Hotel Kakslauttanen, Glass Igloos & The Northern Lights

Do you want to see the  Northern Lights (no, not the book) but don’t fancy the frostbite? Hotel Kakslauttanen in Finland just may have the perfect solution. You can experience the Aurora Borealis from one of their glass igloos. The hotel features 20 thermal glass igloos that allow you to view the Aurora from the warmth and comfort of your own private hotel room/igloo.

The unique hotel is located near Finland’s Urho Kekkonen National Park, and offers some of the best views of the Aurora due to being sparsely populated with trees and the lack of light pollution.

Each igloo is constructed from thermal glass walls and ceilings. The glass also has a frost preventative built in, helping to maintain a clear panoramic view, while the temperature on the exterior plummets to -22 degrees Fahrenheit. The rooms have been designed to accommodate two people, and are small enough to be heated without consuming large amounts of energy.

The Aurora Borealis is a result of collisions between gaseous particles from the atmosphere and charged particles from the sun. The colliding particles created bursts of coloured light that can last for less than a second to around two minutes. Unfortunately the hotel can not guarantee a view of the Northern Lights, they do monitor the weather conditions and ring a signalling bell to alert visitors when the phenomenon is visible.

The main grounds of the hotel also features the world’s largest smoke sauna, a restaurant, an ice bar and a snow chapel that is constructed every winter. If you’re feeling adventurous, the hotel also has traditional igloos made of ice, but with in internal temperature of just 21 degrees Fahrenheit, you’ll need a thick sleeping bag to keep you warm!

Via Inhabitat