World's Top 10 Best High-End Ice Hotels & Igloo Hotels
An ICE HOTEL is a temporary hotel made up of snow and sculpted blocks of ice. Ice hotels, dependent on sub-freezing temperatures, are constructed from ice and snow and typically have to be rebuilt every year. Ice hotels exist in several countries, and they have varying construction styles, services and amenities, the latter of which may include ice bars, restaurants, chapels, saunas and hot tubs.
Ice hotels are promoted for adventurous travelers who are interested in novelties and unusual environments and are comfortable with the outdoors. Customers have to be prepared to sleep in beds made of snow or ice, but in the warmth of furs, blankets and sleeping bags designed to withstand extremely cold temperatures. Temperature in the rooms is below zero Celsius, but much warmer than outside. Staying at an ice hotel is expensive as prices for a night range from around US $300 to $3,000.
Lobbies are often filled with ice sculptures, and food and drinks are specially chosen for the circumstances. For instance, glasses in an ice bar can be made of ice and people sit on benches made of ice. An ice bar, sometimes associated with an ice hotel, is a drinking establishment primarily made of ice.
The IGLOO or iglu is the traditional shelter of Inuit living in the far northern regions. They are built of blocks of snow in a circular form in which the walls curve inward toward the top to form a snow vault in which the arched ceiling is self-supporting. An outstanding example of human ingenuity and adaptability to the environment, the igloo retains heat and protects against wind, since snow and ice act as excellent insulation. The design includes a tunnel entrance that forms a cold trap to preserve heat inside. The sleeping and sitting area is raised above this and so maintains a higher temperature; a small hole near the top of the igloo provides ventilation.
Ice Hotel News, Reviews & Resources
- Blacksheep Village Igloo - since 2012. Le dou du Praz, La Plagne-Tarentaise, 73210 Mâcot-la-Plagne, Savoie, France. "Reservations are open from December 15, 2018 until April 15, 2019. However, we build our hotels in natural snow and are therefore dependent on the weather and snowfall to start construction (and yes, every summer, our hotels are melting and every winter you have to start all over again!)."
- Hotel Arctic Iglo - since 1988. Ilulissat, Greenland. "A World Beyond Imagination." The world’s most northerly 4 star hotel with a 5 star conference centre. Right on the edge of the Ilulissat Ice Fjord - a wonder of the world which is on the UNESCO World Heritage List - and well within reach for everyone who wants the experience of a lifetime.
- HÔtel de Glace - since 2001. Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier, Québec, Canada. "Enjoy an Unforgettable Nordic Getaway." Every year, the Hôtel de Glace is redesigned and rebuilt in its entirety. The first and only true ice hotel in North America.
- Ice Village | Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU - since 1998. Naka-Tomamu, Shimukappu, Yufutsu, Hokkaido, Japan. During the period from January 19 to February 28 in 2019, we will be operating an "Ice Hotel" where guests can have a below freezing accommodation experience. This Hotel consists of a dome-shaped space setup within the "Ice Village", with all its ceilings, walls, and furniture made with ice. Along with the "Outdoor Ice Bath" experience and the relaxing "After-Bath Ice Lounge", is this year's newly introduced breakfast provided with "Hot Onion Gratin Soup on Flame".
- ICEHOTEL - since 1989. Marknadsvägen 63, 981 91 Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. The world's first icehotel. 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. A hotel and art exhibition made of ice from the river Torne, each year reincarnated in a brand new design. "A place to discover silence, northern lights, glistening snow clad forests, reindeer, cloudberries, kettle coffee and much more."
- Igloo Åre - since 2012. VM-platån (Ski lift nr 22) 7 minutes from Åre Village, Sweden. "Surprise your loved ones with a cool and different night in perhaps one of Sweden romantic hotels - Igloo Åre. Here you are welcomed with a hot drink, dinner-on-one and a hot spa bath before it is time to curl up in sleeping bags and spend the night in one of our snöigloor. In the morning wakes you up with a hot drink and a different breakfast in the wintry snowscape."
- Lapland Hotels SnowVillage - since 2001. Lainiotie 99, 99120 Kittilä, Finland. "Season’s theme: Game of Thrones." Nearly 200 km above the Arctic Circle lies a unique and magical world made from ice and snow. Each year, around 20 million kilos of snow and 350,000 kilos of crystal clear natural ice are used to build the spectacular Lapland Hotels SnowVillage which changes in shape, size and design to amaze visitors year after year. The SnowVillage includes, for instance, ice sculptures, decorated snow suites, an ice restaurant and an ice bar, as well as an ice chapel.
- Northern Lights Village - since 2016. Rovaniementie 3222, 99830 Saariselkä, Finland. "Glass-roofed Village under the Aurora Borealis." Spend an unforgettable vacation in the glass-roofed village, beneath the green glow of the magical Northern Lights. Located in Saariselkä, The Northern Lights Village provides a unique opportunity to experience the magnificence of the Northern Lights and the wild nature of Finnish Lapland at close range, without sacrificing comfort.
- Snowhotel Kirkenes - since 2006. Sandnesdalen 14, 9910 Bjørnevatn, Norway. "Welcome to Snowhotel Kirkenes, the famous igloo hotel in Norway. Live the dream and spend a night in the snow, or go husky sledding, king crab fishing, and more. One of the most famous igloo hotels in Norway, and in the world. Our idea was to create something unique and natural. That`s why our hotel is built completely of snow and ice, and each spring melts back into the fjord. Idyllically placed, with the forest and mountains at our back, and the arctic fjord in front. 20 dreamlike rooms uniquely carved by master ice sculptors from around the world."
- SORRISNIVA: IGLOO HOTEL - since 2000. Alta, Norway: "A unique overnight experience in the northernmost ice hotel in the world." Experience the Igloo Hotel - the worlds northernmost ice hotel, built from ground every year with different themes. Get a break from your daily life and feel the serenity and silence the Igloo Hotel gives you. Wander among handcrafted ice sculptures or take an ice drink in our bar. Everything is made from pure snow and ice.
- Whitepod Eco-Luxury Hotel Valais - since 2004. Les Giettes, Des Cerniers, 1871 Monthey, Switzerland. "18 luxurious domes in the heart of the Alps." Whitepod aims to prove that hospitality and environmental conservation can coexist to create a unique and positive experience. The use of energy and water is controlled. The waste is recycled. Ingredients are purchased locally. The staff lives nearby and simply walks to work. Motorized transport is limited. Designed to combine ecology and luxury, a pod is a unique form of accommodation. A pod is a geodetic shape: a sphere composed only of triangles. The pods have a self-supporting framework which provides a solid structure whilst using a minimum of material.
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