There are many man-made wonders of the world but with a fresh new design every single year there’s no denying that the Ice Hotel in Swedish Lapland is up there when it comes to crowning the best of them!
From restaurants under the sea to treehouse breakfasts in the clouds, I’ve seen a lot of breathtakingly amazing venues in my time but there are still so many occasions when I encounter something new and have to pinch myself in realisation that places like these actually exist outside of the realms of my imagination.
The Ice Hotel in Swedish Lapland is another one of the world’s mind-blowing acquired attributes!
In March last year I travelled to Sweden to surprise my sister by taking her on a dream trip, husky sledding through in lapland! Whilst adventuring further into the wilderness we also had the opportunity to visit the awe-inspiring Ice Hotel.
Travelling right at the end of the season we weren’t able to spend a night in the hotel itself so we opted for a great alternative called Camp Ripan which is a 20 minute drive from the Ice Hotel and with amazing amenities, including a spa, restaurant and Northern Lights trail, I highly recommend it for an affordable stay in Swedish Lapland. Visiting just outside of the season meant that we were still able to have a full tour of the hotel and grab a drink in the bar which although you miss out on the ‘Can YOU last the night’ fun you still get to see everything the hotel has to offer.
When we arrived it was honestly like walking into real life Narnia, the white expanse with icy details leading up to the hotel was like an iced ‘red carpet welcome’ to wonderland.
The the hotel itself is magically captivating, quite simple in design on the exterior but once inside there’s no corner turned that isn’t a whimsical wander.
Towering crystal clear pillars hold the ice celling high and the small carved out windows let in just the right amount of light to keep the whole entire hotel constantly glistening.
As it wasn’t fully functional for overnight stays when we were there, we took one of the guided tours of the building and it was fascinating to hear about how the hotel, which is completely man made from ice is re-constructed every single year. The amount of preparation, work and skill that goes into every season is enormous but then, it wouldn’t be as show stopping if it didn’t right?!
There’s a small chapel for wedding ceremonies and the rooms are simple but stunning with huge single slabs of ice making the beds and a fur throw, my guess is you just wrap up warm rather than use the blanket though!
After the hotel we ventured into the fully functioning bar, again, made entirely of ice and enjoyed some drinks while watching the excited faces on the incoming visitors.
Leading out from the bar is where all the grand suites are and let me tell you, they are really something!
Like nothing I’ve ever seen or even dreamed before, each and every one is unique and each and every one magnificent. The rooms all have particular themes from circus to under-the-sea and they are filled with hand carved ice sculptures that last the entire season. Each also has the necessary bed for guests to spend the night. I don’t know how any one ever sleeps in them though, I would just stay up all night admiring the art!
The whole hotel is exceptional and thinking that they have to re-make the extravaganza from scratch every year (because the ice melts during summer if you hadn’t given the whole construction process a thought before now) making the bucket list activity even more special!
I really is a once in a lifetime experience!
Sabrina x
I love unusual places, this is one hotel that I’d really love to see!