Craving the cold? Is winter your favorite season of the year? Do you love travelling and experiencing new things? The Hospitality Industry has created unique hotels that offer the best accommodation along with nippy temperatures ranging from -6 to -2 degrees Celsius.  Essentially ice hotels are glorified igloos, not made from the typically brick and mortar we are used to instead guests will be encased in solid blocks of ice.  Sunlight streams in through the walls and interiors consist of the latest fibre optic lighting, which in turn produces a soft warm glow.

These hotels are a rarity; due to the fact the maintenance is very high on them. They require very specific climatic conditions. Ice hotels are built from ice and snow blocks that are held together by a type of frozen water called snice, therefore they need to be rebuilt annually. Why the life span of these hotels last a mere year is because as temperatures rises, the hotel melts down. So take a look at what these incredible Ice Hotels have to offer, you may even want to add them to your travel bucket list!

Ice Hotel, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden

Being the first Ice Hotel in the world Jukkasjärvi, opened in 1990. The hotel is open every year from December to April. More than 10 000 tons of ice and 30 000 tons of snow, is used to construct it from the Torne River. This hotel consists of around 100 rooms. It features a bar and a church.  It is the largest Ice Hotel in the world spanning 6000 square metres. The temperatures range from 5 to 8 degrees.  This hotel since inception has partnered with Absolut Vodka. The brand held numerous events including a Gianni Versace photo shoot. It was here that the Ice Bar was coined, a bar made of solely ice and drinks are served from ice glasses.  The beds are made from solid blocks of ice and are covered with animal hide blankets and sleeping bags. The hotel has plenty of activities to keep guests fully occupied during their stay, ranging from snowmobiling and skiing, to dog sledging and nude swimming.

Aurora Ice Hotel, Alaska USA

Built by one of the world’s ice sculpting champions Steve Brice, Aurora is the only Ice Hotel in the US. It comfortably accommodates guests with its eccentric design and renowned pipe organ, as well as the great views of its ornate chandeliers and eccentric ice bar. A hotel stay is quite expensive, so if you aren’t looking to break the bank, you can opt for a feasible option and do a day tour of the in-house ice museum.

 Snow Castle, Kemi, Finland

For an out of this world arctic experience, this Snow Castle is only available from January to April every year. Situated 250 km above the Arctic Circle, built in 2000, every year over 1500 tons of snow and 300 tons of ice is used to build its 21 rooms. The gargantuan of a castle is 20 000 square metres.  If you’re contemplating on having this as your wedding Venue, your guests would really be in for a treat. The Castle showcases work of art from local designers and architects, there is a fully-fledged art gallery for guests that would like to appreciate the fine art Finland has to offer. The Castle also offers guests a snow restaurant and hosts concerts and performances.

Hotel de Glace, Quebec Canada

Creativity exudes from walls to falls at this ice masterpiece, built by 60 workers and made from 15 000 tons of snow and 500 tons of ice. Inaugurated on January 1, 2001 this grandeur Hotel is the first of its kind on the continent. Consisting of 85 bedrooms all covered with deer furs, mattresses and Artic sleeping bags. The only place you can go to warm yourself up other than your bed is the toilets, they are all heated, but located within a separate structure. This hotel offers a wide variety if entertainment to its guest; an ice café, night club, movie theatre and a chapel.

These Ice hotels offer ambience like no other and they’re environmentally friendly! Ice Hotels are really becoming popular and we are sure that this hospitality industry trend is definitely here to stay.  So why not get on board because there seems to be literally no end to what can be achieved with this marvelous material. if you prefer colder climates and are interested in making lifelong memories this one is certainly one that you shouldn’t let pass by.

(Source;www.oddinns.com; aspiringbackpacker.com ; www.placestogoforluxury.com ;  image; www.huffingtonpost.com; www.carrier.co.uk ; travelchannel.sndimg.com ; www.hellomagazine.com; images.search.yahoo.com ;