Glass Cabins & Silver Birches | Redefining Arctic Luxury at Silver Birch Resort
Planning a stay in a glass cabin in Rovaniemi and looking for a unique Arctic experience? In this Silver Birch Resort review I take you inside one of the newest and most exciting luxury stays in Finnish Lapland, where design, nature and comfort come together in a truly special way.
During our first trip to Rovaniemi in the summer of 2022, we joined a kayaking excursion with Wild About Lapland, guided by owner Theo. It turned out to be one of those experiences you do not forget. Thanks to social media, we stayed in touch ever since and followed their journey from afar.
In 2024, Theo started turning a big dream into reality: Silver Birch Resort. From the first ideas to the final result, we watched the entire process unfold online. Seeing the passion, attention to detail and speed at which this project came to life made it clear that this was going to be something special.
So when we planned our return to Lapland, the decision was easy. We did not just want to see Silver Birch Resort on social media anymore, we wanted to experience these glass cabins in Lapland for ourselves.
In this review I share my personal experience staying at Silver Birch Resort, including the cabins, location, amenities and whether it truly lives up to the promise of Arctic luxury in Rovaniemi.
Silver Birch Resort
Silver Birch Resort is one of the newest resorts in Rovaniemi. It is certainly not a resort like so many others; Silver Birch does things completely differently. While many resorts simply expand and build dozens of new cabins or igloos almost every year, Silver Birch Resort is exclusive and small-scale.
You might wonder, how small scale is it then? Well, they only have five glass cabins. Silver Birch Resort is designed for privacy, peace and quiet. It is located far away from the city and the hustle and bustle, on a private peninsula. Only guests staying here end up here. This means no crowds, no distractions, simply just outdoor life, nature and tranquility.
As soon as you arrive at Silver Birch Resort, you immediately understand where the resort's name comes from. The resort is surrounded by silver birches. As far as the eye can see, nothing but silver birches. It immediately radiates an enormous sense of calm. A wonderful and perfect start to a special stay at Silver Birch Resort.
Location
Silver Birch Resort is located 30 minutes from the city of Rovaniemi, so still near but also far away from everything. The airport, city center and Santa Claus Village are all roughly a 30 minute drive. The resort is located at a private peninsula surrounded by Jyrhämäjärvi lake. They offer airport and city shuttle services, so there is no need for a rental car to get here.
Glass cabins
As we mentioned already, Silver Birch Resort has only five glass cabins. The fact that they only have five cabins makes this resort incredibly exclusive. The all-glass cabins exude luxury. Because they are surrounded by silver birches and are reflective, it really looks as if there are trees everywhere.
The luxury and privacy are also evident in the fact that these glass cabins are not transparent; you cannot see inside from the outside, so nice!
All five cabins are large enough and can accommodate up to four people. They have a double bed and a sofa bed. The bed is surrounded by two floor to ceiling windows overlooking the silver birch forest and the lake. There is also a completely glass roof, so bring on those Northern Lights nights. You literally sleep under the stars here.
The bathroom offers slippers, bathrobes and a lovely shower. The Rento amenities with birch and blueberry scent really complete the picture. I wish they would sell these at the reception. Maybe in the future?
There is a small kitchen where you could cook your own meals if you prefer. We would however recommend checking out The Birch Restaurant while staying here.
Check here the rates for Silver Birch Resort on Booking.
The Birch Restaurant
The Birch Restaurant is located on site of the Silver Birch Resort and is part of the main building where you can also find the reception and lounge area. This place is very inviting, with a fire place that simply sets the cozy and warm atmosphere here.
It’s the perfect place to have a coffee, sit back and just enjoy the calming silver birch forest views.
The Birch Restaurant is your place to be every morning for breakfast. A carefully selected breakfast is served here every day and is included in your stay. Dinner is not always included, it depends on which package you book.
The restaurant offers a cozy and elegant atmosphere fully surrounded by silver birches. The Birch is definitely one of the most unique restaurants in Rovaniemi and definitely worth the visit and the experience of dining here. Their dishes are inspired by local traditions and seasonal ingredients.
