Best Hotels in Tromsø for the Northern Lights (We Stayed There)
Penguin Trampoline’s selection of the best hotels in Tromsø for Northern Lights viewing — cozy stays, fjord views, and glass-roof cabins to watch the aurora dance above the Arctic, including places we stayed at.
Northern lights over Tromsø Brige (Picture credit Pascal Debrunner)
Last update: June 2026
If you’re chasing the Northern Lights in Norway, Tromsø is usually the first name you hear — and for good reason.
The city sits right under the auroral oval, surrounded by mountains, fjords, and more cozy hotels than anywhere else above the Arctic Circle.
You don’t have to trek into the wild to see the aurora — sometimes it dances right above your balcony. That being said, if the aurora is on the weaker side, your best shot is far from the city lights. And you’ll find awesome options in the surroundings!
Here are the best Tromsø hotels for the northern lights, whether you want views, comfort, or a cabin-in-the-snow vibe. We stayed at a few!
And for more options year-round, explore our guide: Where to stay in Tromsø & around (best areas, hotels, cabins and apartments).
Plan your Tromsø trip: where to stay, and how to get around
🗓️ When to see the northern lights in Tromsø
The aurora season in Tromsø runs from late September to early April, with the best viewing usually between December and February, when nights are longest and skies clearest.
On a calm night, you can often see the lights right from town or by the water — though it’s always better a little outside the glow of streetlights. Read our full guide to the Northern Lights in Tromsø for details.
For photo settings, gear advice, and the best Northern Lights destinations across Scandinavia, check out our full 👉 Northern Lights Hub.
Where to stay in Tromsø for the northern lights and why?
Northern Norway is one of favorite regions to watch the northern lights!
Tromsø is easy to reach (just a two-hour flight from Oslo), but it still feels like another world in winter.
From September to April, nights are long, skies can be clear, and the aurora often appears just outside the city.
The trick is picking a place that lets you see the lights without freezing and without too much light pollution.
Some hotels offer rooftop views or glass-ceiling igloos; others arrange wake-up calls when the aurora shows up.
Obviously, it’s always better to be outside of the city for aurora watching, but the list below includes options both in the city and within an hour’s drive.
Did you know?
Tromsø is nicknamed “the Paris of the North” — not for its fashion (although we love winter gear!), but because 19th-century visitors were surprised by how lively, educated, and social people were this far above the Arctic Circle. Locals still love to joke that their nightlife shines almost as bright as the Northern Lights.
On the pic: Mac loving the Gate to the Arctic!
The best hotels in Tromsø for the northern lights
Right above Esfjordbotn, Nattmålsfjellet is a fantastic place to watch the northern lights (or the midnight sun)
Best hotels for the northern lights in Tromsø
Best for: Waterfront views & easy aurora sightings
Right on the harbor with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the fjord.
If the lights appear and are intense enough, you’ll see them from bed. Great breakfast, warm rooms, and walking distance to most tours.
→ Check availability for Scandic Ishavshotel
Best for: Rooftop igloos & waterfront splurging
Tromsø's newest and most ambitious hotel — a 13-floor waterfront landmark inspired by the city's shipyard history. The headline feature is the rooftop: glass domes, private igloo tables, and a viewing deck built specifically for aurora watching on clear nights. There's also a rooftop running track with panoramic harbour views, a wellness area, and a lobby bar that draws a crowd. It's a Scandic, so you know what to expect in terms of consistency — but this one has enough character to stand apart from the chain feel. Premium price point, premium position. We only visited the lobby, but it’s absolutely gorgeous, and we were surprised by the very stylish decoration and big personality, being part of a classic chain hotel.
→ Check availability for The Dock by Scandic
Best for: Rooftop bar + modern comfort
This is Tromsø’s design hotel — sleek, central, and with one of the best rooftop bars in town. Ask for a room facing the bridge for possible aurora reflections over the water.
→ Check availability for Clarion The Edge
Best for: Forest setting + aurora reflections
Stay in small riverside cabins surrounded by snow and birch trees, only a couple of kilometers from the city center.
You can see the lights right above the river — magical on calm nights.
→ Check availability for Tromsø Lodge & Camping
Best for: Budget travelers who want charm
Simple, affordable (for Tromsø), and just uphill enough for clearer skies.
Staff share nightly updates on aurora forecasts, and you can walk to tour pick-ups in five minutes.
→ Check availability for Ami Hotel
6. Villa Havblikk (we stayed there)
Best for: Character, fjord views & a real bar
One of the very few independently owned hotels in Tromsø — and easily the most charming. The owner Frits found a derelict 1917 Norwegian wooden villa in Tromsdalen, rebuilt it from the ground up, and filled it with vintage furniture that gives the place real personality. It sits across the Tromsø bridge near the Arctic Cathedral and the cable car, with fjord views in multiple directions. The bar pulls a local crowd, the breakfast buffet is properly stocked, and the suite in the original villa building is the kind of room you'd book the hotel specifically for. Tromsdalen's position away from the densest city light also gives you a genuine advantage for watching the sky and take the cable car to to the top of Fløya.
