Back in the late 1990s, two buddies, Standard Granlund and Yngve Bergqvist, had this wild idea to build a super-sized igloo in the Inuit style. They wanted it to be bigger and better than anything ever made before. Their incredible igloo project was set up in the small town of Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, and it started out as a simple art exhibit, drawing inquisitive locals. Over the years, they expanded it, adding ice rooms for those who wanted to stay longer, soak in the inspiration, and admire the stunning surroundings. Even today, the IceHotel in Jukkasjarvi gets rebuilt every year, and similar ice hotels have popped up in different northern countries to cater to adventurous travelers.
Let’s Begin With 10 Cool Ice Hotels In The World
But, hey, don’t think you can just stroll in and book a room on a whim. Nah, these ice hotels require reservations up to a year in advance. Now, let’s dig into the nitty-gritty of these cool icy getaways:
Kirkenes Snow Hotel, Norway
Found in Kirkenes, near the Russian border, this hotel has been giving folks unforgettable experiences since 2006. Despite being made entirely from ice and snow, they’ve got regular beds with comfy mattresses for a good night’s sleep. There’s also a heated service building and a cozy Lavvo café nearby.
Snow Hotel, Finland
Part of the Snow Castle of Kemi, the world’s biggest snow fortress, this place gets a fresh look every winter since 1996. Here, you get to sleep on lamb skin-covered beds, snuggled up in warm sleeping bags, with temperatures hovering around -5°C. Some rooms even come with beautiful ice carvings.
| Ice Hotel | Location | Unique Features |
|---|---|---|
| Icehotel | Sweden (Jukkasjarvi) | Entirely made of ice, rebuilt annually, featured on TV. |
| Alta Igloo Hotel | Norway | Built anew each year with snow and ice, offers safaris. |
| Hotel de Glace | Canada (Quebec City) | North America’s first ice hotel, open January to April. |
| Kirkenes Snow Hotel | Norway (Kirkenes) | Made of ice and snow, regular beds, heated service building. |
| Snow Hotel | Finland (Kemi) | Part of the Snow Castle, rebuilt yearly, unique ice carvings. |
| Balea Ice Lodging | Romania | Only ice lodging in Romania, located at high altitude. |
| Igloo Village Kakslauttanen | Finland (Lapland) | Offers snow and glass igloos, world’s largest smoke sauna. |
| Snow Town Canada | Canada (St. Helen’s Island) | New ice and snow city yearly, hot tubs at Kube Ice Bar. |
| Hoshino Resort Tomamu The Tower | Japan | Ice-covered rooms and dining, but at a premium. |
| Snow Village Hotel Kittila | Finland (Polar Circle) | Rooms with ice furniture, ice bar, and excursions. |
Icehotel, Sweden
The very first ice hotel worldwide, nestled in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, gets a total makeover from December to April each year. The whole place, from walls to the glasses in the bar, is made from ice harvested from the Torne River. They even got featured on National Geographic and Discovery Channel documentaries.
Alta Igloo Hotel, Norway
Over in Norway, they create the Alta Igloo Hotel anew each year using nothing but snow and ice. You’ll sleep on reindeer hide mats and snuggle in super warm sleeping bags. The hotel also has a sauna and two outdoor hot tubs to warm up and chill out. They even offer snowmobile safaris to explore the area.
Hotel de Glace, Canada
Tucked away in the Laurentian Mountains near Quebec City, Hotel de Glace has hosted over a million guests since 2001. It’s North America’s first ice hotel, and it opens up shop in January, sticking around for three months, with only the bathrooms being heated. They’ve even got a chapel for weddings.
Balea Ice Lodging, Romania
Romania’s one and only ice lodging is perched at 2,000 meters above sea level, near Balea Lake. They give it a makeover every year using ice blocks from the nearby lake. Beds are pure ice but come with cozy fur covers and comfy mattresses. They even throw in warm sleeping bags.
Igloo Village Kakslauttanen, Finland
Up high above the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland, this place offers lodging in snow and glass igloos. They even boast the world’s largest smoke sauna and a handful of restaurants, with two of them housed in traditional Laplander huts. You can chow down on Lappish specialties like reindeer and char-grilled salmon. Even the smoke sauna has its very own restaurant. While you’re there, you can join in on a snow rally or take a thrilling winter safari with reindeer, huskies, and snowmobiles.
Snow Town Canada, Canada
You’ll find this gem on St. Helen’s Island, where they create a brand-new ice and snow city every year. Kick back and relax in hot tubs at the Kube Ice Bar, where they serve drinks in ice-filled glasses. The rooms and igloos here are made entirely of ice, but they’ve got warm sleeping bags for you.
Hoshino Resort Tomamu The Tower, Japan
The Alpha Resort Tomamu in Japan has its ice village. Guests can stay in a hotel with an ice-covered dining room, bedroom, and bathroom. They even serve dinner on ice plates. But, hey, this unique experience comes with a price tag, around $603 per night.
Snow Village Hotel Kittila, Finland
High up above the polar circle, Snow Village Hotel Kittila hooks you up with rooms featuring sculpted ice furniture and snow decorations. You can grab a bite at the IceBar, dance the night away in an igloo, or just wander around and check out the amazing ice sculptures. Plus, the hotel organizes snowmobile and reindeer safaris, ice fishing, and dog sledding adventures.
So, these ice hotels around the globe offer some seriously cool experiences, but remember, they’re in high demand, so make sure to book well in advance!
