The first images of the new designs for the 30th Icehotel in Swedish Lapland have been revealed and they don't disappoint. Artists from 34 different countries are preparing to help create the iconic hotel this year, ahead of its official opening on 13 December.
As layers of fresh snow form a blanket over Jukkasjärvi in mid-November, the artists will gather together to create the exhibition of snow, ice and light that will become Icehotel #30. This year’s hotel will have an incredible range of 15 art suites with an eclectic range of designs. For example, visitors can check into a frozen West End theatre production, spend the night in a subterranean ice room with giant ice ants, settle down in a frozen feline lair or wake up in the Greek island of Santorini.
A total of 18 design teams have been chosen to help build the hotel under the guidance of the hotel’s new creative director, Luca Roncoroni. The theme for the Main Hall will be ‘Brutalism’ celebrating the construction of the hotel, and the Ceremony Hall's theme ‘Gingko’ will highlight the Ginkgo tree, which is seen as a symbol of hope, strength and longevity. The IceBar's ‘Welcome to TorneLand’ theme will be a tribute to 30 years of frozen fun, with ice-carved roller-coasters, Ferris wheels, carnival games and hot air balloons surrounding the bar.
It all began 30 years ago in 1989, when founder Yngve Bergqvist decided to turn his summer business offering white-water rafting, saunas and mountain biking into a year-round experience. He added a small igloo allowing visitors to stay during the winter months, and ice- and snow-based activities proved extremely popular with guests. Three decades later, the Icehotel has welcomed a million visitors and has become one of the world’s most famous and unique places to stay, with many people even choosing to get married there.
A stay at the Icehotel offers the chance to combine sleeping on ice in one of these unique suites, with various winter adventures including husky-sledding, ice-sculpting, snowmobiling, reindeer sleigh rides, Northern Lights photography classes, wilderness dinners and guided Swedish sauna rituals. For those who want to visit at other times of the year, the Icehotel has also opened a permanent ice and snow experience.
Discover the World runs an exclusive IceFlight each year from London Heathrow to Kiruna, and further information on its packages is available here. To visit the Icehotel's website, please see here.
