The Official 2012 Snow Calendar

Visitor reviews for Yllas Ski Resort

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• April 01, 2011
  Boltie from United Kingdom
  

  Our 4th time in Yllas-I think that says something?! We stayed in the much prettier part of the village-Akaslompolo in the Villa Armas cabins situated just behind the Akas hotel which is the central meeting place for ski bus, excursions etc.
  Predominately we are downhill skiers & have skied twice here downhill. However, even in March when we tend to go it can be extremely cold on the fell, especially when travelling the lifts which is why we decided to give the cross country a try.
  With Inghams quite a few of the cabins include free x-country equipment & snowshoes too so it would've been silly not to use them. We're so glad we did, the trails are immaculately groomed, well signposted & take you right out into the middle of nature. There's plenty of cute little rustic hut cafes & lean-to shelters with small fires burning so that you can cook your own toasties, sausages etc & the Siberian jays who watch your every move will take food gently from your hand if invited-amazing!
  The log cabins are well presented with modern fully fitted kitchen, TV, sauna etc & add the finishing touch to a truly memorable holiday.
  On the down side, Lapland isn't cheap once you're there. Expect to pay 6 Euros for a beer & up to 9 Euros for a glass of wine. However, there is a fantastic supermarket-food prices are generally on par with the UK & also an extremely well stocked off license-we were well impressed with the selection of reasonably priced wines on offer.
  On a skiing note, Yllas is an excellent place to learn how to ski, with some lovely gentle tree lined runs, but you need to really wrap up & use hand & toe warmers. You can hire thermal suits, gloves & boots very cheaply if you don't have your own.
  We don't normally return to the same resort year after year but the magic of Lapland has got to us, give it a go-I'm sure you won't be disappointed.

