Inside-the-Ice-Hotel travel destinations Virgin Media
A short break at this most curious of hotels in Swedish Lapland will pique the interest of winter thrill-seekers as well as those in need of a more chilled-out snowy getaway.
The ICEHOTEL is in the chilly top of Sweden, 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle at the village of Jukkasjärvi. Yes, the ICEHOTEL really is made of ice (and a bit of snow) and yes, you really do sleep in a bed of ice, in a bedroom of ice, in baltic temperatures. Getting there is surprisingly simple, thanks to a recently-start direct flight between Heathrow and Kiruna, the closest major city to the hotel. Flying time is around three and a half hours.
Logically enough, the ICEHOTEL can only exist in cold months, and is built from scratch each year. Repeat visitors will be disorientated on arrival, as the site transforms its appearance annually. The process of carving the hotel's impressive rooms is a complex one, involving harvesting, cultivating and layering of snow and ice over the course of several months. There are two types of rooms - standard ones which are cute, cave-like and look like something from a Harry Potter film, and The Art rooms which are larger and individually-themed.
Surely it can't be much fun sleeping somewhere this cold? A long weekend break typically only includes one night spent in the ICEHOTEL itself. After sleeping for two nights in the balmy "Warm" room - a nicer pad to be based at while you enjoy local snow-based activities - it's time to steel yourself for a bed made of ice.
A shot of hot chocolate is just the thing to help you prepare. For braver souls there's also an Ice Bar where you can sip frosty vodka-based drinks in glasses carved from ice. With Dutch Courage mustered, you're set for the iciest abode you'll ever sleep in.
