Santa gets a new hotel in Rovaniemi

Rovaniemi’s city centre is getting its first new hotel in a quarter of a century. Santa’s Hotel Noelle will add 101 rooms connected to the existing Hotel Santa Claus by a covered walkway.

A new hotel is taking shape in central Rovaniemi ahead of the 2026–2027 winter season. Santa’s Hotel Noelle will have seven floors and 101 rooms, connected to the existing Hotel Santa Claus by a covered walkway.

The project marks a significant expansion for Santa’s Hotels. According to Maarit Aho, CEO of Kiinteistö Oy Kalotinlinna, the investment carries real weight for the chain.

“For us, this is a major project, as we are still a small hotel chain. The investment strengthens our chain significantly and stands on solid ground financially,” she says.

The project has been a long time coming. The plot has been in the company’s ownership for roughly 25 years and the zoning plan that made construction possible took 14 years to secure. The company also waited for the right market conditions before breaking ground.

Off to a fast start

Once underway, the build progressed quickly.

“The project got off to a fast start and the design phase moved rapidly too. Additional work has come in at normal levels, but overall the delivery has worked very well,” says Aho.

It is the first new hotel to be built in Rovaniemi’s city centre since Hotel Santa Claus opened 25 years ago.

“This is a very significant project for us and for the entire tourism offering in the city centre,” says Aho.