This is one cool hotel…and COLD as well! Just on the outskirts of Quebec City, Canada, the Hotel de Glace, made entirely of ice, opened January 6 and will be receiving guests until March 25, 2012.

Yes, made of ice. The walls and ceilings, the artwork and even the beds are all made of ice and snow. The inside temperature runs a “cozy” -3º to -5º C, but the 4-foot thick walls keep the outside wind at bay and thankfully, reindeer pelts and sub-zero sleeping bags are provided to keep overnight guests warm and dry. The artistry of construction and design is accented by glowing interior lighting that creates a magical, ethereal quality.  

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2012 marks the 11^th season of the hotel. Each year, the 36 room temporary cathedral is redesigned and rebuilt because the structure melts at the end of each season. In addition to 36 sleeping rooms and themed suites, the complex includes an Ice Bar where cocktails are served in ice glasses, an Ice Chapel where couples can be married, and a Grand Ice Slide where guests can glide on their backsides through the central part of the building.

 

Some preparation is necessary to sleep in this upscale igloo. You check in and leave your belongings in the simple structure next door that is equipped with heat, changing rooms, flush toilets and lockers. The hotel itself has no bathrooms and the sleeping rooms don’t have doors, although there are curtains for privacy. The staff will give instructions on how to warm up your core temperature to make it through the night comfortably. After exploring the artistry and wonder of the icy creation, a night cap in the Ice Bar and dancing to the DJ’s music is the on-site entertainment, but remember, too much alcohol will actually reduce your body temperature. The idea is to get heated up before turning in with some time in the hot tub and sauna under the stars, then dash to your room and dive into your sleeping bag. All rooms have queen-size beds, but even couples have their own individual Nordic thermal sleeping bags.

For the less hearty who are curious, but not interested in braving the cold overnight, day passes are sold. Hotel tours are given so day trippers can visit all the rooms to take pictures. They can stay at the Ice Bar until midnight, but after that, only overnight guests are allowed on the property. Nights are relatively quiet with most day trippers departed and most overnight guests hunkered down. Overnight guests are roused out of their rooms early with a hot morning beverage, so the rooms are open for the next set of day tours, but most guests don’t mind getting up an getting the blood moving quickly again.

Packages are available that include a room at the nearby Four Points by Sheraton Quebec (either as backup in case you can’t take the cold, or primary accommodations if you don’t even want to try it), four-course dinner and breakfast the next morning at the Four Points restaurant, an Ice Bar cocktail, Hotel de Glace sleeping gear and gratuities. One night packages start about CAD$400 per person and you can add dog sledding, suite upgrades and even weddings! Day passes are considerably less expensive, starting at CAD $17.50 for adults, with discounts for seniors and children.

The Hotel de Glace is a dazzling, magical experience by day or night. If you would like the unique bragging rights and novel experience of visiting the only Ice Hotel in North America, let Covington Travel’s winter specialists arrange your trip.