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.

This is a well written and chilling thriller that is set with a Valentines weekend in beautiful Lapland.

The main characters are a joy to get to know and I loved the building tension.

Of course there is a twist and I really did not see what was coming. I expected the unexpected and I really enjoyed my reading time..

I first heard about The Hotel when Kit Duffield shared a cover reveal for the Tandem Collective Thrillers & Chillers night. Kit was so engaging & I really liked the sound of the book and have been waiting for it to come out. I was delighted to have the opportunity to read an ARC of The Hotel on NetGalley.
This is a great popcorn thriller! It’s unlike any other thriller I’ve read and that’s always a good thing. I love an isolated setting and the tension that brings. The idea behind the book is fantastic. I could fully believe that a hotel could open that creates a personalised experience for the guest based on their experiences & information they shared. I think the book highlights how quick people can be to share a lot of personal information without thinking about the ramifications. I enjoyed the Finnish setting, the ancient folklores referenced and the unexpected twists. A unique & gripping read.

3 out of 5 stars for me

“These days you just need a bit of news and the right contacts and you can find out anything you want about a person. Half of it they published themselves, on bloody Instagram,” quote from a character. So true!

80% of the story had a great premise. A secluded, exclusive, Finnish, gourmet hotel which pampers each guest with unique experiences tailored to their memories and distinct preferences and information they fill out before arriving, all at a hefty price. We are given the privilege of the experiences of 3 MC’s in first person POV. There is a lot of mystery around the hotelier and his past and who he is and was. There is folklore about “demon elk” in the area & sightings from guests. There are secrets our MC’s do not want revealed or want to know, are laid bare. Trapped inside by a horrific blizzard, which shuts out the world, the guests inside panic, the lights go out …..who will make check out and who will have to face their demons?

But then, the remaining 20% gets very convoluted and takes turns which seem so far fetched and almost unbelievable. I have so many questions still, and even after several epilogues from each of the main characters and the hotelier.

So here are my spoilers - so stop reading if you don’t want to know:
1. Inka - hotelier’s daughter, who works for her father, does all this to save her mother from her abusive, controlling, wicked father who is horrible to his wife for 40 years. Why did she not just take her mother away from here? Why let him abuse her mother more and more for years- just stand by doing nothing?
2. Johanna - the mother and wife, goes around at night in the woods and snow dressed as the demon elk - does NO ONE in the hotel realize this? Wouldn’t her controlling husband know where she is of every minute? Wouldn’t her daughter know? Or do they know and not care a fragile, aging weak woman is out there? And how could she wear very heavy deer/elk pelts, long walking sticks, covered in leaves, sticks, dirt, etc and a heavy deer skull wrapped around her head!?!? That all would weigh, what … 100 plus pounds? No way.
3. A horrific blizzard comes along and takes out the power, slamming hard into the building, crazy winds and white out conditions. One character goes running off into woods, bleeding, no coat— ends up being found in the pitch black by someone - then others join… how are they all seeing each other? Inside the hotel everyone was using their cell phone flashlights to see. But then suddenly outside in the dark, no one uses their cell phone in the snowstorm to find a missing character? Seeing trail of blood, how? Who here has been out in a blizzard/bad storm? How long would you last in a t-shirt? Come on. Has the author ever been out in snow? I’m guessing the scene takes at least an hour - character would be toast.

Just lots of details like this I would have hoped an editor or someone who has ever been in the woods or the pitch dark would realize this climax of a scene makes little sense. So the ending feels rushed and could have been so much better, in my humble opinion.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas & Mercer publishing & author for ARC

Set in the beautiful woodland setting of Kuvastatin in Finland is a hotel that provides 5⭐️ personalised stays, made to measure according to a journal completed by each person prior to arrival. Told by three of the guests who are staying for Valentine weekend, we meet Fletcher, Jordy and Beth who are from very different backgrounds.

As a successful businessman Fletcher has experienced many fine hotels, but marvels still at this one. Influencer Jordy puts her life online and looks like she will do almost anything for likes and follows. Unassuming teacher Beth has borrowed to take her new husband on honeymoon, but feels unworthy in the company of the other guests.

Dark events begin to emerge, a strange creature in the dark forest is seen and secrets begin to emerge about the guests that they didn’t want others to know.

This is a great locked room thriller as essentially the guests are trapped at the hotel in the freezing cold when a fire breaks out. I wasn’t sure where the plot was going but it soon ramps up and takes you on a wild journey with the stories of all 3 protagonists and the associated characters at the hotel. Well written, very dark and so atmospheric. The descriptions of the strange beast seen, the Finnish landscape and the heritage of the land were superb.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

“The Hotel“ is a luxury getaway in Finnish Lapland and the glorious setting for this very sinister story.

