Ice Hotel is located 200 kilometers north of the Arctic
Since three decades , when the ice takes over the Torne River , a new work of art is born in the small Jukkasjärvi village: the spectacular Ice Hotel, which can boast of being the accommodation built with ice and snow in the world.
sleep in this sweden hotel it's worth it, but staying as long as possible with your eyes wide open is more than necessary: there is no guest who is not frozen by the visual spectacle that hides within its icy walls.
ice bar
Lying about 200 kilometers above the Arctic Circle , has 12 suites, 20 Ice Rooms, an art gallery and a Ice Bar.
Yngve Berg-qvist-founder of Ice Hotel -, inspired by the Japanese tradition of ice sculpture, in 1989, with the help of two professional ice sculptors from Japan -who instructed the artists-, created a huge igloo with the mold technique.
art-suite
In its beginnings, the space was an art gallery -ARTic Hall- but one night some guests requested to spend the night in the igloo. They were equipped with reindeer skins and sleeping bags , and woke up captivated by the experience. That was how the hotel journey began.
How much ice does it take to build this frozen fantasy? Just ten seconds of water flow from the Torne river is equivalent to 4,000 tons of ice , enough to raise four ice hotels.
Behind the architectural gem, which every year it is reborn with a new look , there is a creative team specialized in ephemeral art. Each edition, a total of 200 artists from around the world (graphic designers, architects, industrial engineers...) apply to be part of the Ice Hotel design.
In this way, the most original ideas are accepted and between 15 and 20 candidates -both old and new- come to Jukkasjärvi in November to get to work.
At the same time, lighting experts they are in charge of choosing the light of the different rooms, working in tune with the creatives that are behind them.
Weddings can be held in the ceremony room
To face the cold Ice Hotel offers guests a night survival guide which tells them how to dress appropriately - warm clothing will be provided as soon as you enter - and how to make your bed with the Arctic sleeping bags.
the sleeping bags are designed to withstand down to -25° C . The ice suites do not have a door, so in the morning a hotel staff member will draw the curtain and offer guests a sunrise sponsored by hot cranberry juice.
The coldest can also abandon themselves to the mercy of the warm cabins, although the hotel management recommends spend at least one night in one of the ice rooms.
"A lot of our guests haven't slept in a subzero hotel or sleeping bag before, so some of them are a little nervous before it's time to go to bed. But usually, wake up pleasantly surprised at how well they slept," points Jenny Andersson from Ice Hotel.
Bathroom of an Art Suite
On the other hand, to warm up, the hotel also has a sauna and a relaxation area -open 24 hours- with a fireplace and hot drinks.
The best time of the year to stay there? Well, against all odds, its beauty does not melt when spring arrives.
Light artists are also involved in the creative process
The Sami divide the year into eight seasons. to reflect the great transformations that mark the year in Jukkasjärvi. northern lights and temperatures of up to forty degrees Celsius below zero contrast with the mild summer temperatures, a season during which the the sun shines the equivalent of 50 consecutive days.
To take advantage of these climatological characteristics, since 2016, the hotel has added a permanent wing which is maintained thanks to an installation of solar panels that provide power to the refrigeration plant , which is responsible for keeping the hotel at -5ºC.
The nine Deluxe Suites -with private sauna-, the nine Art Suites, the ice bar and the gallery that give life to this latest extension, which remains intact 365 days a year and adds a total of 2,100 square meters , were designed by the Swedish architect Hans Eck.
The bags withstand -25ºC
Out doors, do biking, rafting, or skiing; make ice sculptures; to fish; ride a sleigh; gaze at the northern lights; or take a boat trip on the river , under the hypnotic midnight Sun , are some of the experiences that complement the full stay.
After the success of Ice Hotel, the savoir faire of its creators has landed in other parts of the map: from bars in the Stockholm and London permanent ice bars to ice facilities in the Milan Design Week.