Top 10 Ice Hotels – Vacation Differently this Winter
If you're looking for unique and unforgettable vacation ideas, be sure to consider these ice hotels and all of their offerings for the winter holidays. Most of these ice hotels are only open during the winter months and are reimagined and rebuilt each year. Many offer ice-sculpted suites that are more like works of art than hotel rooms.
Most ice hotels are actually resorts offering frozen bars and restaurants featuring ice-molded cocktail glasses and dinnerware, along with outdoor adventure winter activities like snowmobiling, dog sledding and seeking out the elusive Northern Lights.
Plan your amazing winter holidays with this list of some of the best ice hotels in the world.
Also read - Winter Travel Chaos: How Trip Insurance can Help in Case of Sickness, Weather and More
Plan your amazing winter holiday with this list of some of the best ice hotels
1. ICEHOTEL - Kiruna, Sweden – the original ice hotel, founded in 1989. There is now a permanent hotel, which is open year-round offering luxury suites, an ice bar and a sculpture gallery.
Key Amenity: The Ice Throne, created as a tribute to Game of Thrones
2. Snow Village Finland - Kittilä, Finland – each year, this hotel builds about 30 rooms of snow and ice. Visitors can try all types of winter activities – from a snowmobile safari to dining on Lappish delicacies.
Key Amenity: Ice Karting - think go-carts on ice
3. Igloo Village Kakslauttanen - Saariselka, Finland – hotel guests can choose between igloos made with a ceiling of either glass or snow. Snow igloos offer a quiet cocoon-like environment, while the frost-resistant glass igloos provide amazing views of the starry skies, and if you’re lucky - the Northern Lights.
Key Amenity: kids will enjoy a visit to Santa's Resort
Also read: Ski and Snowboard Vacations: 6 Reasons to Get Travel Insurance
4. Hotel of Ice - Balea Lac, Romania – intrepid travelers willing to venture into Romania will find the Ice Bar serving cocktails in carved ice glasses.
Key Amenity: the Ice Church holds services like weddings and baptisms
More: Explore the World’s Coolest Winter Snow and Ice Festivals
5. The SnowCastle of Kemi - Kemi, Finland – the stone walls of a medieval castle are reimagined in snow and ice. There’s something for everyone at this snow village in Lapland.
Key Amenity: a cruise on the de-commissioned Finnish icebreaker ship, Sampo
Also read: 7 of the Best Destinations for Snowbirds to Escape the Cold
6. Kirkenes Snowhotel - Kirkenes, Norway - each suite is exquisitely decorated with a breath-taking snow art! No two rooms are alike.
Key Amenity: King Crab rafting safari - catch, prepare and eat the morning’s haul
Also read - Tips for Planning a Norwegian Cruise: From Fjords to Northern Lights
7. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel - Alta, Norway - the world's northernmost ice hotel features intricate ice architecture along with gourmet dining. Adventurous types can try ‘fat biking’ through snow-covered trails.
Key Amenity: reindeer sledding under the Northern Lights
8. Hôtel de Glace – Quebec, Canada – The only ice hotel in North America is open from January to March each winter. You can plan your wedding at the ice chapel, have fun for the whole family on their ice slide or snow tubing and of course stay the night in their ice hotel or have a drink at the ice bar with glasses fashioned from -- you guessed it -- ice. It's even wheelchair accessible -- they'll put the chair on skis!
Key Amenity: An Ice Skating Trail
Also read: Top 10 Places to Visit in Canada
9. Iglu-Dorf, Andorra - Grandvalira, Spain – this eco-friendly chain of igloo hotels was launched by snowboarder, Adrian Gunter.
Key Amenity: igloo village located only two hours from Barcelona
10. Schneedorf Snow Village - Oetz, Austria - Austria's first igloo village in the heart of the Tyrolian Alps offers guests the opportunity to participate in an igloo construction workshop.
Key Amenity: couples may choose the romantic Candlelight Night, which includes a double sleeping bag
Also read: Bad-Weather Travel -- How Trip Insurance Can Help
All across the Arctic Circle and beyond, ice hotels offer a variety of unique activities that will satisfy any traveler's desire to do something different over the winter holidays. Embrace the season and find a winter wonderland for your next vacation destination.
Whenever you travel, consider protecting your investment with a travel insurance plan from Generali.
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