There are three narrators: Jordy, an influencer, Beth, a newlywed on honeymoon with her husband, and Fletcher, a wealthy American man.

In order to create the very best experience for their guests, the hotel asks for information about them prior to their arrival. They also do some online “research“, but let’s call it stalking, and they’re not afraid to use their knowledge against their guests.

The first half of the book where we get to know the characters and set the scene for some serious psychological warfare was really good and I was excited to see where it would lead. Unfortunately the second half slowed down, became a bit repetitive, weird in places, and the ending was a real anticlimax. Enjoyable overall, but lacking the wow factor.

3 ⭐️ Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for an ARC of this book.

Hooked from the very first page! Twists and turns on each and every page. It kept me intrigued and guessing the entire time!

This book was just okay. It held my interest well enough but the plot itself and the ending were underwhelming plus a little predictable.

I found this book quite confusing at times! Too many people and happenings that I kept losing track of the story! Cannot understand the reasons why the hotel owner went to all the trouble and cost for doing what he did! Sorry but I didn’t enjoy this book.
Many thanx to NetGalley, the author and publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

An interesting read. Wasn't sure what to expect from this author as she's new to me, but I enjoyed the book. Wasn't as fast paced as I wanted but I was still hooked and wanted to read on.
Will recommend this to others.

First, thank you Netgalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC!

This was my first book by Kit Duffield and I did really enjoy it. I mean, it has a hotel, a storm trapping people inside, and a married couple named Beth and James. It was supposed to be a romantic honeymoon during the weekend of Valentine's Day. But then, why does Beth find her husband swimming in the pool with another woman? It makes one think their marriage is not as happy as it seems. And in the end, the question is not only if their marriage will survive this, but also, if Beth and James and the other guests will...

The multiple POVs the story was told in were okay and easy to follow, I am getting used to them at this point, it seems. Giving the book solid 4,5 stars.

Thank you Netgalley, Amazon Publishing and Kit Duffield for the Arc of The Hotel.

This was a twisty thriller following five people who have booked into an exclusive Finnish hotel in Lapland. Each person has been promised perfection, recreating the ideal from information given. Trouble is that for each person, they have secrets to keep. Once exposed, who will get out alive.

This was a really interesting narrative and each of our characters had very different backgrounds and each one was narrated by someone different. With multi POV in first person, you really get into the heads of each of them. As the narrative unfolds, you find yourself rooting for some characters and others, well not so much! This makes for a compelling read. As the whole book pretty much happens at the Hotel, you get a sense of this place being very desolate and claustrophobic. All in all a really compelling, engaging, medium paced read.

I also listened to the audio version of this book which was narrated by Ella Lynch; Anthony Cloyd; Nadia Verde; Darren Eliker; Tessa Auberjonois
All the narrators did a brilliant job of keeping the tension, the characters unique and suited the pacing of this thriller.

4 stars

Beth, Fletcher and Jordy find themselves at Kuvastin, an incredible new hotel that wants to take you on a journey through your memories.
They will serve you drinks from your first date and maybe a canapé from your first fight.

With 3 POV’s you will easily find out why everyone is here, ulterior motives and you’ll feel the worry palpably when things go wrong.

This is my first book by this author and I will look forward to reading more. The pacing was perfect and I really enjoyed how well plotted it was. I found the ending really satisfying too.


Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for sending me this eARC in return for an honest review.

What a story ! If you like TV show The White Lotus, you won't be disappointed ! I didn't see the twist coming.
Different points of view was disturbing at first because of the different stories and background of each characters, but it was justified to understand the link between them.




Book gifted by NetGalley: thanks so much!

The Hotel is unfortunately weighed down by its strong resemblance to Nine Perfect Strangers. The central premise—a hotel that becomes a little too involved in the lives of its guests—echoes that of Nine Perfect Strangers, and the Finnish setting evokes a similar atmosphere to the Alpine resort featured in season two of the series.

These parallels might have been easier to overlook if the novel delivered more compelling characters or a stronger plot. However, the cast lacks emotional resonance, with none of the characters particularly likable or memorable. The plot meanders without clear momentum, ultimately culminating in a moment of danger that feels brief and largely unearned.

The book employs a rotating point-of-view structure, a narrative technique I usually enjoy in thrillers for the way it builds suspense and offers puzzle pieces leading to a satisfying reveal. Unfortunately, in The Hotel, most of the perspectives we follow contribute little to the final twist. This disconnect leaves the resolution—and the feel-good endings—feeling unconvincing and underdeveloped.

That said, the reading experience was still pleasant in its own way, and I appreciate NetGalley for the opportunity to read this early copy.