• Yllas Ratings

  Based on 4 votes. Vote

  Access: 3.8 (1) At least one overnight stop, (2) requires a whole day, (3) requires more than half a day – you may have time for a few turns (4) arrive by lunchtime and ski all afternoon, (5) there is a main airport within an hour of Yllas.	Public Transport: 3.2 (1) There are no buses or taxis to Yllas, (3) there are slow or infrequent buses / trains available, (5) getting to the resort is easy with frequent bus / train connections.
  Scenery: 3.0 (1) An ugly resort in a bland setting, (3) average mountain views and resort, (5) a spectacular setting and a beautiful / historic resort town.	Accommodation: 3.8 (1) No places to stay in/near Yllas, (3) a few places to stay in the resort, (5) a wide variety of accommodation suitable to suit all budgets.
  Cheap Rooms: 2.5 (1) No budget accommodation available, (3) just one or two hostels so book ahead, (5) several cheap hostels and pensions available.	Luxury Hotels: 2.5 (1) No luxury accommodation available, (3) just one or two luxury hotels so book ahead, (5) several up-market hotels in Yllas.
  Ski in/Ski out: 3.0 (1) The ski area is located far from any accommodation, (3) a free ski bus takes you to the ski area in a short trip, (5) Ski-in ski-out accommodation is available.	Childcare: 2.0 (1) There are no child care facilities at Yllas, (5) the resort has excellent child-care facilities including at least one reasonably priced creche.
  Snowsure: 3.8 (1) Occasionally gets enough snow for skiing, (2) is often closed due to a lack of snow, (3) occasionally suffers from a lack of snow, (4) rarely suffers from a lack of snow, (5) Yllas is snowsure even in the poorest seasons.	Snowmaking: 3.7 (1) Yllas relies entirely on natural snow, (3) there are just a few snow cannons, (5) there are snowmaking facilities on all pistes.
  Snow Grooming: 3.5 (1) There are no snow groomers at Yllas, (3) occasionally some pistes are left ungroomed and in a poor state, (5) all the runs at Yllas are groomed daily.	Shelter: 3.5 (1) there is nowhere to ski when it is windy or visibility is bad and lifts often shut, (3) there are some trees for poor visibility but main lifts sometimes close, (5) Yllas is mostly in forest where you can ski in flat-light and windy days, lifts rarely close.
  Nearby options: 2.3 (1) If snow conditions are poor at Yllas, it will be poor everywhere nearby, (3) there are good alternatives within an hours drive, (5) other locations on the same lift pass provide a rich variety of snowsure ski conditions.	Regional rating: 3.2 (1) Yllas usually has poor snow conditions compared to other resorts in region, (3) has average conditions for the region, (5) usually has the best snow conditions in the region.
  Lift Staff: 4.0 (1) The staff at Yllas are rude or unhelpful, (5) lift staff at Yllas are pleasant, cheerful and eager to help.	Crowds/Queues: 4.0 (1) the resort is always busy and there are usually long lift queues, (3) it is quiet apart from occasional weekends and school holidays, (5) it is uncrowded and lift queues are very rare.
  Ski Schools: 4.0 (1) No ski schools available, (2) one or two ski schools but local language only, (3) a few ski schools but book early for multi-lingual instructors, (4) plenty of ski schools and multi-lingual instructors available, (5) excellent ski schools with friendly multi-lingual ski instructors.	Hire and Repairs: 3.8 (1) Nothing can be sourced, not even ski-wax or ptex. (3) there are some ski shops but rentals need to be booked in advance, (5) good quality ski equipment can be purchased or hired and overnight repairs are possible.
  Variety of pistes: 3.0 (1) The ski runs are featureless and unvaried, (3) the ski runs are varied but not extensive enough for a week, (5) Yllas has diverse and interesting pistes including forests and high alpine terrain.	Beginners: 3.8 (1) Beginners can only watch others ski and snowboard, (3) a few gentle slopes but beginners will get bored in less than a week, (3) Vast areas of gentle terrain.
  Intermediates: 2.5 (1) No intermediate terrain at Yllas, (3) intermediate skiers will get bored after a few days, (5) vast areas of cruising runs.	Advanced: 2.2 (1) Nothing for advanced skiers and snowboarders, (3) enough steep terrain for a few days with some good offpiste, (5) Enough steep terrain and offpiste areas to entertain advanced skiers for at least a week.
  Snow Park: 2.0 (1) Not even a kicker at Yllas, (3) average sized park quite well looked after, (5) huge park area and expertly crafted pipes, jumps and boardercross trails.	Off-piste: 2.3 (1) No off-piste worth mentioning, (2) off piste is out-of-bounds, (3) some varied offpiste that stays fresh for one or two days, (5) a vast array of off-piste routes that can stay untracked for several days.
  Cross-country: 4.0 (1) There is nowhere to go for cross-country skiing around Yllas, (3) there are some cross country trails available, (5) the area features many spectacular and well maintained cross-country trails.	Luge/Toboggan: 1.5 (1) No designated luge or toboggan runs, (3) there are toboggan runs that open quite often, (5) Yllas has long and well maintained luge / toboggan facilities suitable for all ages.
  Mountain Dining: 3.0 (1) Nowhere to buy food by the pistes, (3) some places to eat up on the mountain but they are often busy and expensive, (5) there is a variety of excellent mountain eateries right next to the slopes to suit all budgets.	Eating: 2.8 (1) Bring your own food, there isn't even a shop. (5) A wide variety of places to eat and drink in the resort, from fast food to fancy restaurants.
  Apres-Ski: 2.5 (1) Nothing to do, not even a bar, (3) there are a few bars in the resort but nothing special, (5) clubs and bars stay open until very late and have a friendly atmosphere.	Other Sports: 2.2 (1) No sports facilities at all apart from ski lifts, (3) resort has just a small public swimming pool, (5) resort has all kinds of sports facilities, including a full-size swimming pool.
  Entertainment: 3.5 (1) Besides the snow and walking there is nothing to do here, (3) the non-skier will find things to do for few days but may become bored after a week, (5) the resort area is a fascinating place to visit, regardless of winter sports.	Winter Walks: 3.8 (1) Very limited walking and no snowshoe trails, (3) a couple of designated scenic walking/snowshoe trails, (5) extensive and diverse winter walking trails for all abilities.
  Ski Pass Value: 2.8 (1) A 1 week ski pass is overpriced compared to the number of lifts available, (3) the ski pass is averagely priced and covers a reasonable number of lifts, (5) ski passes are excellent value for money and cover a lot of lifts spanning a big area.	Value (National): 3.0 (1) Overall, Yllas is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the country and not worth the money, (3) overall represents average value for money, (5) overall offers the best value resort in the country.
  Value (Global): 3.0 (1) Overall, Yllas is one of the most expensive ski resorts in the world, (3) overall it offers pretty average value for money compared to resorts from other countries, (5) internationally the resort offers excellent value for money.

