Spend the night in the middle of snow and ice without freezing? That's possible in the ice hotel thanks to cosy polar sleeping bags and warm skins. Besides engineers and craftswomen, artists are also involved in the construction of ice hotels: They create the fascinating sculptures and murals made of snow and ice in the interior areas.
The overnight price usually includes dinner and breakfast, and there is a wide range of activities around the overnight stay: snowshoe treasure hunts, Northern Lights spotting or carving ice sculptures. Those who like it quieter can relax in the sauna or whirlpool. Ice hotels are a short-lived pleasure, as most of them melt in the warm sun in spring.
You can even get married in the ice church at the Hôtel de Glace in Canada!
© Source: Claudia Seebothe
By the way: The ice hotels presented here have restaurants and bars made entirely of ice and snow, where you can also enjoy the special ambience independently of an overnight stay. If you would also like to take a look inside the rooms, you can do so during the day as part of a guided tour, which many ice hotels offer.
1. igloo villages in Switzerland
There is not just one igloo village in Switzerland, but three! You'll find them in Davos, Gstaad and Zermatt. Since 1996, igloo villages have been built every winter in the Swiss Alps under the direction of Adrian Günter. There is now also an igloo village in Germany (see below) and in Kühtai, Austria.
Besides spending the night in the artistically designed rooms, there are different things to experience in the villages. In Gstaad, for example, you can play an adventure game in the snow and then relax in the whirlpool. In Zermatt, a rustic Kota, a wooden hut with an open fireplace, invites you to spend cosy evenings by the light of the fire.
There are no less than four igloo villages in the Swiss Alps, and each one awaits you with special holiday experiences.
© Source: ©www.iglu-dorf.com
The igloo villages in Davos and Gstaad are open from 25 December 2023 to 9 April 2023.The igloo village in Zermatt is open from 17 December 2023 to 16 April 2023.
2. Igloo Village Zugspitze in Germany
The Igloo Village Zugspitze is located on Germany's highest mountain at an altitude of 2600 metres. It is built anew every year in autumn. During the day you have a wonderful view of the surrounding alpine panorama, at night the stars seem to be within reach.
Here you can not only spend the night in artfully decorated rooms, but also learn how to build an igloo. Or try your hand at carving snow sculptures. And if you get chilly in the process, you can warm up again in the sauna. The Igloo Village Zugspitze is open from 27 December 2023 to 16 April 2023.
In the German Igloo Village Zugspitze you are at an altitude of 2600 metres - views of the mountain world guaranteed.
© Source: ©www.iglu-dorf.com
3. alpine igloo village in Austria
The Alpeniglu Village is located in the Kitzbühel Alps at the mountain station in Hochbrixen. There are 18 igloos here, and thanks to a warm sleeping bag, snowproof mattress and fur blankets, you're guaranteed not to get cold. Before you retire to the igloo for the night, there's plenty to experience: A visit to the ice art exhibition Iceland, a torchlight hike or the snowshoe treasure hunt, where you explore the snow-covered winter forest on your own.
The warming fondue dinner in the evening is served in the ice restaurant and the cocktails are served in glasses made of ice, true to the theme. The Alpeniglu Village is expected to be open from WEihnachten 2023.
The Alpeniglu Village in Austria offers an ice art exhibition and torchlight hikes.
© Source: ALPENIGLU
4. Village Igloo Avoriaz in France
In the middle of one of the most beautiful ski resorts in France lies the Igloo Village Avoriaz. During the day you can take a breather in the ice bar and spend the night in one of the three rooms made of ice. A guide picks you up at the top of the ski lift and you walk to the igloo village under the stars.
There you'll have a typical French aperitif and the traditional fondue savoyarde with delicious cheese from the region as your main course. After spending the night in cosy polar sleeping bags, you can enjoy your breakfast in peace on the terrace of the Village Igloo and watch the ski area slowly awaken.
