We find summers too hot and winters too cold – that’s our human nature. But there are people for whom winter’s cold doesn’t bother them at all, or they simply love the idea of an unusual, extreme vacation. If the thought of sleeping on an icy bed with a cap pulled over your ears excites you, then this unusual review of winter leisure is definitely for you.
The first ice hotels appeared in Scandinavia, to be precise, in Sweden, where from ancient times, winter often featured shows made of ice sculptures. Some craftsmen built special spaces to store these ice figures. Once, curious tourists asked to spend the night in these icy constructions. Using warm clothes and sleeping bags, they had a good night and shared their experience with everyone else. Thus emerged the idea of one of the first ice hotels, IceHotel, which started hosting its first guests in the early ’90s.
Constructed from ice blocks, these hotels are short-lived. They only operate during the cold season, typically from November to early April in the northern countries. However, this transience adds an extra charm and uniqueness to the ice hotels. These ice hotels, now traditional in Finland, Norway, and Sweden, are rebuilt anew each year. Yet, each time, they acquire a new appearance and additional amenities. AdmiGram.com will tell you about the most interesting among them.
5 ice castle hotels straight out of a fairy tale
Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
© icehotelsweden / Instagram
How to get here: Icehotel
Check it out on Instagram: Icehotel
This was the world’s first ice hotel, built in the small town of Jukkasjärvi, located just 155 miles (250 kilometers) from the Arctic Circle. The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi, covering an area of 1.3 acres (5,500 square meters), is rebuilt annually.
© icehotelsweden / Instagram
Literally everything in the hotel is made of ice: the walls, beds, chairs, and even the bar glasses. The hotel operates from December to April and sees around 50,000 visitors annually who come to marvel at the Northern Lights.
© icehotelsweden / Instagram
Guests at the hotel have the option to stay in a log cabin, a glass or snow igloo, depending on how immersed they want to be in Lapland’s incredible local folklore. Here, you can even gaze at the Northern Lights right from your bed.
Hôtel de Glace in Quebec, Canada
How to get here: Hôtel de Glace
Check it out on Instagram: Hôtel de Glace
© hoteldeglace / Instagram
It’s the only luxurious ice hotel in North America. The hotel is redesigned and rebuilt every year within a few weeks. Engineers say it takes no less than 1 million pounds (500 tons) of ice and 44,000 pounds (20 tons) of snow just to construct the premises, but as they say, it only adds to the hotel’s charm.
© hoteldeglace / Instagram
The hotel welcomes guests from December until the end of March. Each room features beds made of ice blocks, set on wooden frames and mattresses, topped with sleeping bags or warm fur covers.
© hoteldeglace / Instagram
Everything here is made entirely of ice except for the showers, which are located in a specially insulated area with heating, and an open-air spa center. The hotel also includes a wedding chapel and ice slides.
Alpeniglu Igloo Village in Thale, Austria
How to get here: ALPENIGLU Dorf
Check it out on Instagram: ALPENIGLU Dorf
© alpeniglu / Instagram
It’s a small village comprising a dozen igloos at the Kitzbühel ski resort. Here, one can spend the night in one of the igloos or simply enjoy an exhibition of ice sculptures created by ice architects from around the world.
© alpeniglu / Instagram
In the evenings, everything seems even more picturesque due to the meticulously designed LED lighting, resembling a fairy-tale snow kingdom.
© alpeniglu / Instagram
From late December to the end of March, depending on weather conditions, Alpeniglu Igloo Village welcomes its guests. So, if you still harbor a romantic spirit and adore skiing, Austria is the place to be.
Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Alta, Norway
How to get here: Sorrisniva
Check it out on Instagram: Sorrisniva
© sorrisniva / Instagram
Despite its name, the hotel offers accommodations not in separate igloos but in cozy small rooms within a large snow structure. Every year, the hotel is rebuilt and themed differently: Norwegian fairy tales, Viking sagas, northern animals.
© sorrisniva / Instagram
Guests can enjoy saunas, hot tubs, and restaurants: have a pleasant time at the ice bar with a cocktail in a glass made of ice or relish the delicious dishes of polar cuisine in the restaurant.
© sorrisniva / Instagram
The hotel also organizes activities such as snowmobile safaris, Northern Lights watching, and dog sledding.
Lapland Hotels Snow Village in Kittilä, Finland
How to get here: Lapland Hotels Snow Village
Check it out on Instagram: Lapland Hotels Snow Village
© laplandhotelssnowvillage / Instagram
Every December in Lainio, Kittilä, a unique wonderland of ice appears, named Snow Village. The hotel owners take great care of their unique business and each year offer tourists truly amazing experiences.
© laplandhotelssnowvillage / Instagram
Recently, they surprised the world with their collaboration with HBO, unveiling a museum castle in their hotel in the style of the series “Game of Thrones.” So, all the saga’s fans could easily spend a night among icy company with snow walkers.
© laplandhotelssnowvillage / Instagram
But besides ice and snow, hotel guests can enjoy various activities such as snowmobile rides, dog sledding, skiing, and sauna visits.
image on top: hoteldeglace via Instagram
