As Arctic spring begins to defrost the tiny Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi, its world-famous hotel begins to melt. Its otherworldly rooms thaw, their sculptures buckling, and before long the whole structure returns to the Torne River. Soon, it will be time to build the ICEHOTEL again.
Every winter since 1989, when the original ICEHOTEL was built, artists have gathered in this modest town to build a brand new iteration of this one-of-a-kind accommodation. Giant blocks of ice are harvested from the Torne and then hammered and sculpted into 12 themed suites, 15-20 ice rooms and a palatial ceremony hall.
Today, the ICEHOTEL is one of Sweden’s most important attractions – an eventuality few people predicted. Tens of thousands of tourists visit each year, to chase the Northern Lights on snowmobiles or horseback, or to enjoy the long summer days of the Midnight Sun on remote fishing excursions. Yet, just a few decades ago, many struggled to believe that tourists would want to visit Jukkasjärvi – a 900-resident town, 200km north of the Arctic Circle – in the depths of winter. After all, temperatures in Swedish Lapland can drop as low as -40C.
When ICEHOTEL founder Yngve Bergqvist first arrived in Jukkasjärvi in the mid-1970s, he saw its potential as a skiing, rafting and fishing destination. He promptly opened a popular canoe centre on the Torne River, transforming Jukkasjärvi into one of Europe’s finest rafting destinations. But the tourists disappeared well before the coldest, darkest days of winter gripped the town. However, Yngve was keen to establish Jukkasjärvi as a year-round destination and, in 1989, invited two ice artists he’d met in Japan to run creative workshops in the town.
Then, on one serendipitous winter’s day, a group of travellers asked to stay the night. There was just one problem – all of the site’s warm cabins were booked for the night. Yngve tentatively suggested they sleep in the freezing Arctic Hall – an igloo where the artists were displaying their work – and furnished them with warm sleeping bags. The morning after, the guests were awestruck by their experience, and the ICEHOTEL was born.
Accommodation
While the 'ICEHOTEL Winter' melts every spring, guests can now experience Jukkasjärvi and Swedish Lapland year-round, thanks to the resort’s wide range of warm and cold rooms in the 'ICEHOTEL 365'.
Slumber in Rooms Made of Ice
For the classic Jukkasjärvi experience, stay in the ICEHOTEL Winter, available between December and April. Off its glacial hallways discover 12 Art Suites, all uniquely designed and hand crafted by artists commissioned from around the world. Previous rooms include ‘Sea Inside’ with a shell-shaped bed, and ‘Frozen Moment’, where a giant cat glowered through the snow. The ICEHOTEL Winter also offers around 20 standard rooms each year, with double, triple or quadruple beds.If you’re visiting in summer, but still want to experience the thrill of sleeping amid snow and ice, opt for the ICEHOTEL 365, which stays cool year-round. There are nine themed Art Suites in the permanent building, as well as nine Deluxe Suites, which all have their own warm bathroom. Some even boast a sauna and bathtub.
As you would expect, these ice-crafted rooms are cold, with temperatures hovering between -5C and -8C. In order to sleep comfortably in these conditions, guests are given an expedition-style sleeping bag and the ice beds are blanketed with reindeer hides and pillows. You can store your belongings and access bathroom facilities, shoes and a sauna at a heated service building nearby, which is staffed 24/7.
It’s recommended that you stay just one night in the resort’s ice rooms (ideally on your first or last night), and opt for warm accommodation for the rest of your stay. This gives you the opportunity to join wilderness excursions on days you have a cosy room to return to.
Cosy Cabins
The resort’s 44 Kaamos hotel rooms are spacious and calm, with natural materials and neutral colours. Reflecting Jukkasjärvi’s traditional aesthetic, the rooms are housed in blocks of six or eight in single-floor wooden houses. From the window, you can see wild spruce and birch, while in summer Arctic flowers blossom on the green roof. The heated stone floors of the hallways and en-suite tiled bathrooms are a welcome touch.Rustic, simple and comfortable, the ICEHOTEL’s 14 two-bedroom Arctic Cabins deliver a more self-sufficient experience, with a lounge and kitchenette included. These traditionally Scandic structures are panelled in pine, with birchwood detailing. Similarly, you can stay in two-bedroom Nordic cabins that include a lounge and kitchenette. Think calm and classic Scandinavian décor, whitewashed wood-panelled walls and heated tiled floors.
All rooms above include snowsuit and boot loan, and entrance to the ICEHOTEL.
Feeling adventurous? Why not stay in one of the ICEHOTEL’s two Lávvu tents? These heated tents feature wooden furniture, two beds, electrical outlets and a non-alcoholic minibar included in the price. A private patio with a fireplace is a real highlight — especially during summer nights when you can bask in the orange glow of the midnight sun.
If you choose not to stay in the ICEHOTEL’s cold rooms overnight, you can visit them during the day to enjoy the art on show.
Eating and Drinking
A day spent exploring the Arctic wilderness is bound to amp up your appetite. Start your day with a complimentary breakfast buffet with a Nordic twist. Here you’ll find porridge, pastries and reindeer meat sandwiches.The traditional ICEHOTEL Restaurant plates up lunch and dinner each day, with a focus on local ingredients like reindeer, moose, Arctic char and bramble berries. Alternatively, make a dinner reservation at the Old Homestead to sample local cuisine or pizza in a timbered building that dates back to 1768. In winter, lounge by a roaring fire as you dine. In summer, take to the porch overlooking the Torne River.
