Hi all,
Got back yesterday from a Santa trip with Emagine, and I felt that having read everyone%26#39;s posts on this forum I needed to post a review - it might make me think I%26#39;m still there!
So, took 4 and 6-year old to see Santa for their first foreign holiday %26amp; was one big adventure from start to finish. Really nice to have flights at a sensible time of day (9:45), so no-one was too tired. We were met by the emagine reps at the airport %26amp; from then on they looked after us completely - I can honestly say I have never been looked after so well. They were great with the kids and really helped make the holiday. Laura, Flo and Emma - if you read this a million thank-yous for making Lapland so wonderful! Our children have never really been keen on kids clubs, but they went to snowkids and had a great time.
Transfer time to the hotel from Kuusamo was about an hour and a half %26amp; spent the rest of the day cheking out our log cabin (excellent, although a reasopnable walk downhill from the hotel) and attending welcome meeting/ eating. Food was very good - kids well catered for. The hotel is located at the top of the fell, is quite small, very remote and in a breathtakingly beautiful setting. Be warned though - don%26#39;t come here for a commercialised, bustling holiday. We didn%26#39;t and it was perfect.
Excursions were trip to reindeer farm, snowmobile safari and Husky safari. All very well organised, absolutely no waiting around and plenty of time to enjoy what we were doing. Emagine split us into small groups so we never felt in a crowd. At the reindeer farm we got a short sleigh ride and then the chance to %26quot;play in the snow%26quot; on a frozen lake for a few hours. There were quad bikes, snowmobiles (including a little one for the kids), toboggans etc. We tried all of them several times (no queues) and spent quite a while just throwing snowballs and making snowmen. The reps came %26amp; fetched us one family at a time with a story that someone had seen Santa checking out his reindeer and if we went with them we might be able to find him. The kids faces were a picture %26amp; we went by reindeer to Santa%26#39;s house where he was waiting to speak to us. The whole thing was so well done that the wife %26amp; I couldn%26#39;t help but well up. The children loved the huskies on the second day, and the adults loved the snowmobiles! The second day was a little more relaxed, which was good because we were all exhausted after the first. Santa came to the hotel on the last evening and dished out presents %26amp; we finally managed to drag the children off to bed about 11:00 after the disco.
To sum up, this was the trip of a lifetime to an absolutely magical, remote and beautiful place. Emagine are not cheap but if like us you will probably only go once they were worth every penny - I can%26#39;t think of a single thing that they could have done any better. Our children had such a wonderful time but the adults were not forgotten either. Memories to treasure!
Marc
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Hi Marc,
I missed this post previously as we were just flying out to Saariselka but I%26#39;ve really enjoyed reading it! I would have liked to go to Iso-Syote as it really did look magical but they didn%26#39;t go from an airport near us. I%26#39;m glad you had a wonderful time.
The reps were excellent weren%26#39;t they - we were SO well looked after and they were brilliant with both children and adults alike!
The trip WAS expensive, but actually we could go for 4 nights with Emagine for the same price as 3 nights with Esprit.
I know its a trip of a lifetime but we left our youngest with Grandma (he%26#39;s 2) so we might just have to save up and go again.....
Out of interest, how did your 4 year old enjoy it? Is he/she just 4 or nearly 5? Was it VERY cold? (It was really mild when we went)Just wondering how many more years to give it %26#39;till we can go again!
Sonia.
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Hi Sonia,
Our youngest is only just 4 (October birthday) but she loved every minute. Not sure I%26#39;d have taken her any younger though - as it was I had to rescue her from the snow on a couple of occasions when she just flaxed out %26amp; refused to go any further (quite funny really!). I think we were a bit lucky with the weather in some ways - it hovered between 0 and -3 which was mild, but meant that we stayed out in the snow longer and there was very little risk of getting too cold - quite the opposite in fact!
We%26#39;ve definately got the bug too - but I think we%26#39;ll leave it a few years before we go back. Emagine do longer breaks where you get to go on a %26quot;proper%26quot; husky safari into the wilderness %26amp; stay in a hut in the middle of nowhere which sounds fun!!! Kids need to be quite a lot older though I think. You might think differently having another little one to take, but I%26#39;m not sure we%26#39;ll do the Santa thing again just in case it spoils the memory of the first one.
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Marc
Loved reading your report, we are going to Iso Syote at the end of Feb 08 4 adults and 3 kids ages 10 8 and 6.
We have only heard good reviews about the whole experience, aprt from one, where ther was quite a lot of negatives about the %26#39;false%26#39; log cabins and the food for the children.
Our kids are quite fussy eaters, so a bit of a worry can you advise on how yours got on with the food.
Pleased that you enjoyed it and hope we have as nuch fun.
regards
Howard
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Howard,
There are 2 types of cabins at Iso-Syote - the %26quot;real%26quot; cabins that are situated some way down the slope from the hotel and chalet-style accomodation that looked newer but was right close to the hotel. We were in the former and couldn%26#39;t fault them. The only downside was the walk between cabin and hotel, buit only because of the effort involved in getting 2 young children into and out of snow suits every time, plus the fact that it took 4 times as long to walk as it should have done because the kids couldn%26#39;t leave the snow alone! But hey, that%26#39;s why we were there!
Food-wise the arrangements were fine. Our eldest is a fussy eater too but there was always something that he would eat. A word of caution though, we were on a package tour on full board and our meals were different. I did see the pizza though, which looked lovely!
A final word to set your mind at rest - the hotel owner introduced himself to us personally and was genuinely interested in ensuring that all guests had a good time. The staff at the hotel went out of their way to look after us - I am sure that if food was a problem they would work round it with you - that%26#39;s the sort of people they are.
I hope that you have a great time.
Marc
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Marc
Thanks for the prompt reply, lets hope for one of the tradittional cabins then.
Good to hear from someone that has visited recently.
We are really looking forward to it now.
Regards
Howard
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No worries. I%26#39;ve posted some photos now by the way, although managed to post the same one twice. You might like to check them out
tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g1370502-d63…
Marc
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