We visited Lapland back in 2021, and loved it so much we had to return. For us booking a DIY trip to Lapland was our only option to keep the costs down, but it also allowed us to plan what we really wanted to do and choose accommodation to suit our needs. Ylläshilla log cabin in Lapland is situated in the village of Akaslompolo, 200 km above the Arctic Circle and around a 50 minute drive from Kittilä Airport.
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We travelled from Manchester to Kittilä airport direct with Easy Jet, and booked our airport parking with APH airport parking.
We opted to return to the village of Äkäslompolo as we loved it so much first time round.
There is so much to see and do around the village of Äkäslompolo, and during both of our trips to Lapland we arranged a Husky safari, a reindeer ride, a visit from Santa Claus, Ice swimming, cross country skiing and skiing. More on this later.
Ylläshilla – beautiful log cabin in Lapland
Set in the village of Äkäslompolo, in the heart of Finnish Lapland, and close to Ylläs National Park, you will find Ylläshilla a luxurious log cabin that sleeps up to 10 guests.
We spent hours searching for the best location and accommodation for our dream Lapland trip, and it was the lovely Katja at Globe Totting that initially stayed at Ylläshilla – and I knew it would be perfect for our trip. Katja was so helpful in answering any questions that I had and gave me lots of helpful tips to plan our trip.
We initially stayed a week before Christmas back in 2021, and we knew that when we returned to Lapland in 2023 – Ylläshilla would be the place to stay for our New Year Lapland holiday. It would be the perfect accommodation to stay with our friends.
The cabin has under- floor heating, a wood burner and a communal living area with its own sauna.
Outside there is a large terrace with seating, and a separate ‘Kota’ or BBQ area that seats up to 25 people around the fire. There is nothing better than coming in after a few hours in the snow to a roaring fire to toast marshmallows.
The upstairs balcony looks out on to the forest, and in the winter the snowy scenes is utterly magical.
There is a separate wood shed that is stocked up with plenty of sledges, fat bikes, and wood for the fire, all intended for you to use during your stay.
Ylläshilla – accommodation near Yllas
There are so many accommodation options in Finnish Lapland ranging from self catering options to family friendly hotels… – it can be mind blowing.
We opted for a traditional log cabin as we find the living space and separate bedrooms a preferable option when travelling with kids. We also find that having the ability to cook during our stay hugely kept the costs down.
Ylläshilla log cabin is everything I imagined a log cabin in Lapland to be. Beautiful decorated, with a large open plan living / dining area. Downstairs there is a kitchen area, large extendable family dining table and sofa area with bean bags, pillows and blankets. There is a wood burner too. Downstairs you will find three bedrooms, (a double and two twin bedrooms) and a bathroom, separate shower, plus the sauna. Now the sauna is such beautiful addition. I also booked a sauna and ice swim in nearby Ãkäslompolo – click here for more about the ice swimming.
Upstairs there is large mezzanine level with four beds and sofas. There’s also a baby cot if you need one, and a stair gate available too if you are travelling with younger children. There is also an additional toilet upstairs.
Nicola emailed over all the details and important information once the balance had been paid including information about where to find the key! She is also so incredibly helpful to advise on local activities, companies and can put you in touch with companies to organise your activities during your stay. If you have any problems or concerns she is really quick to get back to you at all times.
Prices vary depending on the time you wish to travel. New Year and around christmas are peak times.
Just to note – Bed linen and towels are not included in the rental price but are provided at your request for an additional cost of EUR 25 per person. Final cleaning is EUR 190 and is also not included. Both charges will be added to your total price when booking. So do factor in that cost too.
The cabin was available from from 4pm on the day that we arrived, and we checked out at 10am on the day of departure.
The log cabin is around 50 minutes drive from Kittilä airport and we opted to hire a car (it cost around £850 for a week to hire a car).
The supermarket is just a five minute drive from the cabin and has a huge choice of food and drink. We rarely ate out other than to grab coffee and cake.
You can find more details in our DIY lapland trip post.
Things to do near Akaslompolo
During both of our stays we booked a range of activities. If you are looking for ideas for things to do in Lapland with kids you may find our Lapland activity guide helpful. Here is a list of some of our family friendly activities that we planned during our Lapland holiday.
- A reindeer sleigh ride
- Husky safari
- Snow mobiling
- Search for northern lights
- Visit to the ice hotel
- A visit from Santa
- Ice swimming
- Cross country skiing
- Skiing in Yllas
The temperature dipped to minus 25 during both of our trips. If you are travelling independently rather than through a tour operator, you will need to make sure you bring all your clothing with you So remember to factor in the cost of purchasing your clothes, shoes and base layers. It is so cold, and some of the activities (particularly the husky safari can be freezing!). Layers are everything. You may find our post on what to pack for a Lapland holiday helpful.
We booked our activities through local companies and they provided additional clothes, gloves, socks, shoes and hand/feet warmers if required. We also arranged local pick up from the cabin.
You can find more information on Ylläshilla log cabin in Lapland over on the website.
Check prices and book Ylläshilla log cabin in Lapland
You may also enjoy our other post on our travel destinations over 2023;
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links. Should you click to purchase, it is at no additional cost to you, but I receive a small commission.
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