Casa krogerus ruka

Decided to try Ruka in search of a different winter holiday experience compared to the big resorts in the Alps. As an experienced skier I wasn't sure if Ruka would be too small for a week's skiing, but I ended up having a superb time.

If you're used to big ski resorts you need to manage your expectations - this is a small resort, the runs are short and there isn't much steep terrain. But look beyond this and there's much to like.

The scenery is stunning, especially at sunrise and sunset. Quite unlike the Alps but just as beautiful. The snow conditions were wonderful too - aside from a tiny bit of hard snow at the very top it was packed powder everywhere and perfectly groomed each morning. Though the pistes are short, there is reasonable variety and every run was a delight to ski. Plus, because the resort is small you can find all the best bits and the pistes were never crowded. The off piste was a highlight - weaving through the trees was superb. The floodlighting is very good and in the few places where there aren't lights you can still see because of the light reflected off the snow. Clear ski goggles are helpful though.

The lift system is good - the three high speed lifts cover most of the resort and though you'll need to use drag lifts at times, these are easy. Plus, in January at least, the queues were at most a few minutes. The only place where a chair lift would be welcome is for Pessari.

The lifts are open much longer than French resorts - 9:30am-7pm most days, and 11pm on Fridays. This meant there was no rush in the morning and if I fancied a break I didn't feel I was missing valuable ski time. It made the trip more relaxing.

You do need to be prepared for the cold, however the warming huts spread around the resort are lovely. Plus the cafe at the bottom of Pessari is worth a visit - it's in a beautiful location and is quite quirky inside.

To make the most of Ruka it's worth trying some of the other activities on offer. I tried ice karting and cross country skiing which were both great. You can also hire ski racers (think toboggans with steering) from the bottom of the gondola in Ruka village for 13 euros most evenings, after the pistes close to skiers. Definitely worth it. Also, if you fancy a hike, try the Valtavaara route which starts near the the Saarua break room.

Food and drink is expensive, though comparable with French resorts. If self-catering, try the Sale supermarket just outside Ruka Village, next to the roundabout off the main road. It's cheaper and better stocked than the one in the village and it's not far to walk.

Another advantage of Ruka is the transfer, just 25 minutes from the airport. But do chose your accommodation carefully - some are a walk from the lifts or might require a bus ride.

Overall I was really impressed with Ruka, it felt well run and organised, and offered that different experience I was looking for. With many resorts in the Alps struggling with snow, there's a big opportunity for Scandinavian resorts in the future.

Excellent place for winter sports. The skiresort is huge and very well maintained. Parking was easy and there's rental stores on every corner of the resort. Ruka has miles and miles of well groomed cross country tracks in various difficulties and the nature Parks are amazing, especially during winter time.

Thank you for the great feedback, we are happy to hear that you enjoyed your stay. Hope to see you again in Ruka-Kuusamo!

Stayed in the Ruka! Ski-inn hotel/apartments , just myself and my husband for what we thought would be a relaxing week of skiing and chilling. We treated ourselves and booked a room with an additional hot tub which we were very much looking forward to.
What we actually got was a week to total disruption and no sleep from other ‘guests’ in the next room playing rave music till all hours of the night and all day, A hockey tournament was on. This was not disclosed by Crystal ski at the time of booking and as it was apparently the biggest in Europe I think they should have known!. We complained numerous times as we were just shattered and eventually we given a small room to ‘ sleep’ in. This is where we’ve ended up spending most of our week, a small room with broken heating sleeping in bunk beds while they ‘rave on ‘ upstairs. The hotel apparently powerless to do anything. Crystal ski given £150 compensation. Maybe I’ll spend it on a week on the frontline , would certainly be quieter. AVOID this place at all costs ! Especially if you have small children

Dear Tracey, Thank you for your feedback. I'm sorry to hear your holiday wasn't as expected. We will learn from your unfortunate experience and improve the communication together with our accommodation suppliers. The experience you had doesn't meet the quality of holiday what we want to offer for our guests here in Ruka-Kuusamo.

There is very many things to do like slalom, crosscountry skiing, horseback riding, husky and snowmobile safaries ext.Just short and easy drive from Oulu airport.Lot of choises for hotels, cabins, hostel and spa

Thank you for your feedback, we are delighted that you enjoyed your time at Ruka-Kuusamo. We warmly welcome you to visit again!

A group of us booked ski lesson with Ruka via email and rent our equipments(whole day) from piste and purchased family ticket with the Gondola (while day) as advised in the email.

After the ski lesson we had lunch in the coffee shop nearby but was told they closed at 2pm.
When we came out the coffee shop, only when we were told by the staffs in the rental shop EVERYTHING CLOSE NOW. Not only we can not get our boots back but also we can no longer going back to the Ruka village using the Gondola we spent hundreds of euro for!

There are so many opportunities that they could have let us know.
-when they booked the ski lesson for us
-When we were renting the equipment
-When we purchased the family park ticket with gondola

We were left on the mountain by ourselves with no boots! We finally managed to get taxi back. Seriously we could have died in the cold if our mobile did not work.

I complained to the rental shop and Ruka directly but only received a very cold response a week later. Apparently there was some sign in the rental shop (possibly in Finnish)!

We have never seen any organisation that is so cold , unhelpful and unprofessional. A big thumb down and won’t visit or recommend this place to anyone.

Dear Xiannv Z, Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear about the challenges you have had during Christmas Eve. In Finland the Christmas Eve is the main day when we celebrate Christmas, therefore most of the services close at 2 pm and so does Ruka Ski Resort. We inform our clients online and in multiple places at the destination about this. I'm sorry the message didn't reach you and your family. We hope rest of your holiday was pleasant at Ruka-Kuusamo.