Don’t Let One Problem Ruin Your Vacation
A few seconds now protects the trip you’ve already invested so much into.
Short Excerpt
- Ice hotels are real overnight accommodations built primarily from ice and snow, with frozen rooms, sculpted interiors, ice furniture, and seasonal designs that can change every winter.
- Guests do not sleep directly on ice; insulated bedding, protective layers, thermal sleeping bags, socks, and head coverings make an overnight stay possible.
- Because most ice hotels melt when spring arrives, each season can bring new rooms, sculptures, themes, and architectural designs.
Quick Take
- Ice-hotel rooms remain cold, but snow insulation helps stabilize the interior temperature while also creating an unusually quiet sleeping environment.
- Beds are built on ice but use separating layers, cushioning, fur or similar materials, and insulated sleeping bags between you and the frozen structure.
- Toilets and showers are generally located in nearby heated permanent buildings rather than inside the ice accommodation itself.
- Many seasonal ice hotels operate roughly from December through April before melting and being rebuilt with new designs the following winter.
- Real ice-hotel experiences can be found in destinations including Sweden, Norway, Finland, Canada, Japan, Switzerland, Austria, France, Romania, and Slovenia.
What Sleeping in A Real Ice Hotel Is Actually Like Once the Novelty Becomes Your Bedroom
Yes, ice hotels are real—and they’re more breathtaking than you imagined.
From sculpted chandeliers to frozen beds, these icy retreats blend art, architecture, and adventure.
You can sleep inside a structure made entirely of ice, wrapped in warmth and silence.
Each hotel melts away with spring, only to be reborn with new themes and designs.
Whether you’re chasing the Northern Lights or sipping cocktails from ice-carved glasses, this is a stay you’ll never forget!
Sleep Inside an Ice Hotel: What It’s Really Like
Considering how unique an ice hotel is, you might be thinking, “Can I sleep in an ice hotel like a regular hotel?
Or is it like an amusement park? Something that you visit for a day and return to your real hotel?”
The answer is, yes, you can sleep in an ice hotel!
What might surprise you is that you won’t find the furniture you’d expect in a brick-and-mortar hotel.
One of those pieces of furniture is your bed.
Everything about your bed is made of ice: the bed and the headboard.
That should make you ask the question….
Sleeping in Ice: What to Expect Inside a Frozen Room
The interesting thing about ice hotels is that everything is made of ice.
That includes the bed.
With that in mind, here’s how you sleep in an ice hotel: First, you’re given a pair of thick socks to wear to bed.
You’re also given a head covering that wraps around the entire head and comes down to the shoulders.
The only thing exposed is your face.
Finally, you slide into what amounts to an insulated sleeping bag and you begin counting sheep.
You’re probably thinking that sleeping on a block of solid ice would be cold.
And it probably would be.
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Fortunately, you won’t be sleeping directly on the ice in an ice hotel.
There is a covering separating you from the ice.
Then there is a fur or other material that is on top of that.
Next, your insulated sleeping bag swaddles you while you sleep.
So not only do you not sleep directly on the ice, but you’re also given some cushioning too.
People who have visited ice hotels say that they’ve had better sleep than in a regular hotel room.
That’s because it’s extremely quiet and surprisingly comfortable.
How Ice Hotels Stay Warm Without Melting
If you live anywhere where the temperature drops below 35 degrees, you know having heat is essential to stay warm.
But ice hotels are different.
Ice hotels stay warm because snow contains tiny pockets of trapped air.
It stabilizes the temperature and muffles sound.
That means ice hotels stay warm exactly the same way igloos stay warm.
When we say “warm”, that’s relative.
You’re not going to be running through the halls in shorts.
You’ll still need your boots, jacket, and gloves.
But the temperature inside will be consistently warmer than the outside air.
Fun fact: The way snow muffles sound in ice hotels is why so many who stay in one feel they have the best sleep ever.
Where Do You Shower in an Ice Hotel?
Building a structure out of ice means that there is no place for plumbing.
So how does a person relieve nature staying in an ice hotel?
Ice hotels do have bathrooms.
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Just not inside the hotel.
There are permanent structures where guest can go to use the bathroom.
Those are heated traditionally.
So you’ll be able to use the bathroom to take showers and handle other necessary business.
Why Ice Hotels Melt Every Spring—and What That Means for You
Imagine you owned a hotel that you had to build every spring.
That would cost a whole lot of money.
The thing is, that is exactly what owners of ice hotels have to do every year.
The good news is that it’s cheaper to build an ice hotel than a traditional hotel.
The downside is that you have to do it every year.
You might think that would be a bad thing.
