What is it? Ice Hotel, Sweden; This hotel made completely out of ice and snow was the first of its kind when it was built in 1990 and is located in the village of Jukkasjärvi in Lapland.
What’s so special? The hotel shifts from frozen solid to a free flowing river and back throughout the year, being rebuilt every winter. There is a choice of warm and cold accommodation, with the cold rooms including an art suite, an ice room and a snow room. Nearly everything in the hotel is made from ice, right down to the glasses in the bar. Be advised though, to stay in the cold rooms you’ll have to bring some thermal pyjamas as the temperature averages minus 5 to minus 8 degrees. The hotel also organises guided northern light tours by bus to its guests during the winter.
The details: Prices range start from 3200 Swedish Kroner (€356) for a night in the cold accommodation rooms and 2500 Swedish Kroner (€279) in the warm accommodation rooms. www.icehotel.com
Getting there: Rory McDyer Travel agents provides packages to the hotel, organising your flights with SAS Scandinavian airlines and bus transfers from the airport to the hotel. www.rorymcdyertravel.ie
By Kay Kinsella
