IceHotel Jukkasjärvi

Snow, cold and dark – conditions that not a lot of people long for. Adding hotel rooms to the package was understandably not met with any applause when the now-legendary founder, Yngve Bergqvist, presented his idea 30 years ago. We know better now. His slightly mad idea is today one of Sweden’s best-known brands, and annually draws thousands of visitors from all over the world. Icehotel is a relatively large complex, with most buildings quite far apart, so you have to be prepared to walk. You can stay in warm or cold rooms – the latter even in summer now. In other words you can arrange your summer holiday with midnight sun viewing as well as a night in a sleeping bag on a bed of ice. It’s worth noting that the ice rooms are regarded as works of art during the day, so a general wake-up call goes out at 8 am. The breakfast that awaits you in the beautiful dining room makes it easier to get up. The warm and cleanly designed rooms are in low hotel buildings and cottages spread across the complex.