For those on the hunt for a truly special holiday destination, and with a preference for cooler locations rather than scorching hot beaches, we think we have the perfect option. ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden is the Artic’s most impressive hotel by a mile, given that it’s entirely constructed from ice and snow. First constructed nearly 28 years ago, you can visit it every winter for a completely unique experience, since it has to be reconstructed every year!
Sweden’s largest river, the Torne, is what makes the ICEHOTEL possible. During the winter, the river begins to freeze and huge quantities of natural ice have to be collected. Rather than importing or creating ice artificially, the naturally-formed Arctic ice is the preferred choice by those who work on creating ICEHOTEL every year. Creative artists from all over the world gather annually to produce the hotel in its new frozen form. The artists are chosen through a global selection process where they submit creative new ideas and come up with even higher standards than were set in previous years, despite the fact that their project can only stand for a few short months before eventually melting again.
Of course, making the gigantic ice building into an actual hotel is perhaps the most impressive part of this ongoing project. In fact, ICEHOTEL was originally planned as an art gallery named the ARTic Hall, and existed as such until guests requested to stay at the hall and enjoyed it so much that the creators saw an opportunity. Over the following years it was built up into a powerful brand as ICEHOTEL, offering a completely unique and award-winning experience for tourists.
As for what’s actually on offer for guests, this varies every year due to the community-driven design and construction process. However, there is always the choice between heated rooms with a little extra comfort, or the more authentic experience of staying in an ice-cold bedroom, complete with a solid bed handcrafted from a giant ice block. Bars and restaurants are of course on hand for guests, as well as guided tours to help you get the most out of your trip.
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