Sleep in the Snow: Visit an Ice Hotel

Have you ever pondered what it would be like to sleep in the snow under a sky full of stars? It sounds cold, and it is. But rumor has it that it is also extremely cozy.

In recent years, sleeping on a block of ice (in a sleeping bag of course) has become a desirable travel trend with hotels made purely of ice and snow popping up around Europe and even in Canada. Guests describe their experiences at these architecturally original lodgings as one of the most restful nights they've ever slept, as the compacted snow is said to be an excellent barrier to noise.

And even though the temperatures inside these frozen dwellings average around -5 degrees Celsius, the sleeping bags are reported to potentially be so warm that they can be too warm if one is overly clothed.

Would an igloo hotel with ice block furniture provide the right vacation destination for you? Most snow and ice hotels are equipped to accommodate couples, families with children, business meetings, other special events and even weddings.

Read about several of these snow and ice resorts below to learn more.

ICEHOTEL-Lapland, Sweden
+46 980 668 00
info@icehotel.com
http://www.icehotel.com/uk/

ICEHOTEL, the first and largest hotel made of ice and snow is located in the village of Jukkasjärvi in Lapland, Sweden, 200 km North of the Arctic Circle, along the Torne River. The ice resort, which is reconstructed from scratch each winter offers over 80 rooms of several varieties and is open to guests from December through April. ICEHOTEL also has conference facilities, a chapel (remarkable wedding locale), and a restaurant and is home to the famous ABSOLUT ICEBAR JUKKASJÄRVI. Guests sleep in thermal sleeping bags in beds of snow and ice on reindeer skins. Temperatures inside the ICEHOTEL average around -5 degrees Celsius.

Hôtel de Glace
75, Montée de l'Auberge, Pavillon Ukiuk
Station touristique Duchesnay
Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier
Québec Canada G3N 2Y5
1 877 505-0423
information@hoteldeglace-canada.com
http://www.icehotel-canada.com/

Just 30 minutes outside of Quebec City lies the first and only ice hotel in North America. Hôtel de Glace consists of 32,000 Square Feet of ice and compacted snow and ceilings as high as 18 feet, with furniture and artwork made from blocks of ice. Guests sleep in sleeping bags atop a wooden bedspring and mattress that rest on solid ice. Hôtel de Glace is open from the first week in January to the last week of March and is also equipped to accommodate weddings, film shoots and business conferences.

Iglu-Dorf Igloo Villages
The Iglu-Dorf chain of igloo hotels was made a reality by Adrian Günter, who started out building igloos for personal enjoyment. Günter began building igloos in 1996 "to better enjoy the mountain and first powder snow of the day" (UHOTW.com). He did not realize such a structure would have such a wide appeal but when an influx of requests came from friends wanting to spend a night in his igloo, the idea for an igloo hotel took form. Today, there exist 6 Iglu-Dorf Igloo Villages in Switzerland, Germany and Andorra; descriptions of 3 of the hotels are below.

Iglu-Dorf- Grandvalira, Andorra
+376 89 18 00
booking@grandvalira.com
Iglu-Dorf Andorra Igloo Hotel is located in the Pyrenees Mountains at Grandvalira, the largest ski resort in the country. Guests to the hotel are offered many activities to keep them busy such as the nighttime snowshoe walk and even the travel to and from the resort, which takes place by way of a special snow all-terrain vehicle (Ratrac) and accompanying guide.

Iglu-Dorf-Engelberg, Switzerland
+41 41 612 27 28 (11am-7pm)
info@iglu-dorf.com
The Engelberg Titlis Igloo Village offers a view of the Central Swiss Mountains and rests a short distance from Lucerne, Zurich, Basel and Bern. Inside of the igloos, guests can enjoy work by Swiss artist Cla Coray. This Iglu-Dorf hotel is especially known for its romantic setting.

Iglu-Dorf-Davos, Switzerland
+41 41 612 27 28 (11am-7pm)
info@iglu-dorf.com
The Davos-Klosters Iglu-Dorf Hotel, which only recently opened, offers something for everyone. Artist-decorated igloos designed to be especially romantic are great for couples. Take the family snowshoeing. Or treat your business client to a fondue dinner in the event igloo. There is also a whirlpool and sauna available to guests. The Davos-Klosters Igloo Hotel is located in Parsenn Hauptertäli!.

Kakslauttanen Hotel and Igloo Village
+358-16-667-100
FI-99830 Saariselkä
hotel@kakslauttanen.fi
http://www.kakslauttanen.fi/igloo_village.php

Hotel Kakslauttanen offers accommodations all year round for those who want heated facilities as well as those guests who prefer to challenge the cold. The hotel consists of 32 log cabins, 20 igloos made of snow and 20 igloos made of glass. Choose to snuggle under a warm sleeping bag in a quiet snow room or opt for the glass igloo and watch the Northern Lights right outside of the ceiling in your room. Guests also have the opportunity to dine at what is known as the largest snow restaurant in the world and view the Ice Gallery, where the International Ice-Sculpting Competition takes place every year.

The Snow Castle of Kemi SnowHotel
+358-16-258 878
info@snowcastle.net
http://www.snowcastle.net/en/homepage/

Each winter the Snow Castle of Kemi, Finland, which is located on the Northern Coast of the Gulf of Bothnia, is built. Each year it is created with unique designs and each group of designs with a fresh new theme. People come from all over the world to visit the Snow Castle; the attraction is especially enjoyable for children. Visitors can make reservations to stay overnight in the Snow Castle's SnowHotel, a structure built entirely of snow with multiple sized room for guests to rest their heads inn warm sleeping bags. An overnight stay at the SnowHotel includes breakfast at the CastleLounge.