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. No, this
is not an urban legend. A real hotel, built completely
out of ice drawn from a nearby river, is built every winter
and available for guest stays. The incredible structure
is, as you might guess, one of the best places for an
intriguing hotel stay in Sweden, and perhaps the world.
The Ice Hotel Sweden is built from blocks of ice gathered from the Torne River, as well as bulldozers, chainsaws jackhammers. Each year, the ice hotel has a different design, usually spreading over a space of about 53,700 feet. The Ice Hotel Sweden uses more than 4,000 tons of ice to create the igloo-like structure, and usually features roughly 60 guest rooms. The Ice Hotel Sweden also features a number of other kinds of rooms, including a sauna, a reception hall, a multimedia theatre and an ice chapel for weddings, baptisms and other ceremonies.
The Sweden Ice Hotel is open for business beginning in December (depending on the weather) and ending in March. Not only is the entire Sweden Ice Hotel structure made totally of ice, but all of the furniture and most of the décor found within is also made from ice. Beds at the Sweden Ice Hotel are slabs of solid ice, and chairs are carved from blocks of ice. Statues and other forms of art are carved throughout the hotel, in rooms and in hallways, and tend to be quite ornate. For comfort, reindeer skin blankets are draped over beds and chairs to offer (moderate) warmth.
Since the temperatures are of course well below freezing, guests of the ice hotel in Sweden will be given a collection of gear meant to offer some protection for the duration of their stay. Full jumpsuits made of beaver nylon are issued to guests of the ice hotel in Sweden, as are insulated body bags first developed for astronauts walking on the moon.
In the main area of the ice hotel in Sweden guests will also find a bar, where glowing cocktails served in glasses made of ice (but of course) are served to patrons, with an emphasis on ice-cold vodka. The features of ice hotels are constantly evolving, as the buildings are re-constructed each year. Heated bathrooms are located near the ice hotel, as are heated cabins for travelers who want to be a part of the action, but not a part of the cold. Costs for an overnight stay range from $300 - $500 per night, depending on the size of your room. Be sure to book your stay well in advance, as the popularity of this hotel grows with each new winter season.
