People prefer to have a rest in the winter differently, someone - among winter to fly for a week or two to warmer lands, and true winter lovers go to the kingdom of the Snow Queen.
If you are a true connoisseur of winter resorts, a lover of mountain skiing and just a snowy winter, then you are sure to visit at least once in your life wonderful and unique hotels that are built entirely of ice and snow. Here, even beds, tables, utensils and other utensils are made of snow materials. Having visited these places, you will plunge into the world of completely new sensations and you can feel yourself a true Eskimo.
1. Ice Hotel, Sweden
The world's first hotel built of ice was the Ice Hotel in Sweden. This event happened in the distant 1989 and since then every winter it has been rebuilt. Building materials are about a thousand tons of ice and thirty cubic meters of a mixture of snow and ice, which is called snice. The hotel occupies an area of 5.5 thousand square meters.
Here an annual exhibition of ice sculptures is held, the spectacle is simply mesmerizing. It seems that you are in the world of mirrors and crystal. The number of rooms in the hotel is limited - only 65, so it is better to book a room in advance.
Also for the guests of the hotel the administration organizes various entertainments: dog sledding, a master class to create ice sculptures, training in survival in harsh winter conditions, skiing and sledging, sauna, various excursions and much more. And since December 25 in the ice chapel lovers couples can even register their marriage.
2. Hotel Kakslauttanen Igloo Village, Finland
Where, if not in fairy Lapland, it is worth to go on New Year's holidays or winter holidays, especially since here you will find a real winter fairy tale. This multi-faceted hotel is located in the largest reserve of the country Urho Kekkonen, so the chic views are provided to you, and the northern lights will not keep you waiting.
Here you can be invited to stay in a snow needle, dry houses or a traditional Lapland dwelling, as well as in royal suites or gold diggers' houses for romantic couples. It also offers traditional winter entertainment, and in addition - ice fishing and icebreaker rides. The main advantage of this hotel is that it works all year round unlike most others.
3. Ice hotel Lumilinna, Finland
Since the climate in Finland is severe, so the diversity of ice and snow hotels here is the biggest, so to speak, for every taste. Here, for example, in the city of Kemi there is an ice hotel, which in appearance resembles a real castle, and not just a hotel complex. Luxurious lighting and a lot of ice sculptures give this place even more fabulous charm. Here you can not only spend the night, but also visit the chapel, restaurant or a hall with sculptures of antique time.
This castle stands on the central city square and has been hosting guests for 20 years, and since it is designed for only 48 places, it is never empty. In this ice palace you can relax in the jacuzzi or steam in the bathhouse, and, of course, the hotel has provided for its guests all kinds of winter entertainment, so that no one was bored. By the way, the cost of living in the castle is not so great, from 125 euros per day per person.
4. Snow Hotel in Snow Village, Finland
In the Finnish town of Illysajärvi there is an entire ice village called Snow Village, in which is located the same cold and snowy hotel Snow Hotel. The village covers an area of 20 thousand square meters. Here you can find bars, beautiful sculptures, a church, restaurants and all these buildings are made of ice and snow blocks and function fully.
In the hotel all the rooms are made in different styles and decorated with ice sculptures, as well as equipped with a fireplace and bathrooms. Here you can also find a lot of winter entertainment, go to the deer farm or rush into the fascinating nightly searches of the northern lights on snowmobiles.
5. Kirkenes Snow Hotel, Norway
Norway also invites tourists to spend the winter holidays in the ice hotel Kirkenes Snow Hotel, consisting of 20 rooms. This miracle hotel is located in Bjornevatne, which is considered the most picturesque place in the country. Build this hotel every year, so all the ice jewelry and sculptures can vary.
It also offers all kinds of entertainment, including fishing and hunting for the royal crab. But before you go on vacation to this hotel, you should know that local rules prohibit the residence of children under seven and people suffering from claustrophobia.
6. Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, Norway
On the banks of the Alta River in Norway there is another ice hotel with 30 rooms Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel. The hotel complex also has an ice bar, a chapel and a restaurant. Here guests will be offered hot tubs, a sauna and other entertainments. The hotel accepts tourists from January until April.
7. Hotel de Glace, Canada
In the Canadian city of Quebec, from January to March, you can also stay at the ice hotel Hotel de Glace. This hotel has 50 rooms, which are always full of guests. The hotel opens its doors every year since 2001, and during this time more than 500 thousand people visited it.
All rooms have a bathroom and wonderful fireplaces. On site, there is a spa, ice rink and nightclub, as well as many ice sculptures that can be visited for a fee not only by the hotel guests, but you can also participate in their creation.
8. Balea Lake Ice Hotel, Romania
Romania has decided to keep up with fashion trends and since 2006 has also offered to guests and residents of their country to relax in a winter fairy tale on the shore of Lake Byla in the mountains of Transylvania in the ice hotel Balea Lake Ice Hotel. Also, from the ice, the church is carved out every year.
9. Alpha Resort Tomamu's Ice Hotel, Japan
In one of the coldest places in Japan, Tomato, is a hotel of ice. Here you can soak in hot tubs or order a chic newlywed couple of ice bricks with carved sculptures and ice furniture. And also the Japanese love to visit the ice bar, where all drinks are served in glasses of ice.
10. Igulu Hotel in Kamchatka "Mountain Territory", Russia
At the foot of the volcano Vilyuchensky, which is located several dozen kilometers from the city of Petropavlovsk Kamchatsky, there is a modern ice hotel "Mountain Territory". This hotel includes several needle dwellings 3-6 meters in diameter, designed for 2 and a maximum of 8 people. Like the indigenous inhabitants of the northern part of Kamchatka, the bed of the needle is made of snow and covered with warm skins. On the territory of the complex there is no restaurant, however, guests will be provided with a full three meals a day, and in a large needle there is an ice bar. This hotel provides a unique opportunity to plunge into the warm pool with natural hot thermal water.
11. Hotel in the glacier, Chile
Near the city of Puerto Fay near the volcano Choshuenco right in the glacier was built hotel. According to some data, the cost of its construction was $ 15 million. The hotel has 4 rooms with a bed, table and chairs, but these modest apartments can be visited all year round. And in five hundred meters from the hotel on the glacier there is an opportunity to ski even in summer. But because of the small number of places the prices for accommodation in this ice hotel are very high. Still in Chile there is an ice bar, which became popular throughout Latin America.
12. Alpeniglu Village, Austria
Austria also does not lag behind in the development of the winter resort. The Austrians did not exchange for a small hotel, and they immediately made an entire ice village in the ski resort of Kitzbuhel. On the territory of this winter complex there is a restaurant, a church, igloo huts, an ice hotel and many beautiful sculptures of ice. It can accommodate 24 guests in rooms for 2 and 4 people. The prices for accommodation are affordable, so anyone who wants a tourist can spend his vacation here. Opens the door for guests ice village in early December and works until the end of March.