  Based on 4 votes. Vote

• January 01, 2010
  Malcolm from United Kingdom
  

  We're just off to Yllas for the fifth time, Why? As a cross country skier, the area is heaven! More track than I can ski in a week - all well groomed for both classic and skating styles. There are plenty of easy "blue" routes for relative novices, but also red and black routes for the experienced. With a ski bus running to the bottom of the down-hill slopes, and to the other side of the fell, you can all ski in the morning on easy routes, then those who have had enough can bus back whilst the others ski more demanding routes back.
  Skiing through the woods, over a fell or across a lake by yourselves, under a glorious pink and mauve ski, coming across reindeer, spotting a ptarmigan or stopping to feed Arctic Jays from your hand is all part of the magic.
  Be aware of the low temperatures, always put on a warm coat when you stop - it is a lot colder than it feels! and always wear gloves when you open your flask, or your fingers can freeze to it!
  Also be aware of time and darkness - in early January the sun is up for only 2 hours, but it is twilight for longer, giving you 4-5 hours of skiing, unless you plan your route to ski on lit routes, which stay lit until 10.pm.
  To find out more about cross country skiing in Yllas ask the locals and the ski shops - British reps focus on downhill and excursions.

• April 06, 2009
  matt from United Kingdom
  

  Just just got back from Yllas. We stayed at the Saaga hotel and had a fab time. The Finnish are really lovely people and the ski slopes were very well groomed. We want to say a special thanks to Bev for making our holiday so brillant; we will be coming back next year we enjoyed it so much. Hope you will still be our rep and thanks to the staff of the Saaga hotel.

• February 23, 2009
  Philippa from United Kingdom
  

  Just returned from Yllas: a last minute booking at half term. Great experience - very beautiful, think Christmas cards and fairy tales. However, it was very cold at the beginning of the week (hit -26 one night) that my daughter and I were almost in tears with throbbing fingers and toes despite silk liners ('miracle gloves 'from the ski shop AND normal ski gloves). Advice: wear mittens rather than gloves and take hand warmers if you feel the cold. Also, don't forget the balaclavas, something that you probably won't have thought of before if you've only skied the Alps. Yllas is unsophisticated but sweet and the skiing delightful but not challenging; a great place to learn. Extra curricular activities are fab. Loved the husky safari and the boys loved the snowmobiles. Three days were unski-able unfortunately due to weather conditions. In fact, the low cloud, wind and snow made it thoroughly unpleasant. This did spoil it for us as we had to spend quite some time killing time, something one tends not to do on a skiing holiday. Very glad we went. Yllas was a very different experience but it would be unlikely that we would return.

• February 03, 2009
  Ron from Finland
  

  Went to Yllas in Feb 2008 and had a fantastic time. There are two villages/resorts that make up Yllas; we stayed in the smaller, quieter one: Akaslompolo.
  Supposedly it was the Finish holidays so the rep said it would be busy. Had to wait at least 2 minutes for a lift at one point. Friendly people, quiet slopes, beautiful landscape with waist deep snow. My 12 year old's first ski holiday but he picked it up quickly in the excellent ski school and loved stopping for lunch on the fell and cooking sausages on the open fires that they have. A snow mobile trip at night to see the Northern lights is great fun although you can see them from most places as long as you are away from the street lights and it's not too cloudy. The slopes are ideal for beginners and intermediates but not that challenging for people who like black runs.
  Going back to Yllas this year but will stay in a larger log cabin this time as the single room ones at the Akas Hotel, although nice, were a bit cramped.

