Sweden’s Ice Hotel…the coolest place to stay!

 Today, December 14th, marks the seasonal opening of Sweden’s Ice Hotel.

 Wonder what’s inside? Come on it!

Say hello to the receptionists wearing parkas.

Then walk through the majestic hall where curved seats, pillars, and even the chandeliers are made from crystal-like river ice. Beyond here are the Cold Rooms where guests can stay overnight in an art-filled space.

Imagine sleeping here on reindeer fur while snuggled deep inside a warm sleeping bag— staring at the magic sculpted from ice.  What a dreamy fantasy!

Each room is unique in the Ice Hotel. Artists from around the world submit their designs, and only 15 are selected, ensuring that no two rooms are alike or repeated year to year. It all began with an ice carving competition almost 30 years ago, when Yngve Bergqvist invited artists to an ice sculpting workshop to create art on frozen Torne River. The idea for a hotel was born when artists asked to sleep in the igloo structure housing the art gallery in 1989, and the seasonal hotel has been offering guests a unique way to spend the night since 1990. The world’s original ice hotel operates from mid December to mid April, or when the rooms begin to melt.

The 2018-2019 season is officially open as of today. According to their Ice Hotel website, many of the 33 artists who created the art suites drew their inspiration from nature. Ice renditions of camping in a forest, being inside an aquarium, under dancing auroras or among fish in a living ocean are a few of the 15 current designs. Rooms do tend to book up fairly fast. The busiest months are December and February.

An adjacent building also houses Warm Rooms year round. And now, since 2016, is an option to stay in a Cold Room year round at the new Icehotel 365. The Cold Rooms are similar to the original Ice Hotel, but rooms have doors instead of curtains. And for those who really want to splurge, the Deluxe Art Suites offer a luxurious heated relaxation area and private bathroom adjacent to the bedroom.

 

The Process of building Jukkasjarvi’s Ice Hotel

First you need ice. Quality ice. Luckily, the Torne River 200 km north of the Arctic Circle in Jukkasjarvi produces pollutant free, crystal clear ice—without bubbles or cracks—that is perfect for sculpting! To ensure that the ice grows downward to create the hotel’s signature crystal clear ice, workers keep a selection of the frozen river clear from snow all winter long.

Then, at the end of winter, the construction team harvests huge blocks of ice from the frozen river and keeps them in cold storage until construction of the hotel begins the following November.

We happened to be there in late March when they were harvesting the ice. How fascinating to watch them move these giant cubes of ice—weighing 200 tons each.

In October, the construction team begins building the framework using a mixture of snow and ice called “snice.” Molds are used to create strong thick walls of snice that are arched and self-supporting. Once the walls are in place and secured, the juried artists (selected last May) arrive late November and work in teams to create their masterpieces.

Six weeks later, the artists have finished perfecting their designs with the lighting team and the Cold Rooms are ready for the public. A grand ceremony takes place with a ribbon cutting and speech, and a free drink for the first 200 guests at the Ice Bar. But the real reason people crowd here on this special night is to see the long-awaited latest art! Guests can freely wander through the magical spaces to see the creativity that is synonymous with the Ice Hotel.

Day Time

The Ice Hotel is open to the public from 10am-6pm.  Guided tours (30 minutes) are available for SEK 349 but included for guests. Afterward, you are free to roam all around, peeking behind the curtains to discover what’s inside each room.

Our daughter kept running ahead to make her own discoveries. I was thrilled to see her excitement.

The Reindeer Room

Guests have access to their rooms from 6pm until the wake-up service arrives with warm ligonberry juice the next morning. Luggage is kept in another building adjacent to the hotel where there are changing rooms, restrooms, showers and a sauna.

Ice Bar

Ice Bars have since popped up all over the world. But I think this was the original one. Vodka drinks are served in glasses made out of–you guessed it. River ice.

A variety of drinks are available. Most feature ligonberry, the red, tart, delicious fruit that tastes great with anything! Non-alcoholic drinks available too.

Bedtime

When you’re ready to turn in for the night you simply head to Reception and request your sleeping bags. Our bed was large enough for 3 bags. There is a communal sauna for men and another for women. I entered the sauna with my daughter, but we soon left when her wide eyes adjusting to the dimness revealed her shocked surprised seeing females baring all.

