Ice Hotels - Redesigned and Rebuilt Every Year

If you are looking for an interesting and unique lodging experience, you might want to check into an ice hotel. These hotels are becoming increasingly more common throughout the world and are quite popular among those interested in staying at a destination hotel. While the area surrounding these hotels usually has much to offer, most people come to the area mostly to enjoy the ice hotel experience. In addition, many couples choose to have their weddings at ice hotels, which often feature very beautiful chapels made of ice.

The Creation of Ice Hotels

Like many great ideas, the concept of ice hotels was developed mostly by accident. In 1990, a French artist by the name of Jannot Derid visited Kiruna, Sweden in order to display his ice sculptures. The sculptures were housed within a large, circular igloo that visitors could enter in order to see the sculptures. At one point, many visitors to the area found themselves without available accommodations. So, some of them asked Derid if they could sleep in his igloo. They placed reindeer skin on the floor and slept in sleeping bags. The "guests" raved about the experience so much that this first "ice hotel" evolved into the Icehotel that still exists in Sweden today.

Building Ice Hotels

Since ice hotels are built entirely from snow and ice, they must be located in parts of the world that experience sub-freezing temperatures for an extended period of time. Otherwise, the structures would melt and be unsafe to occupy. In addition, several blocks of ice must be made and then held together with a combination of snow and ice that is referred to as snice, which acts like a mortar to hold the blocks together.

Since the hotels can only exist while the temperatures are right, you might think that the hotels are only available to the very rich. The reality is that, although these hotels may cost a bit more than a traditional hotel, they are still affordable for most travelers. In addition, despite the very cold temperatures of these hotels, they aren’t just for Eskimos either!

The Icehotel in Sweden

Sweden's Icehotel was the very first one to be built and is still the largest in existence today. The hotel houses 80 guest rooms and suites as well as a bar and other amenities. Everything in the hotel is made from ice, including the drinking glasses and all of the furniture. The furniture is covered with furs, skins, and sleeping bags, however, which makes the furniture warmer and more comfortable.

The temperatures within the Icehotel generally range anywhere from 17 to 23 degrees Fahrenheit. The bathrooms, however, are located in a separate building and are heated in order to provide a greater level of comfort.

The Icehotel is usually open from December through April. Each year, a group of artists, architects, and architect students gets together in order to create a new design for the following year.

The Ice Hotel Glace in Quebec

The Ice Hotel Glace, which is located in Quebec, was built in 2000. The hotel design was inspired by the Icehotel in Sweden, though it is smaller and is a bit fancier than Sweden's design. The hotel, which has 34 rooms, is opened each year in the middle of November. It sometimes stays open as late as March, though it depends upon the weather. Each year it is rebuilt, the hotel offers different features from the previous year.

The Aurora Ice Museum in Chena Hot Springs, Alaska

The Aurora Ice Museum, which is located in Chena Hot Springs in Alaska, is the only ice hotel in the United States. Everything in this hotel is also made from ice, though its primary features are the ice sculptures located throughout the hotel. In fact, the hotel bar is open to the public during certain times of the day. Unlike the other ice hotels, the basic design of the Aurora Ice Museum stays pretty much the same from year to year. The ice sculptures, however, do change each year.

Guests to the Aurora Ice Museum receive a parka, snow pants, and boots when they check into the hotel. In addition, a separate hotel room is reserved for each guest. That way, if they are uncomfortable sleeping in the facilities, they can move to a room that is more to their liking.

The Alta Igloo Hotel in Norway

Norway's Alta Igloo Hotel is actually a bit more rustic than the other ice hotel offerings. While the other hotels still strive to provide some level of luxury, the Alta Igloo Hotel offers very basic accommodations. The rooms are much smaller and have lower ceilings, much like an actual igloo. There are separate facilities, however, that are heated and offer guests a place to store their luggage, to change their clothes, and to take a shower. In addition, the theme at the Alta Igloo Hotel does change each year.