The idea behind this book really excited me and I was looking forward to reading it. However, it was really disappointing. Firstly, it completely lacked any suspense. This cannot be classified as a thriller. The ending was legit so strange. Not sure what I just read. Would not recommend this one at all.

Imagine a luxury smart-hotel in snowy Lapland where every happy memory is recreated—then everything goes wrong. The Hotel by Kit Duffield grabs you from page one and doesn’t let go. A dreamy escape quickly turns tense and locked-in, full of secrets, lies, and people who are not what they seem. Creepy, atmospheric, and impossible to put down.

Plot Outline

A couple checks into a high-tech hotel in snowy Lapland, but when a storm traps everyone inside, the smart tech glitches, secrets spill out, and their dream getaway turns deadly.

My Thoughts

I loved this setup—modern, creepy, and completely gripping. The smart-hotel, meant to create your happiest moments, turns unsettling when it backfires. Snowed-in and cut off, the tension is constant, and the Finnish folklore adds a haunting layer that makes the story feel richer. Multiple POVs and cliffhanger chapters keep you turning pages, and the ending ties everything together in a satisfying but uneasy way.

Read This If You Like
• Locked-room thrillers where no one can leave
• Remote, snowbound settings that feel as dangerous as the people inside
• Luxe hotels with something sinister lurking beneath the surface
• Smart-tech that promises happiness but knows a little too much about you—and when that backfires
• Stories with touches of folklore or local legend that add depth and atmosphere
• Multiple POVs that keep the story layered and engaging
• Chapters that end on cliffhangers and make it impossible to put the book down
• Secrets, lies, and messy relationship drama
• Stories that dig into the darker side of influencers and how much we share online
• Fans of Lucy Foley (The Hunting Party, The Guest List), Sarah Pearse (The Sanatorium), Megan Goldin, or Shari Lapena

My rating 4.75 out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas & Mercer (Amazon Publishing UK) for this eARC which will be released August 15 2025.

The Hotel by Kit Duffield is the story of an elite, exclusive hotel called Kuvastin, which is set deep in the remote parts of Finnish Lapland.

The story is told from multiple POVs following the lives of three characters in particular, as they arrive at the unique hotel ready for an experience of their lifetimes and is set over Valentines weekend. We quickly learn how the three characters lives are connected and the connections are interwoven throughout the book.

Kuvastin offers its guests a unique experience in that it recreates your favourite memories and past times through a range of experiences designed for the senses, be it sound, smell, or taste. They gain this data through a lengthy form that you fill in prior to your arrival, allowing the hotel to be able to cater your experience uniquely to you, or so you think. Things take a sinister turn after a ‘data breach’ has the hotel leaking your darkest secrets to those around you, the lives of our three guests soon start to unravel before our eyes.

The book reads with a steady pace throughout with tales of Finnish folklore and a storm brewing adding to the dark moody atmosphere. When the storm hits leaving the guests trapped within the hotel, the pace ramps up with twists and turns I didn’t see coming, keeping me gripped throughout and turning the pages wanting to find out more.
Is it really Finnish folklore, or is there really a monster lurking deep in the woods, or on your balcony watching you?! You’ll have to read to find out!

I absolutely loved everything about this book, from the writing style and fantastic descriptives setting the scene, to the cover and synopsis of the book lending itself to picturing the setting and story throughout. This is the first book I have read by Duffield but it certainly won’t be the last! Thanks to Kit himself for the opportunity to read and review his book.

The perfect romantic getaway gone wry! The story is told from multiple POV's that bring us to this luxury resort in Finland that seems to know everything about their guests. No stone is left unturned about their likes and dislikes until things go wrong. There's a folk tale, creature, all sorts of mystery and the tension keeps you riveted to your seat till the ride is over.

The Hotel of the title refers to a luxury resort called Kuvastin in Finnish Lapland. The hotel offers a different experience in that a stay there is tailored to an individual guest’s needs. Guests complete a detailed questionnaire when booking so the hotel can anticipate their every need.
The book focuses on guests: James and Beth, who are a married couple from London. Beth feels that her marriage is in trouble and wants to reignite a spark. Fletcher, a rich single man from Silicon Valley. Jordy, an influencer from Rio, along with her slavishly adoring friends, Rosa and Matteo.
Before long, the individual experiences of the guests turn from luxury to sinister as the hotel appears to know far more of the guests’ history than their limited questionnaires. Every guest is harbouring a whole range of secrets. Then the weather turns nasty, there is a power cut, and a creature from folklore appears to be stalking outside.
Soon, the guests realise that not only do they have to protect their reputations, but they also have to fight for their very survival.
I liked 95% of this book, but the ending was a complete letdown and felt underwhelming and rushed.
So just 3 stars for this one. It could easily have been more.
Sincere thanks to NetGalley, Kit Duffield and especially Thomas and Mercer for the much-appreciated ARC in exchange for an open and honest review.

