Aurora Village Murmansk

Spent a night there in late January 2022. I was not in luck, the sky was clouded, so no northern lights for me to see through the glass front of the igloo, but it still was one of the highlights of my trip beyond the polar circle. It's literally in the wilderness, so it's incredibly peaceful and quiet. The igloos are raised over the ground and connected by a boardwalk, so the only sounds heard are people walking on the boards and the two local dogs (a beautiful long-haired German Shepherd and a gorgeous husky) giving an occasional bark. The glass front has a curtain you can draw, which is something mostly needed in summer when the sun does not set. Food is served in the central large igloo, meals need to be ordered in advance. I found the selection large and the quality of food was good. Rooms are very warm, floors are heated, the bathroom is large, has a shower stall, and water can be boiling hot. In addition to radiator heating, every igloo has a stove and a supply of wood. There are barbecue facilities, so you could do that, too. The room even had a safe! No television, though, which I thought was wonderful. (If someone really needs their daily does of that, there is one in the central igloo.) And there is an air conditioner for the summer. The igloo itself is a storey and a half affair. There are two beds in the lower section plus a folding bed, and then you can climb the drop-down ladder to find two mattresses on the mezzanine floor. No guardrail. Then there were groups of four and five staying there and they appeared perfectly happy with everything. All in all, it was a fantastic stay, and I only wish I could stay longer and actually see northern lights right from my bed.

The location is great and the facilities are adequate although it falls short of what the glamorous advertising leads you to believe and quite frankly the notion of pre-ordering food 3 days in advance is simply bizarre (you can freeze food nowadays!! Buy a freezer!!). The most disappointing aspect of the stay was the negative attitude of the staff and most importantly the owner / manager. Everything was too much trouble! Thankfully the neighbouring resort "Usad'ba Kanent"Yavr" had a fully stocked and beautiful restaurant and a "can do" attitude so we ate there and they organised all of our excursions for us with zero fuss.

Heating and shelter are really good, but the rest is not. For example, there is no food even if you want to buy it. Take food with you Take a hair dryer and bath towels. You should pay extra 2000 rubles for the transfer from the airport per person one way.