Santa Claus Village will gain a completely new experience when Piparina, day cabins and dining, opens at the end of October. The new concept by Snowhotel Family, a family-owned company from Rovaniemi, combines private gingerbread cabins for hourly rental with high-quality Lapland culinary experiences, which can be enjoyed in the privacy of your own gingerbread house in the middle of the village buzz.
Piparina is based on an identified customer need: visitors to the Village are looking for more dining options and places to rest for a moment between activities. Entrepreneurs Heidi and Ville Haavikko say the idea was born on a family trip to Cyprus:
– We rented a cabana as a base for a day at a water park. We realised how much easier it made things to have our own place to leave towels and clothes, to eat in peace and rest without leaving the park. We wanted to bring this experience to the Santa Claus Village, with a Lapland twist.
Authentic-looking gingerbread houses next to Santamus
Fifteen gingerbread houses will be built next to Santamus in the Santa Claus Village, available for rental by the hour or for several hours. However, they are not intended for overnight stays. In the day cabins, visitors can eat their own snacks, order food and drinks from the restaurant, or even host meetings and parties.
– In the Santa Claus Village there are restaurants where you can rest while dining, but then you need to give up the table for the next guests. Now customers can book a gingerbread cabin and store a change of clothes and souvenirs safely there during a visit to Santa Claus or other activities, the Haavikkos say.
The current Santamus will remain as a restaurant but will adopt a new food concept. From now on, dishes will be served in tasting portions, allowing guests to create their own culinary journey from a variety of Lapland delicacies from reindeer and lake fish to king crab and leipäjuusto (Finnish squeaky cheese). Ingredients will still primarily come from small local producers in the surrounding area.
The exterior design of Piparina is by Kati Lamppu, known for her work on the sets of Rovaniemi Theatre, who describes the project as a dream job:
– Since I was a child, I have loved baking gingerbread houses. Now I have the chance to design a real, giant gingerbread village – and in Santa Claus’s hometown, no less.
Piparina will open its doors in Santa Claus Village on 28 October 2025. On the opening day, everyone is welcome to come and explore the new service.
More information:
Heidi Haavikko
Owner, Snowhotel Family
+358 400 281 899
heidi@snowhotel.fi
Marja Mäenpää
Marketing director, Snowhotel Family
+358 40 521 5316
marja@snowhotel.fi
Links and pictures:
www.snowhotel.fi
https://snowhotel.kuvat.fi/kuvat/Mediabank/