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20th December 2016
12:18am GMT
Each year over 30,000 tonnes of snice (snow and ice) is used to construct the famous ICEHOTEL during the months of November and December. The hotel is nested in the small village of Jukkasjärvi in Northern Sweden. All the ice used to make the entire structure is taken from the local river Tornu.
Every winter between December and April (when the hotel can operate), some 50,000 people from all across the globe come to visit the ICEHOTEL and experience the Northern Lights and submerge themselves in the local culture. The hotel starts slowly melting back into the river mid-April. They're celebrating their 25th Edition this year and have just released a series of absolutely incredible photos of the interior.
The hotel remains at -7ºC at all times to avoid the structure from melting. Customers sleeping in the cold rooms have to wear thermals, sleep in a thick sleeping bag and are supported by a thick mattress covered in reindeer skins. Most only book into a cold room for one night for the experience and then sleep for several nights in the warm rooms which are cute little wooden chalets. Designers from all over the world are called in to help create the sculptures, design the interiors of the cold rooms and construct the ice bar and theatre which are the hotel's most popular attractions for day visitors.
Those staying in the cold rooms have a choice of staying in a snow room, an ice room, transparent Northern Lights room, art suites or deluxe suites.
Staying here doesn't come cheap. The luxury package includes an overnight stay in a cold room of choice with a 10 course tasting menu will set you back roughly €4,500 for two people... Probably one to add to that ever-growing bucket list of non-affordable activities. The photos are still enjoyable to look at though!
Photo credit: Paulina Holmgren
