Every winter we are asked the same question by parents planning a Lapland Christmas: can Santa come to us, rather than us queuing to see him? For guests staying with us, the answer is yes. Our Private Santa’s Surprise visit brings Santa Claus to the door of your own hotel room for a short, private moment that belongs only to your family.
This article explains the visit the way we would explain it at our reception desk: what happens, who can book it, what is and is not included, and when one of our longer Santa experiences might suit you better.
In short: the Private Santa’s Surprise visit is a 15-minute private visit from Santa Claus in your hotel room, from 199 €. It is available only to guests staying at Postmaster Hotel or Aurora Hill Resort, and it must be booked at least one day before the visit.
At a glance
- From: 199 €
- Experience type: Santa Claus Adventure
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Book in Advance: Cutoff: 1 day before start time
- Included: Santa Visits Guest Rooms: Santa Claus makes a surprise entry into guest rooms to delight children and families.; Leave your own gifts: You can give to Santa the gifts beforehand, so he can give them to your children during the visit!; Photo Opportunity: Guests can take pictures with Santa right in their room.; Festive Greetings: Santa shares warm holiday wishes and chats briefly with families.; Storytime with Santa: Santa reads a short Christmas story or poem for the kids.; Goodbye Ho-Ho-Ho : Santa departs with a cheerful “Merry Christmas” as he leaves.
- Cancellation: Free cancellation 7 days before the activity. We will charge a cancellation fee of 100% if booking is cancelled 7 days or less before the event.
- Accessibility: Accessible for everyone
StayLapland · From 199 €
Private Santa’s Surprise visit
15 minutes · Very easy · Cutoff: 1 day before start time
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How the visit works, step by step
There is no transfer, no bus and no waiting outside in the cold. The meeting point is simply your own hotel room. At the booked time, Santa arrives at your door and makes his surprise entrance. According to the programme on the product page, the visit then follows a simple, gentle rhythm:
- The surprise entrance – Santa Claus comes into your room to greet the children and the whole family.
- Festive greetings – Santa shares his holiday wishes and chats briefly with everyone.
- Storytime – he reads a short Christmas story or poem for the children.
- Photos – you can take pictures with Santa right there in your room.
- Goodbye – Santa leaves with a cheerful “Merry Christmas”.
The whole visit lasts 15 minutes. It is deliberately short: long enough for a real moment, short enough for small children to stay spellbound from start to finish.
Your own presents, handed over by Santa
One detail parents love: you can give your own gifts to Santa beforehand, and he will hand them to your children during the visit. It turns a present you bought yourself into one that came straight from Santa’s hands.
When you book, tell us that you would like to leave presents and we will explain how to hand them over before the visit. If you have questions about this, write to us at booking@staylapland.com or on WhatsApp at +358 40 128 7846.
Who can book it
This is a hotel-guest experience. The booking conditions state that it is available exclusively to guests staying at Postmaster Hotel or Aurora Hill Resort, and that only guests staying in the booked room may take part in the private visit. In practice that means it is a visit for your own family or travel group in your own room, not a party for friends staying elsewhere.
The experience is marked as very easy and accessible for everyone, which makes it one of the few Santa encounters that works just as well for grandparents, babies and anyone who would rather not spend time outdoors in the cold.
What is included – and what is not
Included, as listed on the product page:
- A surprise visit by Santa Claus to your guest room
- The chance to leave your own gifts with Santa beforehand, for him to give to your children
- Photo opportunities in your room
- Festive greetings and a short chat with the family
- A short Christmas story or poem read by Santa
- Santa’s cheerful goodbye
What it is not: it is not a trip to a Santa location, there is no transport, food or drink, and there are no animals. If you would like those elements, one of the experiences further down this article is the better fit.
StayLapland · From 249 €
1,5 hours · Very easy · Cut off: 12 hours before start time
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Timing and booking
The visit is booked for a specific time through the booking calendar on this page. The booking cut-off is one day before the start time, so you cannot book it on the same day. During the Christmas season it is worth booking as soon as your hotel stay is confirmed.
If the time you want is already closed or sold out, contact us via WhatsApp +358 40 128 7846 or at booking@staylapland.com and we will see what we can arrange. Our services are also available as gift cards, if you would like to give the visit as a present.
The small print, quoted from the product page
- Duration: 15 minutes
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Booking cut-off: 1 day before start time
- Meeting point: your own hotel room
- Who may take part: guests staying at Postmaster Hotel or Aurora Hill Resort; only guests staying in the booked room may participate
- Cancellation: free cancellation 7 days before the activity. A cancellation fee of 100% is charged if the booking is cancelled 7 days or less before the event.
Book this if – or choose another of our Santa experiences
Book the Surprise visit if you are staying with us, your children are young, you want a private moment without travel, or you want Santa to hand over the presents you brought from home.
Choose the Magical Private Santa Visit instead if you would like to travel to Santa rather than have him come to you. It lasts 1,5 hours, starts from 249 € and includes an exclusive 30-minute private meeting with Santa Claus at Santa’s Secret Hide-out, a special gift from Santa for each child, warm berry juice and cookies, and a personal Santa’s Elf who accompanies your family from pick-up to drop-off (pick-ups within 10 km of Rovaniemi city centre).
Choose the Santa Claus Village Tour if you would like a guided half-day: it lasts 5 hours, starts from 169 € and includes a guide, winter clothing, meeting Santa Claus, a local lunch and pick-ups within 10 km of the city centre.
You can see all of our Santa experiences on our Santa Claus activities page.
Combining the visit with your stay
Because the visit takes place in your room, it fits around everything else you have planned. Many families keep it for the first evening, as a gentle start, or for the last, as a farewell to Lapland. Days can then be spent outdoors on one of our winter tours, and evenings on a Northern Lights tour – our Northern Lights season article explains how we run those.
For a wider overview of how you can meet Santa with us, read Meet Santa Claus in Rovaniemi: Magical Activities with StayLapland.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the Santa surprise visit last?
The visit lasts 15 minutes and takes place in your own hotel room.
How much does the Private Santa’s Surprise visit cost?
Prices start from 199 €. The exact price for your date is shown in the booking calendar.
Can I book it if I am not staying at Postmaster Hotel or Aurora Hill Resort?
No. The experience is exclusively available to guests staying at Postmaster Hotel or Aurora Hill Resort, and only guests staying in the booked room may take part.
Can Santa give my children the presents we brought?
Yes. You can give your own gifts to Santa beforehand, so he can hand them to your children during the visit.
Can we take photos with Santa?
Yes. You can take pictures with Santa in your room during the visit.
How late can I book?
The booking cut-off is 1 day before the start time.
What is the cancellation policy?
Cancellation is free up to 7 days before the activity. A cancellation fee of 100% is charged if the booking is cancelled 7 days or less before the event.
Ready to book?
StayLapland · From 199 €
Private Santa’s Surprise visit
15 minutes · Very easy · Cutoff: 1 day before start time
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Questions before you book? Write to booking@staylapland.com or message us on WhatsApp at +358 40 128 7846.
You may also like
- Magical Private Santa Visit — from 249 €, 1,5 hours
- Santa Claus Village Tour — from 169 €, 5 hours