The TF Travel Diaries: Finland

Trailfinders are the travel experts for a reason - we regularly send our team on research trips to get first-hand experience of the holidays we provide (it’s tough work but someone has to do it!)

In this series TF staff recount their recent research trip experiences, sharing the highlights and explaining what makes a holiday here just so incredible.

This edition sees Lauren Pomfret, one of our Travel Consultants from Tunbridge Wells, discuss the team’s recent trip to Finland.

Flights

Airline and Route: Finnair London Heathrow- Helsinki- Rovaniemi- Helsinki- London Heathrow

Flight experience: Flying with Finnair was a first for most of us, and we were extremely pleased with the experience- from a smooth check-in with friendly staff to professional service on board. In economy, there was plenty of legroom, with snacks available to purchase and blueberry juice served halfway through the flight from London.

On the return journey we travelled on the Airbus A350, that operates one of the four daily services between Heathrow and Helsinki as well as their long-haul network to Asia. We were lucky enough to be upgraded to the new business class cabin, which featured a fully flat bed, ample space and delicious food served by one of the friendliest crews we’ve experienced. With a strong network into Asia - soon expanding to destinations such as Melbourne (Oct 26), Phuket (Oc t26) and Krabi (Nov 26) - I would highly recommend Finnair to anyone.

Airport Lounge: We spent some time in the business lounge in Helsinki, which is very spacious and offers a variety of seating options, including noise-cancelling pods. There is also a dedicated champagne area, a bar serving a wide selection of cocktails and a buffet featuring a range of meal choices and sweet snacks. In the first-class lounge, there are even two saunas - an excellent way to relax during a layover.

Airport Experience: On arrival, we had a tour of Helsinki airport and were thoroughly impressed. The airport is very quiet, clean, modern and compact - it took us just 20 minutes from arriving at the gate to reaching the lounge, following immigration.

Rovaniemi

Our adventure included three nights in a cosy hut with large windows, set in the snowy wilderness just outside of Rovaniemi. Meals are provided on a half board basis, and a range of activities are included, such as a husky safari, a reindeer sleigh ride, a two hour snowmobile session and a private sauna and jacuzzi experience. If you're lucky, you'll also get the opportunity to spot the Northern Lights. As an added bonus, Santa Claus Village was only 15 minutes away and can be reached by a shuttle bus paid locally.

Highlight: The husky safari with beautiful Alaskan huskies was a magical moment! We were paired together, with one person steering and breaking while the other sat back and enjoyed the ride. Each sled was led by a team of five huskies that knew their way through the wilderness instinctively. The journey covers approximately 5km over 30 minutes, and gave the opportunity to swap roles halfway, allowing everyone to experience the ride from different perspectives. Afterwards, we relaxed with hot berry juice and biscuits, while learning more about the huskies and their lives as working dogs.

Interesting Fact: Despite its Arctic location, Finland gets as warm as 20 degrees in summer and enjoys the midnight sun, making it a fantastic year round destination.

Top Tip: For those wanting to experience the magic of Santa’s workshop outside of the peak Christmas period, there’s no need to worry about missing him - Santa works all year round! Santa Claus Village is open 365 days of the year, and you will find things a lot quieter and cheaper outside of the Christmas holidays.

Where we stayed: 3*+ Vaattunki Wilderness Resort

Hotel Tip: Download the ‘Northern Lights Alert’ App. The App is free for hotel guests, and the hotel staff help you log your location at check in so you can be notified if the Northern Lights are visible from the resort!