When it comes to the hippest of hotels, there really cannot be anywhere more ‘cool’ than the original ‘IceHotel’ in Sweden, reconstructed each winter from the Arctic’s ice and snow.
There are igloos and then there is ‘IceHotel’. Located 200 kilometres within Sweden’s Arctic Circle, this is undoubtedly the most luxurious property made of ice. It can be found in the isolated community of Jukkasjärvi. This Swedish village is in Lapland, the archetypical Christmas winter wonderland that not only encompasses northern Sweden but also Norway and Finland.
Inspirational beauty
Here the glistening snow crunches under foot and the air is clear and pure; it is a place of inspirational beauty. Light defines this extraordinary landscape of arctic whites and pure blues. Although the days are endlessly long in summer with midnight sun, it is in the winter when people come from all over the world to experience the natural, unpredictable phenomenon of the ‘Aurora’ or Northern Lights.
When it comes to holidaying in sub zero temperatures of around minus 26 degrees centigrade, comfort becomes a priority; and it is ironic that the best night’s sleep can in fact be in the frozen suites of IceHotel.
The magic of IceHotel starts in December, when the freezing temperatures herald the start of the construction of the season’s new hotel. Each winter, from pure snow and two-tonne blocks of ice are taken from the frozen Torne River to make the hotel. This is remarkable concept; very environmentally conscious; the hotel strives to be carbon neutral and uses electivity from renewable sources.
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