Lapland. Nights are usable for aurora watching from roughly late August or September into early April, with the longest darkness around December and January. Snow-dependent activities such as husky safaris and snowmobiling are most reliable from December to mid-April.
Do the glass igloos at Levin Iglut have bathrooms and breakfast?
Each igloo has its own bathroom, a small kitchen, WiFi and a motorised bed you can tilt toward the glass roof. Breakfast is included in all three categories and served at the Aurora Sky restaurant beside the igloos. Shared BBQ facilities with an open fireplace give you a self-catering option when you do not want a full dinner.
What do the different igloo types at Levin Iglut include?
Suite igloos are the largest, at 53 m², and add a lounge, a private terrace with a heated outdoor jacuzzi and a welcome basket. Prime Superior igloos are 23 m² for two and sit in or just behind the front row facing the valley or forest, while Superior igloos are the same size but set on the side of the fell. Some categories allow up to two children under 13 for an extra fee.
Should you watch the aurora from the igloo or book a chase from Levi?
Watching from the igloo keeps you warm and needs no schedule, but it limits you to the sky above Utsuvaara fell. A guided chase from Levi centre can drive toward clearer sky and often lends thermal suits. A good balance is one or two chase nights plus flexible nights in the igloo, since cloud and solar activity decide whether the aurora appears.
Is Levin Iglut better for couples or families?
It is designed around couples, with the Suite igloos and their jacuzzi terraces aimed at romantic stays and only modest facilities for children. Families with younger kids can use the extra beds in the Prime Superior and Superior igloos but should expect a quieter stay. Travellers wanting more space and services often compare it with hotels and apartments in Levi centre.
Sources
Notes for your Arctic winter trip
Optional updates to our northern lights guides.
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