ICEHOTEL

• Arguably the most popular and well-known of the ice hotels in Scandinavia is the ICEHOTEL. It is located each year in Jukkasjarvi, a Swedish town located about 20 kilometers from Kiruna. The hotel is rebuilt each year as soon as the weather is cold enough. The hotel is built from huge blocks of ice taken from the frozen river which are sculpted into 65 hotel rooms and suites. The hotel also features a church, bar and sauna. The construction of ICEHOTEL draws artists and craftspeople from around the world to help create the snow and ice structure.
  
  

Other Scandinavian Ice Hotels

• Norway claims to have the ice hotel located in the most southern point in Scandinavia, Hunderfossen Winterpark near Lillehammer. Other ice hotels in Norway include The Igloo Hotel in Alta and one in Kirkenes. Finland has the SnowCastle hotel located in Kemi which has a chapel and restaurant in addition to the hotel rooms. However, guests need to go to a nearby traditional hotel to take a shower or a sauna. Finland also has the Hotel & Igloo Village Kakslauttanen. The village has 20 igloo rooms made of snow and five glass igloos. You can lay in a glass igloo and watch the Northern Lights.
  
  

Sleeping in the Hotels

• Since all of the hotels are made entirely of ice and snow, guests have to bundle up to sleep on an ice bed. In ICEHOTEL and the Igloo Hotel in Alta, guests sleep inside thermal sleeping bags on top of a layer of reindeer skins. In all the hotels, thermal sleeping bags are provided when the temperatures dip, but you might want to bring one of your own if you are averse to cold.
  
  

Length of Stay

• Ice hotels are not meant for long-term stays. They are more of a novelty to experience on a tour of the region. There are several reasons for this. First, the rooms tend to be expensive. Second, the temperatures are uncomfortable for most people for any length of time. Finally, the nature of a hotel made entirely of ice and snow means that certain amenities are just not possible in the hotels. You may need to adjust your expectations, such as needing to walk to another building to use the bathroom or take a hot shower.