Sure, it’s a lot of work to build an entire structure made of ice.
And yes, the spring arrives to destroy your hotel when the winter season is over.
That means an ice hotel only lasts for the duration of the winter season.
But that’s what makes ice hotels so cool (no pun intended).
It allows them to do something new every year.
Some ice hotels bring in artists and create unique guest rooms, each with a different theme.
Since most ice hotels only last from December to April, it gives the hotel the opportunity to create a new theme with each new hotel season.
What does that mean for you?
If you decided to book an ice hotel because of a specific theme that you fell in love with, the chances it will be there when you visit are virtually zero.
Building an Ice Hotel: From Frozen Rivers to Sculpted Rooms
Normally, this subject would come first.
But we figured you’d probably be more interested in getting answers to the questions posed above before wanting to know how ice hotels are constructed.
It’s actually pretty fascinating.
Ice is cut in large blocks from frozen rivers or other water sources.
These blocks are huge and as heavy as concrete.
The ice blocks are lifted out using a forklift.
The ice is so pure, you can see through it.
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What’s more, it’s so clean you can drink it too.
In fact, that block of ice will be used to make everything from the structure of the hotel to ice sculptures, beds, even drinking glasses!
Yes, the glasses you will use when you eat your meals will be made of ice.
When the block of ice comes out of the water, there will be a snowy/slushy coating on the top.
It’s actually snow and ice that was sitting on top of the block when it was in the water.
For that reason, it’s nicknamed “snice” (combination of “snow” and “ice”).
And it doesn’t go to waste.
It’s used to insulate ice hotels.
Some really cool structures can be made from snice.
For example, snice is blown around giant balloons that give shape to the structure.
Think of it as a modern way to make an igloo.
After the balloon has been covered sufficiently, the balloon is removed, and a perfectly shaped ice structure is formed.
How Ice Hotels Use LED Lights to Create Frozen Art
It would be petty depressing if there wasn’t any light when you entered an ice hotel.
It would be like staying in a cave.
Fortunately, ice hotels have a solution.
LED lights provide a way to light areas of the hotel that would normally be dark.
They also are used to create or enhance features of the hotel.
Because LEDs emit very little heat, they won’t melt the ice.
LEDs are used to bring light into what would otherwise be a dark cave.
And because LEDs can have different colors, it can make a wall of ice into a work of art.
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Where to Find the World’s Coolest Ice Hotels
If we’ve convinced you that ice hotels are something you need to put on your bucket list of vacation destinations, you’ll want to know where you can find one.
And we’ve got you covered.
Only a few years ago, there were only 11 ice hotels in the world.
As of this writing, we’ve identified 14 ice hotels.
Unfortunately, there are no ice hotels in the United States.
But that can always change.
Alaska seems like a great place to put an ice hotel.
Imagine leaving your hotel and taking a trip to the glaciers.
We can only hope.
While we wait and wish, the ice hotels that do exist are waiting for you to book your room.
Here’s where you can find ice hotels along with the names of each ice hotel:
- IceHotel – Jukkasjarvi, Sweden
- Iglu-Dorf Gstaad – Oberland, Switzerland
- SnowHotel -Kirkenes, Norway
- Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel – Alta, Norway
- Kakslauttanen Resort – Saariselka, Finland
- SnowCastle of Kemi – Kemi, Findland
- Snow Village – Kittila Findland
- Yllas Ski Resort – Yllasjarvi, Finland
- Hotel of Ice – Romania
- Hotel de Glace – Quebec City, Canada
- Schneedorf Igloo – Austria
- Eskimska Vas – Slovenia
- Le Village Igloo – Avoriaz, France
- Hoshino Resort TOMAMU Ice Village – Hokkaido, Japan
Stay Tuned
Not all ice hotels are the same.
Some are a combination of permanent structure and ice.
And because ice hotels exist in so many places around the world, there are unique features of each.
Stay tuned for reviews of these hotels so we can tell you the differences.
Who knows, maybe you’ll stay at all of them eventually.
What It’s Like to Stay in an Ice Hotel: Comfort, Adventure & Art
For example, the Kakslauttanen Artic Resort in Kakslauttanen, Finland has 65 heated, glass igloos.
No wearing socks to bed here.
You’re surrounded by 180 degrees of glass that opens up to the forest and the sky.
Inside these igloos are beds that you’d expect to find in a regular hotel.
Except these beds are power adjustable.
That’s so you can get a good, comfortable position lying in bed allowing you to watch the Northern Lights from the warmth and comfort of your room.
The SnowHotel in Kirkenes, Norway features nearby activities right in line with what you’d expect staying in a hotel made from ice.
