ÆRA Tromsø Hotel Review: Northern Lights and Luxury in Arctic Norway

Being out in the heart of the Arctic wilderness doesn’t mean you’ll be roughing it at this luxury cabin retreat. Wide open landscapes and dreamy night skies await you at ÆRA Hotel.

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I stayed at ÆRA in March, when I went chasing the northern lights in Tromsø, Norway. Naturally, I wanted to find the best place to book for my stay, and during my research all signs pointed me towards ÆRA Hotel.

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. This hotel is not for city slickers who tremble at the idea of being miles away from any nightlife or shopping. It’s a good 30 to 40-minute drive from Tromsø, which is already a relatively isolated city north of the Arctic Circle.

But the remote (and seriously incredible) location is precisely what makes ÆRA beautiful. It’s also why it’s the premier place to stay in Tromsø when you want the best views of the brilliant night skies from your bedroom. Your bed is right beneath a glass roof, so when the lights are out, it’s very cool.

But to be fair, the hotel is a lot more convenient than it sounds. They go the extra mile to make your experience as comfortable as possible, offering upmarket amenities and exceptional service.

Ready to learn more? Here’s all you need to know about booking a stay here.

Some links in this article may be affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission, at no additional cost to you, if you decide to purchase through one of my recommended partners.

ÆRA: at a glance

ÆRA Hotel is a relatively new resort that’s quickly earned a reputation as one of the best luxury experiences near Tromsø. There’s a reason it’s known as the place to stay if you want a high-end northern lights viewing experience when you visit northern Norway.

The location is incredibly beautiful, the accommodation is super-stylish, and many rooms have exceptional views of the northern lights. Also, the staff were friendly and accommodating from the start, and always on hand with suggestions.

But since it was still so new when I stayed, I’d be lying if I said everything was perfect. There were a couple of hiccups related to transportation and I think they should upgrade a couple of things in the rooms to really optimise the experience for guests.

But all in all, I think it’s a fabulous resort and wanted to provide you with a guide to staying here on your next visit to Norway.

Stay

ÆRA: the full review

Location 4/5

Can you see the cabins?

You can’t talk about ÆRA Hotel without mentioning the location. After all, it’s pretty much the reason you’re here in the first place. Located about 35 minutes’ drive northeast of Tromsø, near the little settlement of Skittenelv (the official address is Krokelvdalen, next door), ÆRA sits right on the water’s edge, looking out across the fjord to the mountains. I’m not joking; when I first pulled up to the boutique resort’s driveway, my jaw was nearly on the icy ground.

First things first, you will need a car to get here. You can arrange this through the hotel, and they actually had free car hire for bookings when I made my reservation.

The remote location is AMAZING for chasing the northern lights, away from the bright lights of Tromsø in a beautiful waterfront location.

But it also offers plenty to do on land and at sea in the daytime. Hiking trails, snowshoe walks up the valley, and epic vistas surround the northern Norwegian landscape, making it a perfect option for travellers looking to get out and enjoy the scenery.

You’re also close to other good northern lights spotting locations, like Oldervik, a small but picturesque village just a short drive away. I spent two nights at ÆRA before moving into town (you can see how it fits into a longer trip in my 3-day Tromsø itinerary), and on my final night I drove out to Oldervik and watched the lights dance for two hours under a completely clear sky.

Style 5/5

Though I said this isn’t necessarily a hotel geared towards people longing for a city break, make no mistake about it: the rooms are packed with style.

The cabins have an authentically Scandinavian chic vibe, with lots of natural wood, pared-back earthy tones, natural materials and minimalist design. It is at once modern and a nod to traditional Northern European style.

Decidedly trendy furniture is appealing to the eye but is actually quite comfortable.

The beds (staring right out at the icy mountains and the fjord) featured a live-edge, hardwood frame with an all-too-cosy mattress on top. Honestly, the beds were incredibly comfortable. Even in the most basic rooms, there are MCM touches like chic coffee tables and a hammock chair to chill out on.

I was also impressed by the geometric backsplash in the open-plan kitchen and spice jars, which added a homey touch to the cosy cottage.

