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Brave the Frozen Frontier of the Ice Hotel in Sweden
Published by Kristin Cowles, Editor-in-Chief
Country: Sweden 
The Experience
On the shores of the Torne River, in the old village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland lies the Ice Hotel, a place that is like a surreal waking dream. Each November the creation of the Ice Hotel begins by taking massive clear cubes of ice from the Torne river. This water is incredibly clean and provides some of the best ice in the world for carving and creating such structures. The glass like structure uses over 30 cubic meters of snow and 5 thousand tonnes of ice.
A true frozen wonderland, the Ice Hotel is created each year by a team of international designers, no two rooms the same, changing appearance, structures and layout from year to year. The intricate sculptures and wall carvings that line all the rooms in the Ice Hotel are beyond beautiful, and in this unique medium not often easily enjoyed adds an additional layer of magical ambiance to the hotel. Although a blistering -37°C outside at times, the Ice Hotel interior temperature is between -5°C to -8°C, actually quite comfortable when in your winter overalls, boots and mittens that the hotel provides. While staying here you can also enjoy the ice bar, winter safaris, snow shoeing, dog sledding, snowmobiling and an outdoor theater. Started in 1989 as the original Ice Hotel, today this seasonal destination trend is growing in popularity.
A true frozen wonderland, the Ice Hotel is created each year by a team of international designers, no two rooms the same, changing appearance, structures and layout from year to year. The intricate sculptures and wall carvings that line all the rooms in the Ice Hotel are beyond beautiful, and in this unique medium not often easily enjoyed adds an additional layer of magical ambiance to the hotel. Although a blistering -37°C outside at times, the Ice Hotel interior temperature is between -5°C to -8°C, actually quite comfortable when in your winter overalls, boots and mittens that the hotel provides. While staying here you can also enjoy the ice bar, winter safaris, snow shoeing, dog sledding, snowmobiling and an outdoor theater. Started in 1989 as the original Ice Hotel, today this seasonal destination trend is growing in popularity.
When to Go to Ice Hotel
The Ice Hotel is open from December 10 - April 18, and is built in phases. On the 10th several rooms are open as well as the reception area, the Absolute Ice Bar opens on the 12th, followed by the Main hall and Church on the 15th. By the end of December the final Art suites are ready and the Hotel is complete. If you have the option, it's best to travel after December 30th to enjoy all aspects of the hotel fully built for your enjoyment.
Odds n' Ends
Rooms here cost anywhere between $400 - $800 Canadian a night. A little pricey, but remember as you wake up from your cozy sleep on your ice bed covered in reindeer skins and thermal sleeping bag for two, that a hot cup of lingonberry juice awaits you at your bedside followed by a nice hot sauna and breakfast. Its all about a once in a lifetime experience at this destination hotel!
Places to Stay Nearby
Search over 900,000 global hotel deals from over 30 merchants. Book via Expedia, Travelocity, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline and the websites of popular hotel chains.
Location. This design hotel is located in Jukkasjarvi . Regional points of interest include Kiruna Kyrka . Features. Icehotel has a sauna . Business amenities ... 0 miles away
Hotell E-10 is a 2-storey hotel with charming and modern rooms, divided into single rooms, double rooms and 4-bed rooms. The hotel is located 950 ... 9 miles away
$1095 SEK+
+ 8 others. Show all.
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Books and DVDs
- Sweden Travel Guide - LonelyPlanet.com
- Long summer days illuminate vibrant cities, where history blends with cutting-edge design. The aurora borealis sways above a vast landscape of wilderness, and dense forests and clear lakes frame picturesque wooden cottages. Discover Sweden's captivating and diverse depths with this insightful, expert guide.
- Journeys of a Lifetime: 500 of the World's Greatest Trips (Hardcover)
- No one knows the world like National Geographic—and in this lavish volume, we reveal our picks for the world's most fabulous journeys, along with helpful information for readers who want to try them out.
- Lonely Planet's Best in Travel 2009: 850 Trends, Destinations, Journeys & Experiences for the Year Ahead
Elsewhere on the Web
- Ice Hotel.com
- ICEHOTEL is situated in the village Jukkasjärvi, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden and 17 kilometers from Kiruna, the nearest town.
- Ice Hotel - Wikipedia.org
- An ice hotel is a temporary hotel made up entirely of snow and sculpted blocks of ice. They are promoted by their sponsors and have special features for travelers who are interested in novelties and unusual environments, and thus are in the class of destination hotels.
- Ice Hotel Jukkasjarvi - ArcticExperience.co.uk
- The Ice Hotel, first constructed in the late 1980’s, is built and re-built each winter in Jukkasjarvi, located about 120 miles north of the Artic Circle.
- Panoramas of Ice Hotel - DigitalSweden.se
- 360 view of views inside and outside of the ice hotel.
- Travel Report Sweden - Voyages.gc.ca
- WARNINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS.
Media References
- The Ice Hotel - WashingtonPost.com (newspaper)
- The Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden is constructed entirely from blocks of ice and packed snow. Swedish officials view it as a sort of national treasure, because it fits neatly into the government's project of educating people around the world about how clean water is essential for a healthy environment.
- Icehotel, Jukkasjarvi, Sweden - BBC.co.uk (television)
- Icehotel is an hotel built out of snow and ice, situated 200km north of the Arctic circle, in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, near the Torne river.
- Sweden's Ice Hotel Open For Business - Wired.com (blog)
- While some of us would probably prefer a holiday getaway some place warm and tropical, for those who feel like embracing the cold weather, try Sweden’s ICEHOTEL.
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