I didn't really enjoy this, mainly because the ending was very underwhelming. I expected more after reading the synopsis.

I love a thriller set in a remote location with a storm that turns it into a locked room experience! So of course this was right up my street.

The setting is described really well. You really feel the sense of being trapped in a building on the top of a snow-capped mountain, and the addition of local folklore adds a lot of personality.

Kit makes really great use of the multiple narratives. I really liked how closely they linked, which meant you got immediate reactions between each other.

They are quite stereotypical characters - the anxious wife, the rich single man, the social media influencer - but they each surprise you in ways too.

Most of all, there's a lot of great tension. With something sinister lurking in the woods and secrets being revealed throughout, there's a lot to keep you entertained.

Overall, a fun and easy thriller with a great atmosphere. I'd maybe save it for the colder months, but you're sure to have fun with it at any time of year.

Welcome to the Kuvastin Hotel in the Finnish Lapland. When you’re booking your room, you are sent a questionnaire asking about your personal preferences, such as favourite songs, smells, and memories.

In Kuvastin (which in Finnish means “a mirror” or “a looking glass”), the scents, the sights, and the sounds are a reflection of each guest, built in their image. You can’t get more bespoke than that!

Henrik Hylander owns the hotel, and runs it with his family: wife, Jóhanná, and daughter, Inka.

In the period around the Valentine’s Day, a plethora of guests arrive: Beth and James, a young married couple from London; Fletcher, a rich bachelor from the Silicon Valley; Jordy, a stunning influencer from Rio who brings her assistants/ best friends, Rosa and Matteo.

Beth is truly hoping for a fresh start with her husband. He’s had a wandering eye even before they got married, and she hoped that it would change after their marriage (it didn’t). The couple are struggling financially, and Beth had to max her credit cards in order to get there. However, she’s telling herself it will all be worth it, as it’s the couple’s honeymoon and she’s doing it for the greater good.

However, James’s wandering eye is getting worse when he spots Jordy – his favourite influencer, someone he follows on Instagram.

It’s fair to say that things aren’t what they seem at the Kuvastin. Strange things are happening to all of the guests, where their darkest secrets are exposed. Who is behind it all?

I really enjoyed this tense, psychological thriller.

I loved the secluded location of the Finnish Lapland and the dark atmosphere surrounding its guests.

My favourite part was the references to the Finnish folklore – I love learning new things.

The plot itself was twisty and pacy. It’s my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.

Many thanks to Thomas & Mercer for the NetGalley widget.

I really enjoyed the setting for this. I would’ve liked it to lean more into the ‘locked room’ trope than it did!
I really enjoyed the character writing & the interactions between them! The twist at the end was wild, like I would never have seen that coming!
A great cold thriller with some great characters & a crazy twist that I don’t think even the best sleuths will work out!!

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon publishingUk for a copy of this one. The story started off strong following different perspectives of 3 different characters who travel to Lapland for a hotel of a lifetime, that caters to each of its guests to their individual memories and tastes. All guests have a secret which the hotel unearths and turns into the trip of nightmares. The writing was nicely done and easy to follow going between defects POVs. Unfortunately, I feel the ending was a little underwhelming for me after the massive buildup which is why Iv given 3 ⭐️

The Hotel by Kit Duffield is an atmospheric and sinister thriller set in a luxurious five-star hotel in Finland, where guests are treated to personalised experiences that recreate their most cherished memories.

Told through multiple POVs, we follow several guests arriving for a romantic Valentine’s weekend getaway. Once they settle into their lavish rooms, memories they’d rather forget start to resurface.

This is a fast-paced thriller with a compelling “trapped by the storm” element. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was hooked from the very first chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley and AmazonPublishing UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Behind the polished façade of a luxury stay are secrets, and danger. The author does a great job of crafting a tense, atmospheric thriller where every guest has something to hide—and checking out might not be an option.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited and intrigued by the unique concept where guests stay at a hotel where staff recreate their memories. There is an interesting range of characters from different parts of the world, who all have their own motives for staying at the hotel. I enjoyed getting to know them all and finding out why they had made the trip to Lapland.

