You’ll soon find yourself dreaming of cozying up in bed on a cold day with a mug of hot cocoa. To do that in a hotel made of snow and blocks of ice in the northern wilds is taking hygge to the extreme. No matter what you’re looking for, the world is full of some of the coolest ice hotels.
Ice hotel
Built in 1989, the original is in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, located even farther north of the Arctic Circle and is crafted each year by many artists. It is recommended to stay only one or two nights in your icy cold room and the rest in a warm hotel room or cabin (although, the hotel provides super-warm sleeping bags). It offers a range of cold-weather activities to choose from like skiing, dog sledding, and northern lights safaris.
Snow hotel Kirkenes
The Snowhotel Kirkenes, Norway, opens in January. It features a restaurant called Låven, as well as an ice bar. While there, enjoy activities like ice fishing, a snowmobile safari or see the beautiful northern lights. If you get too cold, you can book the slightly warmer Gamme Cabins.
Lapland Hotels Snow village
Head over to Lapland Hotels Snowvillage, above the Arctic circle. This year’s theme is Arctic Illusions. Walk down the Matrix-inspired halls and dine at one of the ice or warm restaurants. Take shots from glasses made of ice at the bar after you spend the day trekking through the wilderness on a husky safari. There’s also skiing, snowshoeing and ice sculpting classes after which you can spend the night on a bed of ice underneath an almost never-ending spiral.
Sorrisniva
Spending a night in an igloo sounds tempting, especially if it’s super comfortable, like at Sorrisniva’s Igloo Hotel. This Nordic hotel includes an ice chapel as well as an ice bar. Enjoy the morning sauna and breakfast or the outdoor jacuzzi. Open throughout April, this hotel lets you jet north for longer, enjoying dog sledding, ice fishing or meeting the local reindeer.
Kemi Snow castle
This Finnic hotel has been built every year since 1996 using snow and ice. It also includes the Snow Restaurant and Ice Bar. Here, your ice bed features a sleeping bag and lambskin to keep out the cold. You can also stay at the Seaside Glass Villas, offering views of the northern lights through clear roofs. While up north, don’t forget to book a Hovercraft ride, which soars over the frozen sea.