5 Hotels Made Of Ice Slideshow
Québec City, Canada: Hôtel du Glace
The only ice hotel in North America, Hôtel du Glace is located 10 minutes from downtown Québec City. Newly constructed every year, the hotel is made from 15,000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice, and is open from early January to mid to late March. Choose from a variety of rooms, from the basic ones to suites with fireplaces and private spas. Each of the rooms features soaring 19-foot ceilings and furniture made of solid ice. While the room temperature remains between 23-27 degrees, you won't be cold sleeping in a special Arctic sleeping bag atop a mattress-topped wooden bedspring. There are also outdoor hot tubs and saunas to relax (and warm up in), if needed.
Overnight stays begin at CA$235 ($237) per person, and include a cocktail, tour, overnight accommodations, access to the spa, and a hot beverage and breakfast in the morning.
Kirkenes, Norway: Kirkenes Snowhotel
For an authentic Arctic overnight experience, visit Kirkenes Snowhotel. Your stay begins with a drink at the IceBar, constructed with over 25 tons of ice hauled from the nearby lake. Move on to a three-course dinner in the hotel's Restaurant Gabba, which serves an array of local Arctic specialties, including whitefish and fresh salmon, cooked over an open flame. The evening concludes with a hot sauna before turning in for the evening. Additional activities include dogsled safaris, hunting by the Northern Lights, and an opportunity to catch king crab and dine with a local fisherman.
Overnight stays begin at NOK 2250 ($385) per person, and include breakfast, dinner, and sauna access.
Gstaad, Switzerland: Igloo Village Gstaad
For a chance to sleep in an alpine setting, surrounded by towering mountain peaks, visit the Iglu-Dorf Gstaad. Located in the Berner Oberland, the igloos are uniquely constructed and decorated by international artists. You can choose from the standard igloo, or opt for a romantic igloo suite, which has a private toilet, hot tub, and a bottle of prosecco. Upon arrival, the village guides greet you with housemade spiced wine and a traditional cheese fondue. Then, take advantage of the hot tub and sauna, before turning in to your igloo, each equipped with lamb fur to help insulate you from the cold, for the night.
Overnight stays begin at €99 ($133) and include dinner, snacks, spa amenities, and breakfast.
Jukkasjärvi, Sweden: ICEHOTEL
This year marks the 21st season of ICEHOTEL. Both the world's first and world's largest ice hotel, it is located in the heart of Swedish Lapland, about 125 miles north of the Arctic Circle. A center for art, architecture and design, each of the hotel's rooms is meticulously designed by one of many international artists, and features a cozy sleeping bag placed atop reindeer hide-covered mattresses. Eat dinner in one of the hotel's two restaurants, followed by a nightcap at the hotel's ABSOLUT ICEBAR, a collaboration between the hotel and ABSOLUT vodka, where everything in the bar, from the walls to the stools, has been made of ice — even the glasses.
Overnight stays begin at SEK 1250 ($187) per person.
Fagaras, Romania: Balea Lake Ice Hotel
Nestled in the Fagaras Mountains, the Lake Balea Ice Hotel is located at 2000 meters above sea level, and, in the winter, can only be accessed by cable car. Rebuilt annually, so every year it looks different, the hotel is very exclusive, with only 10-14 rooms that feature ice beds topped with reindeer fur and mattresses. Before bed, take a drink at the hotel's ice bar, or opt for a full dinner at the nearby Lake Balea Chalet, which requires a reservation. After breakfast the next morning, fill your day with your choice of activities, including sledding, snowmobile rides, ice skating, and skiing.
Overnight stays begin at €105 ($140) per person.