Like the Fortress of Solitude in Superman minus the crystal-powered computer, the ICEHotel is built every winter in Swedish Lapland. It melts every summer and rises again the following year. An open call to artists, architects, and designers is always available, and the hotel pushes creativity forward with a selection of conceptual ‘art suites’.
You can choose from a Tron-inspired futuristic ice room or sleep on a bed that seems to float above an ethereal icy floor. It is also one of the best places to see the alien streamer-fest, the Northern Lights. There are special tours that run with guides to check that out. I have written about hundreds of the best hotels, but this is one of the most eco-friendly I have seen. The hotel is built from ice harvested from a frozen river. In summer, the ice is returned to its flowing mother, leaving no trace of the hotel. Its energy is sourced from 100% renewable sources, and it even sponsors wildlife conservation efforts under the brand ‘ICE Moose’.
The ice rooms are around -5ºC, and proper clothing and sleeping bags are provided. There are also several cabins with warm accommodation. So you will probably want to combine both in your stay. Morning saunas are essential.
IceHotel entrance in the 2010/2011 season
Photographer: Leif Milling
Absolut Icebar Jukkasjärvi
Photographer: Ben Nilsson/photobigben.com
Ice shots at the Icebar
Photographer: Ben Nilsson/photobigben.com
IceHotel Reception - Frosty Forest
Photographer: Photobigben.com
Ice Chapel
Photographer: Photobigben.com
Arktikos Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Freeze Frame Suite
Photographer: Christopher Hauser
Retro Drive Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Frigid Dare Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Genesis Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Between Worlds Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Sakai Suite Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Art Deco Suite
Photographer: Leif Milling
Velocity & Hidden Treasure Suite
Photographer: Photobigben.com
Source of Life Suite
Photographer: Photobigben.com
Coffee Mudra Suite
Photographer: Photobigben.com
Rock 'n' Ice Suite
Photographer: Photobigben.com
And Yet She Moves Suite
Photographer: Photobigben.com
Photo by: Peter Grant
Photo by: Ragnar Th Sigurdsson
Marknadsvägen 63, 981 91 Jukkasjärvi Sweden
