While we’ve talked about hotels that bring ‘ice’ into the picture (aka, in Quebec and Finland), this extends beyond that with more ice than you can imagine, Swedish style. What started as an exhibit from Japanese artists in the 1990s has become now, a unique travel experience for those wishing for a discerning atypical stay. Enter The Ice Hotel in SWEDEN. There is a lot of work here to construct a 18,000-square feet facility completely from ice and snow. So yes, imagine walking into a freezer and suddenly there’s a bed in the middle of it, one where you’ll be laying your head at night.
ICEHOTEL’s ideas originate from the place we stand on; Jukkasjärvi. The river Torne that flows outside our office windows, the cold arctic climate, The Northern Lights and the Midnight Sun. Every season allow us to get inspired by the river, whether it is crystal clear ice, rapids shooting on a riverboat or a magnificent, recently caught grayling.
With Jukkasjärvi and Torne River as a starting point, develop and offer sensuous, inspiring and unique experiences within art, nature, accommodation and gastronomy. They consider it beyond a hotel, but more of an ephemeral art project.
Shared double room, incl. breakfast, warm outer clothing and guided tour of ICEHOTEL. The price is for both cold and warm accommodation. In addition to this offer, you can choose to eat a 3-course menu served on ice for SEK 450 at the time of writing this.
To spend the night at ICEHOTEL is an experience – and not like any other hotel stay. You sleep in a thermal sleeping bag on a bed built by ice blocks, a wooden frame, mattress and it is topped with reindeer skins. Surrounded by art work made of ice and snow, by artists from all over the world. In the morning you will be awakened with a cup of hot lingonberry juice.
In ICEHOTEL it never gets colder than –5 to -8ºC, regardless of the fact that the outdoor temperature sometimes drops down to -30º. You can also combine one night in ICEHOTEL with several nights in warm accommodation for that perfect ICEHOTEL experience. They offer double and twin rooms, hotel chalets for 3-5 people, spacious and comfortable, in a Scandinavian design. Towels and bed linnen are also included.
You can experience the sensation of ICEHOTEL even during summer. In a freeze house a 120 square meters you’ll find a summer version of ICEHOTEL with three art suites, an ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL and place for guests to try ice sculpting.
ICEHOTEL is located in the small Swedish village Jukkasjärvi, 200 km above the Arctic Circle but only 15 km from Kiruna Airport (KRN) and 17 km from Kiruna train station.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
