ICEHOTEL: 35 years of Arctic art at Sweden’s world-famous ICEHOTEL

Handcrafted each year from ice and snow, ICEHOTEL has rightly earned its reputation as a ‘once in a lifetime’ experience. Museum by day and hotel by night, this national landmark in Sweden’s far north attracts both art enthusiasts and curious travellers from around the world. This year, the 35th edition of ICEHOTEL will open on 13 December.

The frosty marvel is the brainchild of Yngve Bergqvist, an entrepreneur who founded ICEHOTEL in the 1980s in a bid to showcase the village of Jukkasjärvi during the dark winter months. Bergqvist invited two Japanese artists to create the first edition of the Arctic hall, which has become a recurring feature of the hotel known as the Ceremony Hall.

Photo: Asaf Kliger

Wondrous in more ways than one, ICEHOTEL is unlike any other hotel. Each year, the hotel is hand-sculpted out of massive blocks of ice from the Torne River, a process which takes six weeks. The hotel takes on slightly different shapes each year and is a top attraction for tourists from around the world. It has even been included in TIME’s World’s Greatest Places.

By tradition, the making of the winter hotel is an art forum, where the 40-45 selected suite designers, from all over the world, gather in Jukkasjärvi to use ice and snow as the canvas for their art. “Each art suite is an installation – an original piece of art that melts and returns to mother nature in the spring,” says Marie Herrey, CEO. “This year, we celebrate our 35th anniversary. The new edition of ICEHOTEL opens 13 December, which coincides with Lucia, and the inauguration will be broadcast live.”

Photo: Asaf Kliger

New Icebar – In Orbit – in ICEHOTEL 365

There is also ICEHOTEL 365, the first permanent snow and ice hotel to offer ice experiences all year round. Here, the new Icebar opened on 8 November. “In Orbit has been designed by Karl-Johan Ekeroth and Christian Strömqvist,” says Herrey. “With inspiration from space, and in collaboration with Swedish astronaut Christer Fuglesang, In Orbit will take you on a journey from Earth to the International Space Station, and beyond.”

Photo: Asaf Kliger

ICEHOTEL 365 also features Art and Deluxe Suites with heated bathrooms, plus renowned food offerings. At the restaurant, for example, guests can try the Ice Menu, where two of the dishes are served on plates of ice. And at The Veranda, guests can sit at the Chef’s Table, a communal U-shaped table where the chefs cook a 12-course menu brought out in eight servings, as inspired by the eight Sámi seasons.

On the banks of Torne River sits a third restaurant, the cosy and traditional Hempy (The Old Homestead), which dates back to 1768. It offers a casual menu of local produce and Lappish pizza, to be enjoyed on the veranda or by the open fire. Visitors can also book a Wilderness Dinner with a three-course meal inspired by the current season, cooked in the woodlands.

Photo: Asaf Kliger

Memorable activities and creative teamwork

Other than soaking up the wonders of ICEHOTEL, there is plenty of fun to be had in the area. A winter-lover’s dream, Jukkasjärvi itself turns into a frozen paradise for half the year and guests can embark on adventures such as ice fishing, ice sculpting, ancient sauna rituals, or go on snowmobile tours to spot the Northern Lights from the vast, dark forests of the region.

Photo: Joakim Norenius

ICEHOTEL offers numerous diverse package deals and is the ideal destination for conferences. “We have a newly renovated conference house,” says the CEO. “In addition to great meeting facilities, we have plenty of activities appreciated by groups – doing something creative together builds team spirit.”

Remaining incredibly popular, ICEHOTEL has guests from over 70 countries each year. “We can even arrange to pick you up from the airport with dog sleds, which is something most people haven’t tried before,” adds Herrey. “And many have never experienced polar nights, Northern Lights and midnight sun – and above all, the silence here is quite special.”

Photo: Asaf Kliger

Web: www.icehotel.com
Facebook: icehotel.sweden
Instagram: @icehotelsweden

ICEHOTEL is easily accessible. The closest airport is located in Kiruna, just a 90-minute flight from Stockholm and only 15-20 minutes by car from the hotel. There are daily connections from Stockholm, and now also direct flights to Kiruna from Copenhagen, Düsseldorf and Paris.