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Home / Travel / Hotels
Hotels

The Coolest Ice Hotels Around the World

By Stacey Leasca on December 07, 2018

The first snowflakes are beginning to fall, hot cocoa is flying off the shelves, and the colder weather is creeping in. All that can only mean one thing: It’s time to start planning an epic winter vacation.

© Asaf Kliger/Courtesy ICEHOTEL

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This year, however, instead of heading off to a tropical destination to escape the cold, why not embrace Jack Frost and go somewhere super chill instead?

Ice hotels, igloos, castles, and snow villages are popping up all over the globe, beckoning guests to come in, cuddle up, and enjoy a hot toddy or two.

With over-the-top amenities, larger-than-life bedrooms made out of solid ice, and snow-capped adventures like dog sledding, northern lights viewing, and snowmobiling awaiting at every corner, ice hotels are redefining winter break. Here are eight ice hotels that are well worth busting out your best cold weather clothing.

 
Courtesy Hotel of Ice – Bâlea Lac

Hotel of Ice: Balea Lac, Romania

The Hotel of Ice, located in the Carpathian Mountains, is assembled each year out of four-foot long bricks made from solid ice. Each brick is cut and produced by the nearby Balea Lake. Because it melts in the spring and rebuilt in the winter, each year the hotel features a new, intricate design.

The hotel has 12 unique rooms, a bar, and even an ice church where children can get baptized, couples can get married, or guests can come to worship. Rooms starting at $89.00/night.

Asaf Kliger/Courtesy ICEHOTEL

Ice Hotel: Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Founded in 1989, The Ice Hotel in Sweden is the first hotel ever constructed from ice and snow. The hotel, which is located about 120 miles from the Arctic Circle, includes both rooms where each and every item is carved from ice, and warm, traditional hotel rooms so guests can choose which level of adventure they want to take.

Best of all, the entire ice structure lasts all year long as it’s now part of the Ice 365, a specially designed solar-powered building that keeps everything cool all year long. Rooms starting at $173/night.

Tuomas Kurtakko

Snow Village: Kittila, Finland

Every year the designers in Kittila harvest more than 44 million pounds of snow and 771,000 pounds of ice to build the entire Snow Village. Inside the village, guests can check into the Snow Hotel—complete with snow suites—and enjoy a trip to the Ice Restaurant, Ice Bar, and Ice Chapel.

While the village feels worlds away, its close proximity to several ski resorts makes it an ideal winter getaway destination. The hotel—which is being built for the 18th time this year—will feature approximately 30 rooms each individually decorated, but all carved out of the best ice around. Pricing available upon request.

Courtesy Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel: Alta, Norway

If dome-shaped winter hotels are more your thing try the Sorrisniva Igloo hotel in Norway. As the northernmost hotel in the world, it’s also likely the chilliest. The hotel’s 26 bedrooms each feature beds made entirely of ice. But don’t worry, as visitors will stay warm on a mattress and underneath some reindeer hides.

The hotel also has its own bar, restaurant, and chapel, and is happy to make all your dream winter activities come true too. Rooms starting at $285/night.

Mark Edward Harris/Getty Images

SnowHotel: Kirkenes, Norway

The SnowHotel in Norway is the place to be for anyone who loves to feel the chill. Sitting on the border of Russia, the hotel offers up an up-close encounter with the surrounding nature.

While staying at the hotel, guests are invited to go snowmobiling, snowshoeing, ice fishing, and even a king crab safari. The hotel comes with 20 unique rooms and opens again for business in January of 2019. Rooms starting at $363/night.

Courtesy Hoshino Resorts

Hoshino Resort Tomamu Hokkaido, Japan

Between January and February, the small town of Shimukappu transforms into a winter wonderland with its Ice Village. Inside, visitors will find a cafe, a library full of frozen bookshelves, a skating rink, and even an ice slide, along with, of course, an ice hotel. Not only are the hotel’s igloos made of ice but all of the furniture inside is as well.

The rooms also come with an outdoor area with lounge chairs so guests can do a bit of stargazing on those chilly winter nights. They can even warm up in the hotel’s own outdoor hot tub, which also comes encased in ice. Pricing available upon request.

Giles Clarke/Getty Images

The SnowCastle of Kemi: Kemi, Finland

The SnowCastle of Kemi will once again open its doors to guests in January of 2019. Inside, visitors can come and spend the day exploring the expansive space constructed out of snow and ice or spend the night inside its SnowHotel.

There, guests can get into a real arctic experience by sleeping inside a specially-designed sleeping bag that will keep them warm in the -5 degree Celsius room. Pricing available upon request.

Luc Rousseau/Courtesy of Québec City Tourism

Hotel de Glace: Quebec City, Canada

Using 1500 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice, the Hotel de Glace comes to life each winter in Quebec City. Inside, visitors can enjoy all the accoutrement you’d expect in a world-class ice resort such as an ice bar, ice restaurant, a full-service spa, and ice chapel.

Each of the 44 rooms inside the hotel are all individually designed and carved with a different theme in mind, meaning visitors can choose the one that fits them best. And as the only ice hotel in North America it may be the most convenient option for those looking to get in on the chilly fun. Rooms starting at $520/night.

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