There are dogsled rides, snowmobile rides, and king crab fishing.
When was the last time you caught your own king crabs, cooked them, and ate them on the spot?
If you’ve never considered an ice hotel as a vacation destination, you’ve got to put one on your list.
If you have stayed in an ice hotel, leave a comment below and share what you thought about your stay in an ice hotel.
FAQ – Can You Really Spend the Night in a Hotel Made of Ice?
Are Ice Hotels Actually Real Hotels You Can Sleep In?
Yes.
Real ice hotels accept overnight guests in rooms constructed largely from ice and snow rather than operating only as daytime attractions.
Beds, headboards, walls, sculptures, and even drinking glasses can be created from ice.
The experience functions as genuine accommodation, although sleeping arrangements and amenities differ substantially from a conventional hotel.Do You Really Sleep on a Bed Made of Ice?
The bed structure itself can be made from ice, but you do not lie directly on the frozen surface.
Protective material separates you from the ice, with cushioning and fur or similar layers added above it.
Guests then sleep inside insulated sleeping bags designed for the cold environment.
The result is much closer to winter expedition sleeping than lying on a bare block of ice.How Do You Stay Warm Enough to Sleep in an Ice Hotel?
Warmth comes from insulation rather than conventional room heating.
Guests may receive thick socks, head coverings, thermal sleeping equipment, and insulated sleeping bags that protect most of the body.
Snow also contains trapped air that helps insulate the structure and stabilize its interior temperature.
You still need winter clothing outside the sleeping bag because an ice hotel remains considerably colder than an ordinary guest room.Why Can an Ice Hotel Feel Warmer Inside Than It Does Outdoors?
Snow acts as an insulator because tiny pockets of trapped air slow the transfer of heat.
That principle is similar to the way an igloo can maintain a more stable interior environment than the exposed air outside.
The interior is not warm in the conventional hotel sense, but it can feel noticeably less severe than the surrounding winter conditions.
Snow insulation also absorbs sound, contributing to the unusual quiet guests experience overnight.Where Do You Shower and Use the Bathroom at an Ice Hotel?
Bathrooms generally are not built into the frozen guest-room structure.
Instead, guests use toilets, showers, changing areas, and other conventional facilities inside nearby permanent heated buildings.
That arrangement allows normal plumbing without introducing enough heat and water to damage the ice hotel.
You therefore get a genuine frozen-room experience without giving up access to standard bathroom facilities.Does An Ice Hotel Melt at the End of Every Winter?
Many seasonal ice hotels do.
They operate during the coldest part of the year and gradually disappear as temperatures rise in spring.
Rather than treating that as a flaw, operators can rebuild the hotel with entirely new artwork, room themes, sculptures, and architectural ideas the following season.
A design you see in photographs one year may therefore no longer exist when you visit later.How Can Builders Create an Entire Hotel from Ice and Snow?
Large blocks of clear ice can be harvested from frozen rivers or other water sources and used for structural elements, furniture, sculptures, and decorative features.
A mixture of snow and ice sometimes called “snice” provides additional structural material and insulation.
Builders can form domes and curved spaces by blowing the mixture around temporary molds or large balloons.
Artists then transform the frozen structure into individual rooms, carvings, chandeliers, walls, and other features.How Do Ice Hotels Use Lighting Without Melting the Rooms?
LED lighting solves much of that problem because it produces relatively little heat.
Lights can illuminate hallways, sculptures, walls, chandeliers, and architectural details without introducing the heat associated with many traditional bulbs.
Different lighting effects can also transform clear or carved ice into colorful visual displays.
That makes illumination part of the artwork rather than simply a practical way to see inside the hotel.Where Can You Stay in a Real Ice Hotel?
Ice-hotel experiences exist across several cold-weather destinations around the world.
The article identifies examples in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Canada, Romania, Austria, Slovenia, France, and Japan.
Not every property follows the same concept, with some combining seasonal ice accommodations with permanent heated rooms or glass igloos.
That variety makes it worth comparing the actual room type before assuming every property offers the same frozen overnight experience.Who Is Most Likely to Enjoy Spending a Night in an Ice Hotel?
Travelers who value unusual experiences, architecture, winter scenery, and immersive design are likely to appreciate it most.
The appeal goes beyond sleeping somewhere cold because many properties combine frozen artwork with activities such as Northern Lights viewing, dogsledding, snowmobiling, or other winter experiences.
Someone expecting the temperature, bathroom layout, and convenience of a conventional luxury hotel may find the overnight portion less appealing.
For the right traveler, however, the temporary nature of the hotel is part of what makes the stay feel genuinely different from an ordinary resort vacation.