Their a la carte menu features fresh fish from nearby rivers and lakes, local meats and wild berries and desserts with Nordic twists. Their traditional Lappish sauteed reindeer and the chicken Milanese are highly recommended.
Wild About Lapland
We started this blog by introducing Theo, the owner of the Silver Birch Resort. He is also the owner of Wild About Lapland, one of the best tour operators in Rovaniemi. Silver Birch Resort is part of Wild About Lapland and that offers guests nothing but benefits.
Silver Birch Resort offers various multi-day packages that include the best and most fun activities from Wild About Lapland. These holiday packages come as complete multi-day itineraries where you are completely taken care of and everything is arranged for you. Highly recommended if you don't know where to start with the overwhelming range of Lapland trips and activities.
If you are looking for more inspiration, check out the Lapland Winter Park in Rovaniemi.
But even if, for example, you have only booked the stay at Silver Birch Resort and you want to add activities later, these can easily be booked through the reception.
Traveltomtom’s Silver Birch Resort Tip
When we decided to go to Silver Birch Resort, we also knew immediately that we didn't want to do any activities there. That might sound strange, but the resort is so unique and has such an amazing location, we mainly just wanted to enjoy the pure nature here.
There is a path that runs past the cabins and follows the water's edge until you are back at the reception. It is not a long walk at all, but it is really lovely. Along this path, you will find two Finnish tipi tents equipped with benches and plenty of wood to make a fire.
We knew we wanted to enjoy the resort and the outdoors all day long. We wanted to do what Finns love doing most in their free time: go into nature, go hiking, make a bonfire, grill a sausage, roast marshmallows, and above all, just be outside. That is exactly what we did!
You can buy sausages and marshmallows at the reception. You will also receive a telescopic sausage stick and some matches. If you wish, a staff member can walk with you to light the fire. But the most fun, of course, is to light it yourself. The good news is that birch is excellent wood for making a fire. The bark of the birch is even a real firestarter; a spark is enough to get the fire going.
We got the fire going ourselves, grilled sausages and then marshmallows, and sat by the fire for hours with a view of the lake. It was truly the most beautiful day of our stay.
So, our main tip is to slow down, enjoy the nature around you and the little things, like grilling a sausage.
There is of course also a Finnish sauna that can not be missed during your stay at Silver Birch Resort. And completely in style with the cabins it also has amazing views of the surrounding nature.
Northern Lights Alert App
For us personally, seeing the Northern Lights was once the main reason for our first trip to Lapland. We have since had the privilege of witnessing this extraordinary natural phenomenon multiple times, and we never get used to seeing it. If you are planning your trip around this experience, make sure to read my Rovaniemi winter travel guide.
We always use the Northern Lights Alert app when visiting Rovaniemi. It connects to Aurora cameras and sends an alert the moment the Northern Lights are detected, so you can head outside instantly. Many hotels now offer it to guests for free based on location, including Silver Birch Resort. Just download the app, set your alert, and hope for clear skies.
Are you not staying at the Silver Birch Resort, or one of the other affiliated hotels or resorts? No problem, be sure to check their website.
The Northern Lights Alert App has proven itself multiple times during several trips we took to Rovaniemi and is absolutely worth the money!
Overall thoughts
It really is the perfect place for people who dream of Lapland, would love to visit Rovaniemi and want to see Santa Claus, but who also want to return to peace and nature afterwards. We consciously chose Silver Birch Resort and consciously chose to enjoy nature and surroundings to the fullest here. The best choice we could have made.
Of course, we understand that most travelers want to do all kinds of activities in Lapland. If you choose Silver Birch Resort, you are also choosing the peace and tranquility here, so enjoy that to the fullest!
New resorts are announced in Rovaniemi almost monthly. Anyone can build cabins and welcome guests, but few can truly create something new, different, unique, and special. That is exactly what Theo and Silver Birch Resort have managed to do. We can only highly recommend Silver Birch Resort. If you want something really special, private and exclusive, go for Silver Birch Resort.
This blog was written by travel writer and Traveltomtom team member Ashley. She stayed at Silver Birch Resort , on behalf of Traveltomtom, and wrote this blog about her experiences.