This is a locked-room thriller due to the characters being stuck in the hotel due to stormy weather. I do feel, however, that this element could have been explored further as the stakes didn’t seem as high in terms of being stuck there as other books I’ve read with similar themes.

There are some good reveals and twists in the book, and some red herrings along the way too which kept me guessing about the characters.

Towards the end of the book, the action really picks up and it was really exciting to read. However, this seemed to end quite abruptly in my opinion. There was definitely closure for some characters but I just feel that some of the events that happened could have been further explored and explained as I was left with questions about what had happened due to the way the ending was written.

This is a good thriller with an intriguing concept and parts that kept me quickly turning the pages. I just wish some elements and themes were explored and fleshed out a bit more.

3.5 ⭐️

I often forget that I like to read thrillers.
They are easy and fast yet I forget to pick them up most times. But when the author asked me to read his book, of course I said yes!
I've read all his other work so far and just like the previous books, I enjoyed this one as well

3 character POV which wasn't too many (sometimes I get confused if a story is told by too many characters)
It holds your attention, it's entertaining and you want to rush to find out what all happened in the end

This was such an interesting and atmospheric thriller. The setup alone hooked me. An ultra-exclusive hotel in Finnish Lapland that promises to recreate your happiest memories sounds magical on the surface, but quickly takes on a creepy, unsettling tone. What made it work for me was that it wasn’t just about one couple’s memories being replayed, but everyone’s. That twist added layers of unease, especially as you realize how invasive and manipulative the whole experience really is.

The touches of folklore scattered throughout gave the story a haunting, otherworldly vibe that blended really well with the locked-room setting. Add in the unreliable narrators, and I was constantly second-guessing what was real, what was imagined, and what secrets the characters were still hiding. I also liked the way the character connections slowly unfolded. It gave the tension more weight and made the twists feel earned rather than forced.

There were definitely moments that felt a little predictable, but overall the pacing was strong, the atmosphere was eerie, and the story had enough surprises to keep me engaged all the way through. The combination of psychological suspense, a chilling setting, and the theme of memory made this a really fun read.

3.5 Stars

What an exciting read! This book is told from different point of view by several characters, and the transitions are smooth and the characters are engaging. The book is filled with all the things you want in a psychological read. There is manipulation, suspense, dark secrets etc...I could not put it down. RUN to get your copy.
4.5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley for the eArc.

I’d been excited to read this book since hearing about it on an author live online event. And I can say it didn’t disappoint. I’d say it had a unique layout to the book that kind of gave you an impression that it involved you too. Being honest I was a little disappointed in the ending. I felt it was missing something to conclude the story properly. Altogether this was a great thriller with some dark twists. I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. I received a free advance copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my unbiased review.

As the storm rolls in and the power goes out, a couple’s secrets bubble to the surface. Think romantic horror meets psychological thriller.

I like the premise of this book and as I started reading, I realized this is different from other thrillers which is amazing. A lot of things happened fast and I was surprised at the twist.

The Hotel by Kit Duffield is a thriller set in a luxury hotel in Finland during a snowstorm.
The story starts strong, introducing characters and gradually revealing secrets. However, the plot feels like it revolves around everything and nothing at the same time. Some storylines and characters are stronger than others, and the ending left me confused. It seemed like the twist was included just for the sake of having a twist, without any real benefit to the story.

The narrative is told from the perspectives of three characters: Beth, Fletcher, and Jordy. Beth is trying to reignite her marriage with her new husband, James, by booking a Valentine's Day getaway at the luxurious Hotel Kuvastin. Fletcher is a psychologist and CEO from Silicon Valley, while Jordy is an influencer looking to enhance her content for her followers. She brings along her roommates and friends, Matteo and Rosa, for their weekend at the hotel.

Guests are requested to answer personal questions aimed at assisting the hotel staff in crafting unique and personalised experiences for each guest. Unfortunitelly, all this takes a dark twist when information leaks. Just as the tension rises, a fierce storm causes a power outage, compelling the guests to struggle for their survival.

The story is easy to read and kept my attention enough to finish it, but overall, I can't say that I truly enjoyed it.