5. Icehotel in Sweden
In Swedish Lapland, more precisely in Jukkasjärvi, the Icehotelhas been built every year since 1989, making it the first ice hotel in the world! Among other things, the mighty ice blocks of the Torne River are used to build it, and every year the hotel looks a little different. As for the rooms, you can choose between "ice rooms" with decorations made of ice and the more exclusive "art suites", each of which is made by a specially commissioned artist.
Since 2016, there is also the Icehotel 365, the first permanent ice hotel in the world. Even when it's hot outside, you can stay here amidst ice, visit an ice sculpture exhibition and enjoy cocktails in ice glasses. The 20 ice rooms are cooled by solar energy. There are also 72 warm rooms, which are also open all year round.
Icehotel 33 will be open from 16 December 2023.
The Icehotel in Sweden was the first ice hotel in the world!
© Source: Icehotel / Christoph Hauser
6. Iglootel in Sweden
There is another ice hotel in Swedish Lapland: the Iglootel in Arvidsjaur. It is particularly easy to reach from Germany, because Iglootel offers three- to seven-day adventure packages from/to Munich, Stuttgart, Hanover and Frankfurt-Hahn in cooperation with FlyCar.
For several weeks, a team of engineers, craftsmen and artists work on building the ice hotel. Then visitors can expect artfully designed sleeping and event rooms and, of course, a truly cool ice bar. There is also an open-air whirlpool from which you can watch the northern lights.
If you want to combine an overnight stay at the Iglootel with an adrenaline kick, you can sail across the ice-covered Baltic Sea on an icebreaker and take an ice bath in a wetsuit. The Iglootel will be open from mid-January 2023.
At the Iglootel in Sweden, you can watch northern lights from the hot tub.
© Source: Iglootel / Dirk Schwarz
7. SnowVillage in Finland
Wow! 20 million kilograms of snow and 350,000 kilograms of natural ice are used for the SnowVillage in Finland every year. The ten snow suites have a special theme every year. In the 2019/2020 season, for example, the cult series "Game of Thrones" was the motto, and dragons and shadow wolves made of ice delighted visitors from all over the world.
Although the temperature in the rooms hardly rises above minus five degrees, you stay nice and warm thanks to the warm down sleeping bags. The SnowVillage is located 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle and is open from 16 December 2023 to 15 April 2023.
8. Hôtel de Glace in Canada
The Hôtel de Glace is the only ice hotel in North America. This marvel of ice and snow not only has artfully designed rooms and a cool ice bar, but there is also a church where you can get married. The Ice Hotel is located in the Village Vacances Valcartier, the largest winter theme park in the world.
The themed suites feature detailed snow wall decorations and fancy ice sculptures, and some even have a fireplace! In the spa area of the ice hotel, you can relax in the saunas and whirlpools. The Hôtel de Glace is open from the beginning of January to the end of March 2023. It can be reached by shuttle bus from Québec City.
Some rooms at the Hôtel de Glace in Canada even have a fireplace!
© Source: Claudia Seebothe
9. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Norway
Every winter the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel in Norway is rebuilt and every year there is a different theme. Local artists design the walls and ice sculptures. Here you can experience the igloo atmosphere at temperatures as low as minus seven degrees, and so that you don't freeze at night, there are reindeer skins and a polar sleeping bag on the beds made of ice blocks.
But before you make yourself comfortable in your room, a walk between the ice sculptures or a drink in the ice bar awaits you. If you like, you can also book a dog sled ride or a reindeer safari as part of your overnight stay. Igloo Hotel is open from 20 December 2023 to 7 April 2023.
10. Snowhotel Kirkenes 365 in Norway
The number in the name gives it away: Snowhotel Kirkenes 365 in Norway is open all year round. Artists from various countries have designed the 14 rooms with motifs from traditional Sami culture and animal and flower patterns. It's a constant minus four degrees in the rooms, but thanks to the thermal sleeping bags you'll still get a good night's sleep.
It's a constant minus four degrees in the rooms at Snowhotel Kirkenes, but luckily there are thermal sleeping bags.
© Source: Snowhotel Kirkenes
During the day, you can take a ride on a dog sled, go for a spin on a snowmobile or go ice fishing on a frozen fjord.