For those who love novelty, appreciate beauty and don’t mind the cold, ice hotels make wonderful and memorable getaways. Ice hotels, or hotels made entirely of ice and snow, exist in several countries around the world. They are, fortunately, more pleasant than one might think – in addition to their awe-inspiring beauty, they’re much warmer than the surrounding outdoor environment. Ice hotels are an exciting and romantic destination for the adventurous traveler to visit.
Ice hotels are currently located in five countries: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Canada and Romania. In order for an ice hotel to be constructed in a particular place, certain weather related conditions have to exist, which greatly limits their number. Namely, a great deal of snow and ice have to be close at hand, and temperatures must be sub-freezing during the lengthy construction and operation periods. Ice sculptors often take blocks of ice from frozen rivers or lakes when building the hotels. Ice hotels and resorts are not only beautiful, but labor intensive, as each must be completely rebuilt every year.
Sweden
Sweden was the location of the world’s first ice hotel, created originally as an ice art exhibit in 1989 and developed thereafter. The aptly-named ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden is one of the best known, and has “cold accommodations” available from December 10 – April 18th each year. Guests sleep in relative comfort on a bed of ice covered with reindeer skins and a thermal sleeping bag, and are awakened in the morning with hot tea. They do recommend staying only one night in the available ice suites, and spending the rest of your stay in their more conventional “warm” rooms. A wide variety of both standard and unique cold-weather activities are available, including skiing, dogsledding and ice sculpting classes.
Norway
There are three ice hotels located in Norway: the Kirkenes Snow Hotel, the Ice Lodge and the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel. The Kirkenes is the newest of the ice hotels, with its first opening season in 2006, and is located along the country’s Russian border. A reindeer park and husky farm are located in the hotel. A special dinner is prepared over an open fire for guests staying in one of the Kirkenes’ 20 rooms. Unlike most ice hotels, the Kirkenes is equipped with real beds and warm toilets nearby. As with many of the ice hotels, a sauna is available before and after your stay.
The Bjorli Ice Lodge is aptly enough named, has a longer operating season than most ice hotels due to it’s high altitude. The Ice Lodge is actually a branch of the Bjorligard Hotel, and is located in the beautiful Dovre-Sunalsfjella National Park. Many winter-weather activities are available, including dogsledding and downhill skiing.
The Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is located outside the village of Alta, Norway on the banks of the scenic Alta River. The Sorrisniva offers many unique opportunities, including the chance to take and snow-scooter safari and stay overnight in a Lavvo, or traditional Sami tent. Ice Fishing is also available, as are riverboat excursions on the Alta River. The igloo hotels also boasts a nearby service center, which must seem a godsend to chilled guests, with its restaurants, toilets, saunas and hot tubs.
Finland
Located in Western Finnish Lapland, the Lainio Snow Village is an amazing complex of ice buildings and structures. The complex consists of the Snow Hotel, a restaurant, bar, outdoor sculptures and even ice slides. For cold accommodations, the Lainio Snow Village offers ice suites or standard double ice rooms, with a “diploma” at the end to commemorate your stay. A unique underground floor of the ice hotel offers a warm respite complete with sauna, a large fireplace and a couple of spare rooms for those who simply can’t tolerate the cold. If you want to visit the snow village, but don’t want to sleep in the cold, you have many other options. Toasty cabins are available, from basic to a luxurious three-story log “castle” with lots of cold-weather amenities. Activities available include snowmobiling, sleigh rides, stargazing and more.
Canada
The Hotel de Glace is located about half an hour from Quebec City. It has a relatively short operating season lasting from the first week in January to the last week of March. This “hotel of ice” boasts a different theme each year. The North Face Grand Slide, made of ice, is a unique and fun feature of this ice hotel. Outdoor spas and saunas at the Hotel de Glace help keep guests nice and warm while staying in one of the ice hotels standard or themed suites. The most luxurious ice hotel suite even offers a riverside view, fireplace and private spa.
Romania
The Balea Lake Ice Hotel is a true getaway – at an altitude of 2034 meters in the Fagaras Mountains, this quaint 10-room ice hotel is only accessible in the winter months via cable car. This ice hotel is owned by local Romanians and is constructed each year by local craftsmen using ice from the Balea Lake. The exclusivity of this Romanian ice hotel is not its only draw, as guests can enjoy either of two nearby chalets, or arrange to ski or go sledding in the beautiful, snowy climate.
Regardless of which ice hotel you choose to visit, the trip is sure to provide an unforgettable experience – and maybe a new appreciation for warm weather! Staying in an ice hotel is not about merely braving the cold. It’s about a unique form of art, the calm of isolation and the beauty of nature.
Information for this article obtained on April 9, 2010 at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_hotel
http://www.ice-lodge.co.uk/Norway/Bjorli+Snow+Hotel-249-453.aspx
http://www.sorrisniva.no/page.jsp?id=29∣=26
http://www.snowvillage.fi/logcabins.htm
http://www.hoteldeglace-canada.com/index.php
http://www.icehotelromania.com/romania/index.html