Rooms 4/5

As I said, the rooms are stylish, but they also pay attention to comfort and convenience in most of the details. That said, there was room for improvement that would help make the most of the space.

My accommodation was one of the glass Aurora cabins and I’d totally recommend it. The floor-to-ceiling windows at the foot of the bed offered stunning views of the landscape, and the glass roof above the bed meant I could watch the bright night skies without getting up. The side windows have pull-up blinds, but there are no curtains on the roof, so bring a sleep mask if you’re sensitive to light.

But one thing that stood out for me was the need for a closet or dresser.

There was nowhere to put my clothes, so I literally ended up with little piles of things on top of my suitcase. This is particularly not great when the cabin is on the small side to begin with (the Aurora Glass Cabins are 18 to 22 square metres).

The kitchen was cool and was stocked with basics like a coffee machine with pods and teabags, but dropping off a bit of fresh milk when you’re miles from the nearest market would’ve been a thoughtful touch (especially at the rather high hotel rates). There’s now a small shop in reception with a limited selection of food and essentials, but I’d still stock up at the supermarkets on the way out from Tromsø.

But you’re mainly here for the views, and they really are exceptional. The Panorama Glass Lodge has even larger windows, opening up to the nighttime skies, and a little more space at 25 square metres. There are only three of them, so book early.

If you’re on a budget, you can choose the standard one-bedroom cabins and enjoy the same epic views just steps from your accommodation. At 30 square metres, they sleep up to three people, so they’re also the pick for a small family or group of friends.

ÆRA has also added Aurora Igloos since my stay: private, 23 square metres, with handmade furniture from local materials. Every cabin has free Wi-Fi, a private bathroom and a coffee machine and kettle, and parking was free when I stayed.

Experience 4/5

Staying at ÆRA is an incredible experience I’d recommend anyone do when visiting Tromsø for the first time. It really captures everything about the remote fjord landscape, and you have pretty much everything you need on the property.

Here’s a look at a few different hotel services and amenities.

Getting there

Getting to the rural landscape from Tromsø Airport (TOS) requires a car, and lucky you (and me), they offer a complimentary car hire when you book certain packages.

When I first made my travel plans, I was stoked about this, but it didn’t go exactly as smoothly as I had hoped. I didn’t receive a response with details until the day we were due to arrive, despite chasing it with a few emails and texts.

They did come through in the end, collecting us from the airport and taking us to the car the next day. It was a bit glitchy, given that I’d booked more than three months prior, but it might have just been a fluke.

The offer still runs. In winter (15 September to 15 April), a new electric car with winter tyres is included when you book directly on ÆRA’s own website, at least two weeks before you arrive. You pick it up and drop it off at Tromsø Airport, and it’s about a 35-minute drive from there, including a toll road. If you’d rather not drive, ÆRA runs a daily shuttle for NOK 50 per person each way (or NOK 1,000 each way for a private transfer), there’s a weekday bus from Prostneset in central Tromsø, and a taxi costs roughly NOK 700 to 1,000 each way.

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Northern Lights

This is really where the hotel shines. From the epic location, miles from any city lights, to the friendly and informative staff, they have northern lights viewing down to a science.

The team was super helpful and used WhatsApp to set me up with Aurora alerts in real-time (until midnight). This made it a lot easier to chase the elusive aurora.

That said, no hotel can control the weather. My first night was a washout, with pretty much 100% cloud cover from 9pm onwards. On my second night, the forecast gave about an 11% chance. After dinner, I turned off all the lights in the cabin and set up my camera, because I thought I could see a faint glow, and, voila, there was green in the sky, framed by the cabin roof. Of course, that was too cosy, so I headed outside, down to the water with the mountains behind, and got some really cool shots (while trying to keep a helicopter that was scanning the water out of frame). Any aurora is better than no aurora. Then it was time for the sauna.

Want to see more? Check out my video on chasing the northern lights!

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After ÆRA, I moved into town to Enter St. Elisabeth and added an extra night. I spent most of the next day mapping the cloud forecast on Windy.com Premium against known viewing spots, and that’s what took me to Oldervik. You can read how it all played out, plus my best tips, in my guide to the Northern Lights in Tromsø.