→ Check availability for Villa Havblikk
Best hotels for the aurora outside Tromsø (within an hour's drive)
7. Sommarøy Arctic Hotel (Hillsøya)
Best for: Silence & starry skies
Less than an hour from Tromsø but worlds away from city lights.
Cabins right on the beach, fresh seafood dinners, and endless horizon views — perfect for Northern Lights photography. Extremely picturesque in summer too with the turquoise water.
→ Check availability for Sommarøy Arctic Hotel
8. Malangen Resort (Mestervik)
Best for: Aurora wake-up calls & wild Arctic views
Located about an hour south of Tromsø, this resort has glass-roof cabins and an “aurora alarm” system that rings your room when the lights appear.
Perfect if you’re looking for a weekend of quiet skies and sauna time.
→ Check availability for Malangen Resort
9. Steam Pier Adventure Hotel (Kvaløya)
Best for: Self-catering with sea views, while being close to the airport
Recently renovated apartments on Kvaløya with sea and mountain views, parquet floors, fully equipped kitchens, and a sun terrace with an outdoor fireplace. They have a transparent aurora hut as well. A quieter, more independent alternative to city-centre hotels — direct bus to Tromsø, dark enough skies for aurora watching, and a proper base if you want to explore the island.
→ Check availability for Steam Pier
10. Yggdrasil Farmhotel Retreat & Spa (Kvaløya)
Best for: Farm stays, sauna & northern lights in total quiet
A privately owned farm hotel on Kvaløya, idyllically located with homemade food, farm animals, and lush Arctic nature all around. Cosy cabins and rooms, a wood-fired sauna, an outdoor jacuzzi with panoramic fjord views, and guided snowshoe hikes in winter. One of the most beautiful spots in the Tromsø region to watch the aurora — far enough from city lights, open sky in every direction.
→ Check availability for Yggdrasil
11. The House of Aurora (Kvaløya - we stayed there)
Best for: Dark skies, fjord reflections & self-catering
Ersfjordbotn is one of the go-to spots for northern lights tours out of Tromsø precisely because the skies here are so much darker than in the city, and the fjord provides a perfect mirror on calm nights. Staying here rather than driving out puts you exactly where the guides bring everyone else — only you don't have to leave at midnight. House of Aurora I and House of Aurora II are two super-cosy, tastefully decorated, spotless and really well-equipped apartments, steps away from the fjords and the mountains. In May, we even got greeted by a herd of reindeer in the morning!
→ Check availability for the House of Aurora I and the House of Aurora II
12. Æra Glass Cabins — (Krokelvdalen)
Best for: Watching the northern lights from bed
Drive past Movik on the mainland road and the valley of Krokelvdalen opens up — waterfront, dark skies, mountains on every side. Æra's glass cabins are built for exactly one thing: lying in bed watching the aurora move across the sky above you. Two options, the Aurora Cabin and the larger Panorama Glass Lodge, both with floor-to-ceiling glass, a WhatsApp aurora alert system, sauna, restaurant, and outdoor fireplace. Staff are exceptional. This is Tromsø's bucket-list aurora stay. It’s easier to navigate with a rental car (ead our guide to renting a car in Tromsø), but there’s also a direct bus from Tromsø. Stay on the bus and go all the way to Oldervik: it’s our best insider tip ;-)
→ Check availability for Æra Glass Cabins
Where to stay for the northern lights further out of Tromsø
Lyngen North Glass Igloo Hotel — ~2 hrs from Tromsø
Best for: The most dramatic glass igloo in the region
On the edge of Lyngenfjord with unobstructed views of the Lyngen Alps, seven glass igloos in 180° and 360° configurations let you watch the northern lights without leaving your bed. Small, intimate, and sells out months ahead during aurora season — book early or miss it. The journey is part of the experience: two hours of increasingly wild Arctic scenery to get there, arriving at something that looks like it shouldn't exist.
→ Check availability for Lyngen North
North Experience Basecamp — ~75 min from Tromsø
Best for: Glass igloos + a full Arctic activities package
At Hatteng on the Lyngenfjord, North Experience Basecamp combines aurora hut glass igloos with panorama windows with an outdoor jacuzzi, Finnish sauna, lavvo breakfast, snowmobile safaris, and reindeer encounters. Less pure accommodation, more curated Arctic experience — the right pick if you want the northern lights alongside a full programme rather than just a place to sleep under the sky.
We’re working on a full Senja hotel guide — come back soon!
Zoom in and out on the map below to find a hotel or cabin in and around Tromsø:
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Quick planning tips
We saw this amazing aurora in October!
Best months: October to March for darkest skies.
Best time of night: 8 pm–1 am but they can appear anytime it’s dark. Find out the best time to see the northern lights in our guide.
Stay: at least 3 nights (chances rise each night, and the weather can be moody)
Join a tour: even if your hotel has views — guides take you where the skies are clearest You can also rent a car to chase clear skies.
Penguin tip:
We use Heymondo on every trip to the Arctic — it’s affordable, covers cancellations, and includes winter activities like dogsledding.
