The Stunning IceHotel in Sweden Used 30,000 Cubic Meters of Snow and Ice This Year

The IceHotel in Sweden was first built in 1989 and has been rebuilt annually since then. It’s located in the village of Jukkasjarvi, 200 kilometers north of the Arctic Circle and next to the shores of the Torne River. It opens every winter and features different jaw-dropping designs that will put the Ice Palace in that James Bond movie to shame.

This year is the hotel’s 28th version and a total of 36 artists from 17 countries worked on it. 30,000 cubic meters of snow and ice were used to construct the hotel. 500 tonnes of clear natural ice was used to make the glasses and the ice bar.

The IceHotel opened on December 15 and features 35 deluxe suites, each with unique designs.

The property also has an ice ceremony hall and a frozen playground for the kids. The main hall has beautiful chandeliers made with 1000 hand-polished ice crystals. The ice ceremony hall was designed with a flower power theme and adorned with 200 hand-sculpted plants made of snow and ice.

There’s a suite called A Wandering Cloud, created by Dorset-based sculptor and taxidermist Lisa Lindqvist.

It features a frozen bed with a huge ice-carved cloud hanging over it.

Other room designs include one inspired by boat refugees’ journeys across the Mediterranean Sea, a space room, and a Faberge egg.

The Space Room suite

The Last Fabergé Egg suite

The Queen of the North suite

The Radiance suite

The Hang In There suite

The IceHotel offers various activities for guests. You can do Arctic yoga, Nordic skiing, winter running, and workshops on how to best exercise in winter climate. There’s also the Aufguss saunas, where essential oils are mixed with water to give off an invigorating aromatic steam.

As for dining options, there’s a restaurant with a 12-course tasting menu showcasing dishes that focus on local produce.

Meanwhile, a creative snow park was built for the young ones, where they can make snow castles and build mini ice hotels. They can carve special snow fortresses in their own designs.

The IceHotel is open until April 2018.