Greenland's Waterfront Hotel Unveils New Glass-Domed Igloo for Viewing the Northern Lights
Here is a real-life snow globe that Rich Report would like to present to you.
The quintessential way to sleep in Greenland is to count seabirds and distant icebergs before waking up to snow falling 180 degrees. With a private sauna and wood-fired hot tub just steps from the tiny home's door, I was able to accomplish all of this from bed in my glass igloo.
Greenland's new snow globe offered me 180-degree views from the Nuuk fjord to the Sermitsiaq mountain one magical October night. In summer 2022, the glass igloo opened for the first time, which was perfect for admiring ice, scouting the northern lights, or warming up in its sauna.
A picturesque glass igloo built near this waterfront property was the brainchild of Gerth Poulsen, founder of Nuuk tour outfitter Inuk Travel.
“It’s always been our dream to start something where [travelers] can enjoy the northern lights from the hostel cabins; the area’s perfect for it,” Poulsen stated. With its first visitors in May 2022, the glass igloo could not have come at a better time.
New ways to travel to Nuuk
Air Greenland and Icelandair announced a partnership in fall of 2022 to make travel to Greenland's colorful capital easier — and this partnership will continue for years to come. The far-flung island is now more accessible to travelers from Europe and North America since flights to Greenland now take off from Keflavik International Airport, rather than Reykjavik Airport.
The capital of Greenland will see a new airport open in 2024, which will boost tourism significantly. Guests can enjoy a unique Greenland experience at the Inuk Hostels, as well as its glass igloo, which will open in 2024.
The inside of the Igloo
In the past, I've stayed in bubble hotels to chase the aurora, but this one-bed igloo goes a long way beyond. In this Arctic tiny home, you'll find everything you'll need in one small space, including a kitchenette, stove, toilet, heating and cooling features, and drop-down tables for eating breakfast in bed. It's not glamping. Igloo guests can also watch snowflakes and icebergs from the warmth of their beds when the winter weather hits like it did for me at Inuk Hostels.
It's not just coziness inside the igloo; there are numerous ways to stay warm in the adjacent amenities. There's the sauna, with a small window overlooking the water.
Inuk Hostels' main lodge serves traditional Greenlandic dishes such as reindeer and musk-ox burgers, or lighter bites such as salads and soups, just a short walk from the igloo. In addition to local Qajaq beer, cocktails, smoothies, coffee drinks, and wine are also available.
Inuk Hostels offer Greenlandic barbecue and storytelling about our ancestors as part of their cultural encounters.
The world beyond the Igloo
It's hard to leave your warm igloo, but it's worth it. Nuuk is bursting with outdoor adventure and culture. Poulsen's Inuk Travel team runs summer paddleboarding courses and winter skiing events.
A visit to the Greenland National Museum for an explanation of the island's history and culture, as well as a walk along the Nuuk boardwalk are other excursions not to be missed in Nuuk: backcountry snowshoeing hikes with Two Ravens; and a tour of the Nuuk boardwalk.
Book a Nuuk Water Taxi night for an aurora show if it's on your bucket list. For three hours of northern lights hunting in the Nuuk fjord, well away from light pollution, the local team takes small groups into the igloos for the perfect start to a full night of aurora hunting.
The best time to visit Nuuk
The recent increase in flights to Nuuk is attracting visitors all year round. Come in winter for snowshoeing or skiing, then watch the aurora borealis (visible during the fall and spring).
Alternatively, Nuuk summers showcase Greenland's milder side, with temperatures hovering between 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Paddleboarding, kayaking, backcountry hiking, and late-night adventures under the midnight sun are just a few of the adventures you can get on the warm-weather docket. And fear not: black-out curtains make it easy to sleep all year round.