“The Hotel” is about a hotel that is specially catered to each of its guest as they fill out a questionnaire before arriving to give each of them an individual experience. Secrets and betrayal of the guests start to emerge with folklore tales and creepy creatures that haunt the lands of where the hotel is built on then chaos breaks out.

This book is told from different POVs Beth ,Fletcher and Jordy that kept me entertained from beginning to end. Setting takes place is at the state of the art hotel called Kuvastatin located in the isolation of Finland in the snowy tundra. The story was easy to read and builds an eerie and suspenseful atmosphere that kept me on edge from the beginning. I did find some parts of the book repetitive and I wanted more from the folk tales and the creepy creatures but over all it was a good read.

Thank you NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest review
Publication date: August 15, 2025

A group of very different people arrive at a hugely hyped up hotel in the wilds of Lapland for a once in a lifetime holiday. And when you put together a psychology expert with a secret, two honeymooners whose marriage may already be under some strain, three influencers whose journeys began in the slums of Brazil, and a powerful millionaire who runs the resort as a family concern you can expect fireworks!

Honestly, this book does not disappoint. From the terrifying ghost elk of myth spotted by some of the alarmed guests, to the presence of unexpected sexual predators, to the dark undercurrents in each of the relationships examined, this is pure entertainment with a side serving of insight into the darker side of human nature.

The writer has taken a standard trope and delivered a story that is anything but. Definitely worth reading!

This book was a slow burn for me I enjoyed it but which it could have been more thank you for this read

Thank you to NetGalley and Amazon Publishing UK for providing this book, with my honest review below.

The Hotel is a spooky thriller that from the first page teases with mysteries about the three very different characters it follows and then deepens the sense of unease surrounding them with the moody setting of a mysterious luxury hotel.

The closest thing I’d compare this to is The Menu, though more in the tone, isolated setting, and ‘hunt’ in its pages than the actual plot. Our main characters - insecure Beth who is in debt staying at Kuvastin but wants to honeymoon in a place that would make slimy husband James’s friends stop looking down on her, Psychologist Fletcher who lives a sterile life isolated from others, and influencer Jody who has noble aspirations but may be getting lost in her social media persona - are only linked together in the weekend they spend at the hotel and the strange events that seem to indicate someone knows their secrets and is after them.

A very moody read that was completely engaging, I was fully lost in the Finnish winter and the mysteries inside its pages.

"The Hotel" by Kit Duffield is an engaging psychological thriller about three guests spending Valentine’s weekend at a lavish new hotel in Finnish Lapland. The story alternates between their POVs.

Beth and James are a newly married English couple honeymooning at the hotel, even though they can’t afford it. Beth mainly chose it to impress James’s snobby circle of friends—people she doesn’t even like. Fletcher is an American psychologist and CEO of Small Talk (an online therapy platform) in Silicon Valley, and he has plenty of issues of his own (psychologist—heal yourself!). Jordy is a provocative Brazilian influencer invited along with her best friends, Matteo and Rosa.

Kuvastin isn’t your typical five-star hotel. Everything—from food and music to scents—is personalized using your social media and submitted data to recreate your happiest memories. In theory, it sounds perfect.

Alas, some memories are better left alone. Strange occurrences begin right after the arrival of the guests, dredging up old traumas. Each guest has secrets, and a data breach exposes things they'd rather keep hidden. The plot thickens when a snowstorm traps them in the hotel, and the power goes out. As secrets unravel, the perfect getaway becomes a nightmare.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It wasn’t quite the locked-room mystery I’d expected, but it was still captivating. The writing is taut and smooth, with a steadily building atmosphere of dread. Each character is distinct and well-drawn.

I liked the emotional dynamics and the interactions between the characters. Fletcher was my favorite, even though he seemed a bit aloof at first. I had mixed feelings about Beth—I didn’t like her obsession with impressing others and posting the perfect Instagram shot. Her husband I downright disliked. I also didn’t care for Jordy and her constant self-justifications.

The book explores abuse, manipulation, infidelity, secrets, social media, and the craving for external approval. The ending gave satisfying closure, but its tone felt a little off compared to the rest of the story—less sharp, more subdued.

This isn’t a hotel I’d want to visit. I don’t post much online, but the sheer amount of personal data out there gives one pause. As one character comes to realize, it’s better to make memories the old-fashioned way—by living them, not by recording every moment.

To sum, I found the book a good read and recommend it to fans of a fast-paced plot, eerie settings, unexpected twists, and trapped-in-a-snowstorm trope.

* Thank you NetGalley and (publisher) for the opportunity to read this arc. All opinions are my own.