Winter activities

You can really make the most out of your stay in the wintertime by taking advantage of the winter activities they offer.

In addition to northern lights vistas, you can ask the staff for recommendations on local hikes, borrow snowshoes (they’re included for your whole stay), or go horseback riding through the snow at Tromsø Lyngshest down the road. ÆRA books the ride for you (NOK 1,800 per person, with about an hour in the saddle), and the farm also runs winter evening rides under the night sky. When you’re finished, you can sweat it out in the sauna, which is free for guests, or book it privately for NOK 1,000 for two hours (up to six people).

There’s also a heated outdoor pool with a bar and lounge (NOK 150 per person, for overnight guests), and a free tea-time with a guide in the lavvu, a heated Sámi-style tent by the water, with a fire, coffee and tea. If you want something more adventurous, ÆRA runs a guided snowmobile day trip through the fjords from mid-November to mid-April (NOK 3,000 per person), and there’s dog sledding and reindeer feeding nearby. For more ideas, see my guide to the best things to do in Tromsø in winter.

Summer activities

If you’re visiting in the summer, the hotel comes to life with activities during the warmer afternoons and under the midnight sun. There’s a heated outdoor pool on the property, and you’re only a few steps away from the water (no cabin is more than 150 metres from the sea).

My advice? Get out into the landscape for one of the most scenic settings in Norway. The hotel offers hiking, fishing and e-biking, with a small fleet of Yamaha e-bikes to rent by the day.

You can also gather with friends in the lavvu, where the team lights a fire every evening for stories about the northern lights and Norwegian culture, or take advantage of the sauna. The rental car isn’t included in summer, when it costs NOK 1,000 per day. ÆRA provides sleep masks from May to August, which you’ll be grateful for under the midnight sun.

Food & drink 4/5

Because you’re a long way away from any sort of village, I was looking forward to the fact that there was dinner on the property. There are also kitchenettes (with a stove, fridge and air fryer), which you can take full advantage of as long as you buy some food before you leave Tromsø.

The food itself was good, but there was a very limited dinner menu when I stayed. This isn’t ideal when you’re miles away from any town centre with shops or restaurants.

These days, you order dinner through the digital guestbook 30 to 45 minutes ahead, choosing from homemade meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan dishes, and eat it either in your cabin or in the lavvu. Lunch is served daily in the reception lounge from 12pm to 2pm.

Alternatively, you can have dinner in the lavvu, a traditional tipi-style Sámi tent, beside the fire while the hosts share northern lights updates. For a splurge, the king crab dinner (NOK 1,890 per person) is the most popular experience: you pick your crab from the tank, and they cook it in front of you.

While I’d suggest cooking a meal or two on your own, the breakfasts (also delivered straight to the cabin) are excellent. You choose from the menu the night before and pick a delivery time. They have a splendid stack of pancakes that I can’t recommend enough.

Practical tips

• If the rental car isn’t priced into your room rate, I’d recommend hiring a car through another option, rather than arranging it through the hotel. The free car is only included when you book direct with ÆRA in winter, so check before you book elsewhere.
• Be sure to get a 4×4 vehicle if you hire a car on your own, and drive carefully: all rental cars have winter tyres, but the roads are snowy and icy.
• Take advantage of the hotel’s aurora updates on WhatsApp for up-to-date information on where to see the northern lights.
• Book your accommodation in advance to get the exact cabin you want, especially during peak northern lights viewing dates. If your dates are full, ask to join the waiting list.
• Stock up on food before you drive out. There are supermarkets at Tomasjord and Kroken on the way from the airport.
• Check-in is from 3pm and check-out is by 11am.

Book Your Stay At ÆRA

Read More Tromsø Guides

• Brilliant Things to do in Tromsø, Norway
• 3 Days in Tromsø Itinerary
• Where to Stay in Tromsø
• Chasing the Northern Lights in Tromsø: The Full Lowdown
• A Snowy Sami Reindeer Experience in Tromsø
• When’s the Best Time to See the Northern Lights?

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