An Icy Vacation

In the far north of Sweden, there is a river called Torne that runs crystal clear in the summer time. The flowing water in the summer turns to rock solid ice in the winter, and is then shaped into everything from ice glasses to ice beds. On the river bank, is a town called Jukkasjarvi, and there, the brilliant Ice Hotel is built every year.


Land around the hotel turns from frozen solid to a flowing river and back again every year, meaning that the luxurious Ice Hotel can only be enjoyed to its fullest for the four months that it is standing. The hotel is crafted with such design and precision, that it is many artists’ dreams to be chosen to work on the Ice Hotel. Each room is a showcase for high class art and design, and every artist wants to be a part of it. Around 250 applications are received every year to work on the design team for this unique hotel.


Each bed is surrounded by artwork made of ice, snow, and “snice” (the perfect blend of ice and snow). Each person sleeps in a thermal sleeping bag, and lay on a bed of ice blocks, and a mattress topped with reindeer skin.


Even though it might be -30 degrees Celsius outside of the hotel, inside the walls, it never gets below -5 to -8 degrees Celsius.


There is even a summer version of this resort, which has a smaller piece of the ice hotel, with an ice bar and a place to try ice sculpting! The elegant precision with which this was sculpted is what makes the experience so incredible.


 For more information on booking a stay with the Ice Hotel, Sweden, visit www.icehotel.com.