Get 5–15 % off Heymondo travel insurance through our link.
🐋 From November to January, the fjords around Tromsø come alive with migrating orcas and humpbacks chasing herring. Locals can sometimes spot them right from the harbor.
If you fall in love with these Arctic giants, you can actually follow one’s journey through our partner Fahlo — their Whale Bracelet supports marine research and lets you track a real whale’s migrations in the North Atlantic.
💙 Our readers get 20% off through this link: Track a real whale with Fahlo
🌌 FAQ — Best Hotels in Tromsø for the northern lights
Easily spot the aurora from Hotel Havblikk, at the base of Fløya and the cable car (even better for northern lights watching)
Is Tromsø a good place to see the Northern Lights?
Yes. Tromsø sits directly under the auroral oval, which means high activity throughout winter. Even when the KP index is low, you can still get strong shows. Clear skies matter more than the forecast.
Can you see the Northern Lights from Tromsø city?
Sometimes — but city lights dilute the display. You’ll get better results at hotels outside the centre, on hilltops, or by booking a Northern Lights chase.
What’s the best time to visit Tromsø for the Northern Lights?
Late September to early April. Peak viewing months are generally December, January, and February, when nights are longest.
Do I need a car in Tromsø?
Not required. Tromsø has excellent tours, airport buses, and hotel pickups. A rental car helps if you want to chase auroras independently or stay far from town.
How many nights should I stay to maximize my chances?
Three to four nights is ideal. That gives you multiple weather windows and enough time for at least one clear night.
Are these hotels suitable for families?
Yes. Many lodges, cabins, and city hotels welcome families and offer easy access to winter activities like reindeer sledding, husky tours, and fjord cruises.
Is it expensive to stay in Tromsø during winter?
Yes — winter is peak season. Prices rise sharply from December to March. Booking early or staying slightly outside the centre helps reduce costs.
Tromsø is often called the Arctic Capital, and it’s probably larger than what you would expect at this latitude. It’s also surprisingly accessible. Whether you’re watching the aurora from a glass rooftop, a cozy fjord cabin, or right outside your hotel door, few places on Earth make the Northern Lights feel this close.
Pick a base that suits your style — central if you love cafés and tours, or outside town if you crave silence and stars — and let the Arctic nights do the rest. With a little luck, Tromsø will reward you with that unforgettable green swirl in the sky.
For more options year-round, explore our guide: Where to stay in Tromsø & around (best areas, hotels, cabins and apartments). And for other activities, read our full guide to the things to see and do in Tromsø.
Planning a northern lights trip in northern Norway? Check out our guides:
🏨 Where to Stay in Tromsø — Best areas, hotels, cabins and apartments in the city and beyond.
🏨 Hotel Havblikk in Tromsø — Our honest review of one of Tromsø’s only independent hotels.
🏙️ Things to See and Do in Tromsø — Our complete guide with local tips.
🏔️ Senja Tour from Tromsø — Explore Arctic peaks, turquoise waters and white sandy beaches with a local.
🌟 Northern Lights in Tromsø — Best time, best spots and is it really a good aurora destination.
🚗 Renting a car in Tromsø — Pros & cons, ferries, winter driving and everything you need to know.
🥾 Yttersia Base Hotel & Nordisk Bris Restaurant — An authentic base for adventurers on Senja.
⚓ Mefjord Brygge — Historical villas & hotel in a dreamy fisherman’s settlement on Senja.
⛪ Tranøya Island with Senja Moments — Stay on a private island with a long history.
❄️ Alta, Norway — Ice hotels, rock carvings, and one of the best places on Earth to spot the aurora.
🌌 Northern Lights Tours in Alta, Norway — Clear skies, quiet roads, and a front-row seat to the aurora.
🌌 Northern Lights in Norway — Your guide to clear skies, fjords, and the best aurora spots.
🌡️ Best hotels with sauna in Alta— Warm up in the Arctic after your northern lights chase.
🦌 Alta vs. Tromsø— How to choose the perfect Norwegian Arctic getaway.
🧊 Svalbard & Jan Mayen — Polar bears, ghost towns, and next-level Arctic mystery in Norway’s far north.
⛰️ Lofoten Hiking Guide — Dramatic ridges, secret beaches, and cod-drying racks in Arctic Norway.
🏠 Lofoten Hotels & Rorbuer — Fishermen’s cabins, sea views, and that Arctic calm you’ll wish you could pack home.
🏨 Alta Hotels—Where to stay under the northern lights in Norway’s quiet Arctic capital.
🏨 Hotels in Bodø — Where fjords meet the Northern Lights (and the ferry to Lofoten).
🧖♀️ Bodø, Norway — Things to Do — Floating saunas, sea eagles, and the Arctic city everyone skips (and shouldn’t).
🏠 Best Hotels to see the Northern Lights in Europe— Watch the aurora from your bed.
✨ Northern Lights for Dummies — How to actually see the aurora (without freezing your butt off or waiting 12 nights in vain).
📅 Best Time to See the Northern Lights — Month-by-month, season-by-season, when the sky is most likely to dance.