Tucked into her bag, our daughter slept between us like a rock and never complained about the cold. Don’t think she moved all night. Me, on the other hand, made a couple of mistakes. One was wearing damp socks to bed which kept me forever cold. (Dumb, I know. Didn’t have dry socks nearby and didn’t want to walk outside to my locker in the bathhouse.) The other mistake was turning over on my other side in the middle of the night. When turning, my sleeping bag slid right off the slippery reindeer fur and landed smack on the snow-packed floor with an audible thud. Problem was my pillow (which I had stuffed inside the sleeping bag) had managed to shift into a suffocating position over my face and my frozen shoulder made it really difficult to move. I tried calling out to my sleeping husband—(hey, a little help here!) but he couldn’t hear my muffled voice through his earbuds. Great. Part of the adventure, right? 😉

Staying here was one of those experiences that stays with you for a long time. (It’s been several years now!) I still remember it vividly. The palpable coolness coming from the walls hitting my face as I wandered from one art-filled room to the next. The admiration I felt for the artists who skillfully brought their ideas to life, intricately carving forms into the snow and ice. And the intrigue, often surprise, wondering what playful, fanciful or shocking design I’d find next as I explored the art suites that would slowly melt away in spring. I loved watching our 7 year old run ahead intent to capture curiosities (did you see that ice chair?!) on her camera that she hadn’t bothered taking out of her backpack until arriving here. It truly was an impressive place to see. And worth the splurge to spend the night.

But don’t just take it from me. The hotel gets rave reviews. And according to a press release on August 24, 2018, TIME magazine even listed this ICE HOTEL as one of the “World’s Greatest places 2018.”

Things to do at the Ice Hotel:

The Ice Hotel offers a wide assortment of activities to keep you busy for a couple days. Check their website for updated prices and specific information about times and detailed descriptions. Here’s a general overview and approximate cost. (We cannot attest to any of these activities as we only spent one night here before heading to Kiruna where we were based for several days and enjoyed similar activities.)

Snowmobile tours: Ride or drive into the snowy wilderness for 2 hours. SEK 995 + 795 to drive.

Moose safari by horseback or snowmobile.

Northern light tours by snowmobile SEK 1995 or photo tour SEK 1690.

Ice sculpting class (new since our visit) SEK 745.

Sami cultural excursion by snowmobile: gain insight into the lifestyle of the Sami people and eat a traditional lunch. SEK 1580 per person.

Dog sledding: this 4 hour excursion includes a ride in a guided sled to a cozy cabin where lunch is served. SEK 2995 per person.

Sauna experience: this 2.5 hour ritual includes washing with tar soap, plunging in the icy Torne River, soaking in heated outdoor bathtubs and relaxing in a sauna. SEK 4,545 for group up to 6 pax.

Get married in their ice chapel! Talk about unique! Wedding ceremonies last 30 minutes, and music is provided by a vocalist who sings the Lord’s Prayer in Swedish. Another person translates the Swedish sermon and the receptionist serves as the official witness if it’s a private ceremony without guests. The hotel can also provide a photographer on request–or you can hire me! 😉

Travel arrangements to the Ice Hotel:

Kiruna, in the northern part of Sweden, has the closest airport and train station to the Ice Hotel located in Jukkasjarvi village 8.7 miles away. Want a unique airport transfer to or from the hotel? Book a dog sled! Transfers take 75 minutes and warm clothing is provided. There are also taxis, buses, or private car transfers that can be arranged when securing your hotel reservations. See their website for detailed information.

Know before you go tips:

Clothing: Snowsuit, boots, gloves & balaclava are provided on loan during your stay to keep you toasty and warm when playing outdoors. Bring thermal underwear, warm socks, layered clothing (wool) and warm hat. Remember to change into DRY socks before climbing into your sleeping bag! (My damp socks kept me awake and cold.)

Cold Rooms: Temp is around 25 F. There is no electricity in the rooms so no way to charge your phone. Room “doors” are curtains. No where to keep any belongings in your room. Luggage is kept in a cubicle or locker in the adjacent building. Yes, the bathroom is also in that adjacent building. Most people spend just one night in an ice room. Rooms available Dec-April. Cold Rooms are rather plain, but the Art Suite Cold Rooms have more elaborate designs.

Warm Rooms available in an adjacent building have private bathrooms, wifi, and flat screen tv are available year round.

The new Hotel 365 cold rooms have doors that lock, 1-2 beds, and are available year round. Communal changing rooms and saunas located in adjacent building. There are also deluxe suites which have private bathrooms and a heated relaxation area.

Food: The Homestead restaurant serves good affordable dinners in a cozy candlelight atmosphere a 10 minute walk from the hotel.

Reservations: You can secure a room through their website or through Booking.com (which is easier to comprehend with prices in US$). Know that Cold Rooms are a splurge. Approximate costs for Cold Rooms at the original Ice Hotel cost around $600 for simple Cold Rooms and $800 for Art Suites (elaborate designs like pics above). At the new Hotel 365, Cold Room Art Suites start around $830 and the Deluxe Art Suites cost $1290 for 2.

There’s quite a bit to keep you busy for several days from your base at the Ice Hotel. But as long as you’re up this far, make time to spend a couple nights in Abisko—one of the primo spots to see northern lights in all of Europe. It’s a quick train ride away! More info check out the previous post, Arctic Adventures in Swedish Lapland.

What a fun, unique place for a winter break!

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