Icehotel
The World'S First Ice Hotel, Rebuilt From Torne River Ice Every Winter Since 1989, With A Year Round ICEHOTEL 365 Building Kept Frozen By Solar Power · Jukkasjarvi, Norrbotten County
ICEHOTEL, in the village of Jukkasjarvi on the Torne River about 17 km east of Kiruna, is the hotel that started the idea of sleeping inside a building made of ice. It grew out of an ice exhibition hall built here in 1989, and it has been rebuilt every winter since from blocks of clear Torne River ice, cut from the frozen river in late winter and kept in freezer halls, plus a sprayed mix of snow and ice. Artists chosen each year design the art suites, so no two seasons look alike, and in spring the whole building melts back into the river. Since about 2016 a second building, ICEHOTEL 365, has kept ice suites, an ice bar and sculptures frozen all year with solar-powered cooling. People come for one night at about minus 5 C in a thermal sleeping bag on reindeer hides, and for the aurora, dog sledding and snowmobiles around it. The honest caveat: it is very expensive, most guests sleep one night in the cold and the rest in warm rooms, and the northern lights are never guaranteed.
Marknadsvagen 63, Jukkasjarvi, on the Torne River about 17 km east of Kiruna, Jukkasjarvi, Norrbotten County, Sweden
Two buildings, two patterns. The seasonal ice hotel is usually open from around mid December to around early or mid April, depending on the build and the spring thaw - confirm the opening and closing dates for the current season. ICEHOTEL 365 is open all year. Day visits for non-guests usually run in the daytime hours, when overnight guests have checked out and before the evening check-in, and guided tours run at set times - check the current schedule, because the cold rooms close to day visitors in the evening. Reception, the restaurant and the warm hotel run all year. Getting there: fly to Kiruna Airport, about 15-20 minutes away by road, with a hotel transfer or taxi; or take the night train from Stockholm to Kiruna (roughly 15-17 hours) and a bus or taxi out to Jukkasjarvi. Book the room, any cold night, transfers and the popular excursions such as dog sledding and aurora tours well ahead, especially for Christmas, New Year and February to March.