There’s also The Veranda – an intimate 16-seat dining experience which offers a taste of the Arctic. Here, local ingredients are prepared using traditional cooking methods like curing, smoking, drying and pickling. Meanwhile, The Lounge serves light bites, hot drinks and cocktails.
Don’t miss the Icebar, where the interiors – from the walls and the bar to the furniture and the artwork – are made from natural ice, harvested from the Torne River. Enjoy a tipple on the rocks, or sip champagne from a glass handmade from ice.
What To Do: Reindeer, Dog Sleds and the Northern Lights
The ICEHOTEL arranges highly curated Lapland experiences, ranging from trips lasting a couple of hours to overnight wilderness adventures. The time of year you choose to visit will impact your itinerary: winter is the season for dog sledding, skiing or snowmobiling, while in summer it’s all about river rafting and cycling. Keen to see the magical spectacle of the Northern Lights or bask in the Midnight Sun? Then make sure you visit at the right time.Winter Activities at the ICEHOTEL (November to April)
Many visitors venture north of the Arctic Circle to watch as the Northern Lights paint the night sky in shades of emerald and purple. The ICEHOTEL offers a number of thrilling excursions to help you make the most of this cosmic light show.One high-octane option is the Northern Lights Safari on snowmobile. Drive your vehicle out into the wilderness where the Aurora Borealis is the most vibrant and enjoy dinner in a warm cabin, or go for the full overnight adventure and stay in a rustic camp, complete with a sauna.
Alternatively, take a horseback tour to hunt down the Northern Lights. Groom, saddle and bridle your horse at the stable, before taking off through the magical winter wonderland. Awaiting you back at the farm is a dinner made from local produce in a Sámi hut.
Fancy a more relaxing Northern Lights experience? Take a minivan to a secluded wilderness camp, perfect for viewing the spectacle, and tuck into a seasonal dinner while you wait. Aspiring photographers may also be interested in the Northern Lights Photography tour.
You can further embrace your enchanting Arctic surroundings with wilderness skills workshops, a three-course dinner in a remote camp and an overnight wilderness adventure. Accompanied by an experienced guide, set off on a snowmobile across frozen water and through snow-covered forests until you reach the rustic cabins and wood-fired sauna of Camp Pounojokki. There’s also the option to embark on a moose safari on horseback. You might spot reindeer, birds, hares and foxes along the way too.
Dog sledding is a traditional part of Arctic life and, at the ICEHOTEL, you can partake in this truly unique adventure. Opt for a dog sledding lunch tour, either as a passenger or a driver, or go all out on ‘The Ultimate Dog Sledding Adventure’. On this 19-hour, once-in-a-lifetime experience, you drive your own dog sled, sleep in a wilderness cabin with a sauna and indulge in a hearty three-course dinner. At night, turn your eyes to the sky once again.
For millennia, the Sámi people have lived in harmony with their reindeer, constantly moving from place to place in search of food for the herd. Live out your Lapland dreams and immerse yourself in Sámi culture on a 'Meet the Reindeer' excursion. Meet and feed the reindeer, and learn more about the Sámi lifestyle and the indigenous people of the region. You can also experience driving a wooden reindeer sled around a 200-metre track – a real thrill. Finally, gather around a fire in a traditional Sámi tent for coffee and reindeer suovas – a traditional dish of smoked reindeer meat, fried over the open flames and served on gáhkku bread with a dash of lingonberry jam. Alternatively, choose the 'Reindeer Sleigh Excursion' to handle and drive your own reindeer and sled along a 10km-long trail through the vast winter landscape of Sápmi.
Other winter activities include ice sculpting workshops, cross country skiing tours and a private Jukkasjärvi sauna ritual. And, of course, you mustn’t forget to take the time to tour the ICEHOTEL’s one-of-a-kind rooms when visiting in winter.
Summer Activities at the ICEHOTEL (May to October)
While many of the winter activities outlined above are also available in summer, as Lapland warms up and the Midnight Sun ascends, guests can enjoy different types of pastimes, such as fishing, rafting and hiking.Indeed, Jukkasjärvi is a dream for fishing enthusiasts. Consider a four-day grayling fishing trip based in a remote camp complete with a sauna in Luspen, with the chance to catch big graylings (700-800g) and trophy graylings (up to 2kgs). Alternatively, embark on a three-hour private fishing tour with a traditional Swedish fika (a break to enjoy a hot drink and a snack).
Rafting is where it all began at Jukkasjärvi, with these classic tours dating all the way back to the 1970s. Feel the pulse of the Torne River on a rafting adventure, journeying through calm waters, turbulent rapids and untouched nature. Along the way, stop on Puonojokk Island for lunch over an open fire.
If hiking is more your speed, join a mountain tour in Abisko. Take the chairlift up to the Aurora Sky Station and hike Mount Nuolja down to the Abisko Valley for lunch, while learning about Sámi culture and the nature in the area from your local Sámi guide. Alternatively, take a trip to Challenge Park – a high-ropes course that incorporates zip lines, climb poles and rope bridges.
If you visit in May, a truly magical experience is on the cards. In the North Sámi language, the month of May is called miessemánnu – the month of the reindeer calf and, if conditions allow, you’ll have the chance to see newborn reindeer calves taking their first steps. After meeting the reindeer, you’ll be invited into the lávvu (a traditional Sámi tent) to take a seat on reindeer skins around a warming fire while learning more about the indigenous Sámi people’s culture, history and modern way of life.
