Sweden’s incredible Icehotel is back for another year, turning snow and ice into art-filled accommodation that will entice travellers from around the world.
The seasonal hotel features rooms crafted by 34 artists from 13 countries, who spend weeks turning ice into suites that are designed to look like anything from a candy shop filled with giant sweets to a giant aquarium. In its 29th year, the Icehotel opened on 14 December in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden.
The hotel, made from ice and snow from the nearby Arctic river Torne, has many rooms this year inspired by nature. That includes the “Spruce Woods” room by Christopher Pancoe and Jennie O’Keefe from Canada, where guests can sit down around the fire – made of ice of course – in a camping site in the forest. Jonathan Green from England created “The Living Ocean Suite” along with his daughter Marnie Green, which features corals, shells, and fish.
Work on the hotel begins as far back as March when 2500 tons of ice are harvested from the river. It is then stored until October when the building of the hotel begins. With endless details made of ice, some is set aside for making things like glasses, plates, bowls and more. Just weeks before the opening artists arrive to help create the 15 suites, an ice ceremony hall for weddings and other events, and the main hall, which is filled with incredible ice-crystal chandeliers.
Once open, the hotel will draw in about 70,000 guests from all around the world and will even host 50 weddings. Beyond just staying in the incredible rooms, guests can take part in activities like snowmobiling, dog sledding, and ice sculpting. The Icehotel is open until 13 April 2019 and prices for two adults start from SEK 1549 (US$171) for a warm room and SEK 2354 (US$260) for an ice room.
However, if you can’t plan a trip to Sweden before then, the Icehotel has also opened a permanent ice and snow experience. With 20 rooms and an ice bar, the Icehotel 365 has a design that changes each year and runs on solar power in the summer.