• April 04, 2008
  RICHARD SWIFT from Finland
  

  Just back from Yllas on a learn to ski holiday at Easter. Instructors spoke very good English and the lessons were excellent. Snow cover was approx a foot and half deep. New bar and cafe just opened 6 weeks ago in the centre and was very good. We stayed in hotel Saga next to the slope and by day 2 could ski from and to the hotel. Temperature ranged from -12 to -5 but never really felt cold as we had hired arctic weather clothing.
  All in all: brilliant for beginners and mid range maybe not quite steep enough for black run skiers. Maybe that's why it never seems to get a mention in the papers! All the Finish people were lovely and spoke good English.

• April 02, 2008
  Carol from UK from United Kingdom
  

  Yllas/Finland has lots more charm than the typical French Alps/resorts. The slopes are not crowded and it is a great place to get one's confidence and improvement in skiing. I often find that 6/7 days skiing is just too much but in Yllas you can try snowmobiling, ice fishing (highly recommended) and husky dog-sledging (kids love them). I enjoy this trip much more than those in the French Alps and would recommend to those with kids. They've just put in a gondola which makes it much less tiring than on the drag lifts. Be warned though that on days it gets too foggy to ski from the top of the mountain.

• February 23, 2008
  JENNY ANSTEAD from United Kingdom
  

  Just got back from Yllas today having had one of the best skiing holidays ever. We have 2 young children aged 5 and 7 who improved no end on the unspoilt, quiet slopes. Finland was not as cold as we were expecting so don't be put off by the temperatures or the reported high costs. The scenery is magical, tonnes of snow and everyone was very friendly.

• February 15, 2008
  Richard from Finland
  

  We stayed in Yllas January 2008, although I am a black run skier I went with the family on their first skiing holiday with 3 young children ages 2, 4 and 7. It is a fantastic place to learn how to ski. The scenery is beautiful, people really friendly, no hustle or queues for lifts, everything is so laid back. There is so much to do if you want = plenty of excursions available if you want a break from the skiing. Our party fell in love with the place and are desperate to return next year. We will certainly be returning and would recommend Yllas to anyone, young and old.

• January 29, 2008
  lee bennett from United Kingdom
  

  I went to Yllas in January 2008. This was my second snowboarding holiday and, I have to say, it was 10 times better than Andora which is where I went last year. The weather was fantastic, the scenery was gorgeous and the snowboarding was amazing. Not too challenging so it would be a great place for someone to learn to ski because it's no crowded, Also the northern lights were great; just pick a spot on an open lake and look north and be amazed. I recommend Yllas in Finland to anyone who wants to ski or board.

• December 06, 2006
  Richard Alliston from United Kingdom
  

  We visited Yllas in March 2005 and we are considering a return visit in 2007. Our family ski standard is "Black run" and whilst Yllas lacked real challenge it was great for a 7 day family holiday with some very enjoyable skiing on some long runs. The weather in March was OK typically -7c to -13c but with a lot of sunshine and not too much wind. The resort is small and pretty and a lot cheaper than the Alps. As an alternative to steep, black, moguls fields in France or Canada this was great and the snow conditions are guaranteed, which is why we are considering a return.

• November 24, 2006
  Jim McSweeney from United Kingdom
  

  Went to Yllas in late March 2006. It was still -25 with an unbelievable windchill. The skiing is ok at best, for beginners and pre intermediates it is just fine but I just didn't feel challenged. Lovely resort with a few nice bars and restaurants. The Northern Lights were worth the money on their own but as far as skiing goes, I would go to the Alps or Pyrenees

• March 27, 2006
  BL from Finland
  

  The number one skiing resort in Finland and one of the best parks in the whole Scandinavia. ROK

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  Chris Thomas from United Kingdom
  

  As complete beginners we went to Yllas in March 2007. We found it uncrowded and very friendly - we did not want to risk getting put off the sport by the long lift queues and posers you hear of in Alpine resorts. It looks cold on paper but there is rarely much wind and it never felt too bad. Lapland is a beautiful place to ski and we can't wait to go back again in 2008