Lapland, Akaslompolo, Villa Armas Review

Good Points
Fi nish Lapland!! Yes Fabulous - We have been home now just about a month from our wonderful trip of a lifetime. We were so excited about taking the children (aged 5 and 6), to meet the real santa and my that is just what we did.
We went with a company Ingams, which we found on the Santatrips website, under short breaks.
Ingams were fantastic from start to finish.

Bad Points
We were advised not to go to Santa Park as we were told it was very plastic. We heard from some please who went that it was very much the same as Santa's workshop which is free with Inghams. Also that you have to pay for something ' s when you get there and it ' s a couple of hours to get there on the coach.

General Comments
We stayed at Akaslompolo, Yllas, in the cabins Kopara in the road Nililahentie.

We booked a year in advance for the 3rd December to 7th December 2008, for a 4 night break on half board. It was excellent value for money.

Also included in the price of the holiday was a trip to Santa Workshop which was a full afternoon. Where the children and adult s have a family meeting with Santa (Santa doesn't give presents here, we brought a little present from home wrapped and left it in the log cabin for when we got back, and said Santa had left it for them here.) Also at the workshop they make and cook cookies with the elves. There are pony rides, snowmobile sledge rides, kick sledging, tobogganing, playing in the snow and much more.



Also on the last evening was a Christmas dinner and a visit from the man himself, where he turns up with Mrs Claus, elf and reindeer and sleigh. He gives all the little children a present and Ingams provide a certificate for the children to say they have seen Santa in Lapland.

Also including in the price is your snow boots and thermal suits (they are all in one suits). Provided by a company called Destination Lapland.

When you arrive at the airport which is decorated up for Christmas, you get the coach and are taken to Destination Lapland to pick up you snow gear then taken on to you accommodation.

The Log Cabins are well equipped clean and modern, with all the home comforts including a washing machine, dishwasher, microwave, fridge/freezer, pots, pans, plates etc.

Also in the cabin was a sauna which took about 20 mins to heat up. It was wonderful after a day in the minus temperatures. There is also a drying cupboard where you can dry your wet or damp gloves, hats etc.

The highlight of the Log cabin for me was the Log fire. Its a wood burner. We used to break up some pieces of wood into little kindling sticks, get newspaper from the Akas hotel when we went to eat; there are some free newspapers inside the reception on a stand. Once the fire was on the go then put on the larger logs and hay presto you would have a great fire, beautiful on a cold evening after a busy day exploring.

The beds were comfy with nice clean white linen; there is no need to take towels as they are provided.

The shower was good, but you could only get 2 many be 3 showers from the water tank, the water took about 1 hour 45 minutes to heat up.

Our walk to the Akas hotel took about 20 minutes. You turn right out of the cabins walk along until you come to the 1st right hand turn, go up there, follow it past some cabins and then bear round to the left and keep going this will eventually bring you out to the Akas Hotel. It is a lovely walk though the snow and one of the highlights of staying in the Kopara Log Cabins. Staying in the hotel you would miss out on the unspoilt snow and your surrounding.

We brought sledges for our boys to ride in as they got tired walking in snow, one way is ok, but both ways a bit much. You can get them from the supermarket in Akaslompolo for around 9 or 10 Euros. Take a black sack with you and an extra luggage label and you can bring the sledges home.

The Akas Hotel food was great buffet style, with hot and cold food at both breakfast and dinner. Lots of it we really enjoyed the food. Also drinks were included with your meals, expect beers and spirits.

We booked the Reindeer Safari trip 2 km and Snowmobiling Family Safari 25km before we went though Ingams, We recommend to book them before you go. They are fantastic and well worth the money.

The Reindeer one 2km is enough as they are real plodders. You will also be taken to the Reindeer farm where you will be met by a lovely Sammie family, who will make you very welcome. It is a great afternoon.

The snowmobile family Safari is great children. Children under the age on 7 have to go in the sledge behind the guide, (Our boys loved it). All helmets are provided; make sure you wear gloves as it can get very cold.

Wrap the kids up as 25km is quiet a long way. You stop at a half way point for a drink and a loo break at the outside dunni, that ' s what they call the toilet.

Don't miss this trip it ' s amazing and the views, landscape and the trees are wonderful.



We booked the Husky ride with Inghams at the welcome meeting which in itself was good, as it told you a lot of information about the stay and place etc.

But it seems that lots of people are booking trips and we waited nearly 1 hour 30 minutes to book our husky trip and the children got restless.

So our advice is booking all the trips before you go.

We also did the short Husky ride (only do the short one as it is long enough).

You go to the Husky farm and see the baby huskies. You have hot berry juice and cookies there too.







For all the trips you are picked up from the Akas hotel and dropped back there afterwards, we tended to eat our food in before and after trips. You can safely leave your snow gear and sledge in the cloakroom of the Akas hotel right near the restaurant.

There is no dress code for the restaurant; we just went in joggers and jumpers. Anything goes no-one dresses up.

On the last night for the Christmas dinner you are taken to a different hotel near the ski slope of Yllas. We did dress up a bit we wore trousers, nice top and a bit of jewellery.



Yllas fell is the highest in Finland; you couldn't really walk to the fell from the Log cabins or Akas Hotel. You would need to get the ski bus. You will not have enough time to ski on this trip.

It is only light for a few hours a day. We didn't take a torch, but one may come in handy.

We took loads of pictures and video and the batteries were ok. Although they do go quicker than at home. But it was not a problem.

We took loads of foot and hand heated pads with us to wear in our boots and gloves, but these were not needed we brought them all home. Take thermal gloves and hats. The suits and boots they provide protect you to minus 30 degrees.

I am willing to answer any more questions.

Hope you have a fab trip like us. Our children had a magical time and I came back believing again.

Can't wait to go on a skiing holiday now.n