Ten of The Worlds Most Amazing Ice Hotels You Can Stay in

The winter is not exactly the best time of the year for going on vacation unless you are spending your nights in an igloo in a perfect snow castle. People fancy the idea of sleeping on a bed made entirely from a block of ice, eating on kitchenware moulded from snow and sleeping in a dome-shaped snow house like an Inuit. Everything about ice hotels is interesting and it all feels like a dreamland. Each ice hotel in the world has a unique story that makes it the perfect winter wonderland. From perfect snow sculptures and tools crafted from ice to drinking glasses made of ice, you just can’t plan for what you will find in an ice hotel but you can be sure that you will love it. Here is a look at the most famous winter dreamlands in the world.

Hotel Of Ice: Romania

Ever dreamed of spending the winter on the Romanian Carpathians? Well, Hotel of Ice on the Blaea glacial lake is reconstructed every winter since 2005 with a new theme for each winter. Ice artists help bring the hotel to life by reconstructing all its interesting facilities including an ice church, an ice bar and an ice restaurant as well as a couple of igloos away from the ice rooms for guests that require a little extra privacy. The hotel also serves a variety of dishes on ice-crafted kitchenware and there is always something new to look forward to every day of the winter. It receives over 8,000 guests every year so it is a top winter vacation detitanation to try out.

The Arctic Snow Hotel: Finland

Ever dreamed of watching the Northern light from a snow room with nothing blocking your view? The Arctic Snow Hotel has accommodation for over 100 people making it one of Scandinavia’s largest ice hotels. Its igloos are also special as they have glass ceilings that allow visitors to watch the Northern lights without having to step out. The rest of the facilities are just like what you get in other ice hotels including an ice bar and an ice chapel which is one of the most interesting structures in the resort.

De Glace Ice Hotel: Canada

This was the first ice hotel in North America and it has retained its place as the pacesetter when it comes to winter vacations in Quebec. It is also the best place to stay in the winter in Quebec if you are planning to enjoy winter sports and sightseeing. It opens every winter after a month of reconstruction with every year coming with its own theme.

The hotel has 21 rooms each made of nothing but snow and ice and each room include a winter sleeping bag. You can choose premium suites or regular rooms and enjoy your stay which is a few minutes away from Quebec. The sculptures, designs and lighting bring life to each room and it is super comfortable as you also have your fireplace in your suite.

Ice Hotel: Japan

Imagine having a warm shower in a bathroom made entirely of ice! Yes! That is what the Ice Hotel in the Hokkaido region in the town of Shimukappu has. It is a beautiful ice village with everything you need to enjoy your winter including a bar made entirely out of ice, including glasses made of ice which you are allowed to carry home. It has stairs made of ice and a see-through floor which is enough to scare you a little bit while vacationing there. You can then spend the night in their igloos and get married in the chapel of ice if you want to.

Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort: Finland

From the aurora to the midnight sun, this ice resort is everyone’s childhood dream come true and the adventure starts right from the airport where you can choose a snowmobile or a glass-roofed bus. It is all about the perfect view of the night sky here, so the night in your igloo will only be the beginning of the fun. It has the world’s largest smoke sauna so there is that, and you also get to enjoy husky and reindeer safaris. The luxury igloos are served with private saunas and warm showers or baths; so whatever you choose here, you are guaranteed to have lots of fun.

Ice hotel: Sweden

This is one of the oldest ice hotels in the world and every year, artists from around the world come to renew its beauty for the guests. It is just 200km North of the arctic circle so it is also one of the best places in the world to watch the midnight sun and the aurora from your igloo. It started in 1989 and has only gotten better with time with lots of people being proud to be wed at the hotel’s ice chapel. It has one of the warmest receptions you will get in the Swedish Lapland with a wide variety of dishes and fun activities to choose from.

Iglu-Dorf Gstaad: Switzerland

People don’t usually think of igloos when Bern is mentioned but this resort has changed that perspective by bringing a winter wonderland to the Swiss capital. Apart from the perfect view of the Swiss capital and the sunset, Iglu-Dorf has a wide range of accommodations for all types of guests including families, couples, lone travellers and groups. It has cabins for those that don’t prefer the frozen igloos.

Snowhotel Kirkenes: Norway

This one is there all year long and anyone visiting will have something fun to do whether you go in the summer or in the winter. It is considered one of the best ice hotels in the world because of the variety of services offered and everything inside the hotel is made out of ice. It is one of the best places in Norway to watch the Northern lights in a special way.

It has snow rooms just like the other ice hotels but it also has cabins where you can sleep if you don’t fancy the below zero ice-block beds. The resort also offers a wide variety of snow art and ice sculptures. The pathways to the snow rooms are nothing more than low tunnels through snow that makes you feel like you are walking through caves in the arctic. Every room has its unique hand curved Nordic art including Viking soldiers and gods.

Snow Village-Kittila: Finland

This is another resort that is just 200km above the arctic circle recreated every year into a differently shaped and sized winter wonderland. It offers the same dream-Scandinavian nights you could hope for with lots of ice all around you from the bar to the igloo. You can also get a snowmobile trip or a husky ride to your room or go to the ski resort. The art in the snow rooms is changed every year so you can expect some of the cutest ice sculptures with magnificent lighting that brings life to all that freeze. Its restaurant is often referred to as the world’s largest igloo and the rooms are so magical. You have to be ready to pay a premium for these expensive igloos though.

Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel: Norway

Sorrisniva igloo hotel is often referred to as the Northernmost hotel in the world, so you can guess what its igloos look like. It isn’t all ice, unlike the other mentioned arctic resorts. The reception and the restaurant are not igloos but you still get to enjoy a drink at the ice bar and have a service in the ice chapel. The ice-furnished snow-rooms are also classy and warmly lit offering the experience of a lifetime when you visit the North pole.