Many years ago, one of my intrepid clients who was always on the cutting edge of new destinations took his teenage daughter on an absolutely enchanting winter adventure 200 miles above the Arctic Circle – to the ICEHOTEL of Jukkasjärvi, Sweden. I instantly became infatuated with this ephemeral work of art and it officially took a place on my personal bucket list. Let me tell you about it and I bet you’ll be adding the ICEHOTEL to your list, too.

The ICEHOTEL is the world’s first and largest hotel built solely of snow and ice. Each year from March to April, some 5,000 tons of ice is harvested from the frozen Torne River. It’s kept in cold storage through the spring and summer until construction begins in November and December. The hotel is constructed anew each year from 1,000 tons of ice blocks and 30,000 tons of “snice,” a mixture of snow and ice that acts as mortar and insulation. The ICEHOTEL is open to guests December through April, then it slowly melts back into the Torne River.

Each year, the hotel design and amazing artwork within is reinvented by over 40 international artists, making it truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Favorite frozen features include: a dramatic ice bar, complete with carved ice glasses; remarkable ice art, sculptures and chandeliers throughout the hotel; and a beautiful ice church (popular for weddings!). A new addition this year is the Aurora Hall ice-dome theater with live musical performances.

Now, on its 25th annual rebuild, the ICEHOTEL has a new twist for personalizing your visit: you can actually co-create your own suite with one of the ICEHOTEL’s designers! If you choose to design your own customized ice suite, a designer will meet with you in your home town before your trip to discuss your ideas. Blueprints are drawn up and the exact amount of ice necessary is set aside for your creation. You can choose to have the suite completely finished before you arrive, or you can help carve the sculptures that will adorn your art suite alongside the ice artist. Now that’s bespoke!

To get to the ICEHOTEL, fly or train into Kiruna, Sweden where your guide will meet you. You can make the 15 km trip to Jukkasjärvi in Arctic style – by dog sled – driving your own team of huskies or as a passenger. Of course, motorized transfers are available if you like.

Upon check in, take a guided tour of the ICEHOTEL and ice church to see the utterly unique artistry and creative ice sculptures throughout. Have a pre-dinner cocktail “in the rocks” at the original ICEBAR BY ICEHOTEL before your four-course gourmet dinner – cold courses served on ice plates, of course.

When the temperatures drop and it’s time to tuck in to your personally designed art suite, you’ll get a “survival course” on how to sleep in negative degrees. Don’t worry, it’s guaranteed not to be below -7°C inside! You’ll actually be fairly comfortable tucked into a warm sleeping bag on a bed made from a block of ice topped with a thick mattress and reindeer skins. In the morning, start the day with a cup of hot lingonberry juice at your bedside, followed by an invigorating sauna and a hearty breakfast buffet.

There are plenty of winter activities to experience in the arctic, so three nights is a popular length of stay; however, most people only spend one night in the cold rooms then two more nights in the warm accommodations of nearby Kaamos Hotel or multi-room chalets. Activities and experiences that can be tailored to your request include skiing, snowshoe expeditions, snowmobiling, Icelandic horseback tours, dog sledding, helicopter excursions, moose safaris, ice driving and more. Hunting the northern lights is a favorite activity, as Kiruna, Sweden has been identified by experts as the best place to see the aurora borealis. The season runs September through March and northern lights sightings average 80% during that time.

About 50,000 people from 80 countries visit the ICEHOTEL and art exhibition each year. Alas, I haven’t been one of them – yet – but I’ve got my thermal long johns ready. If you’re as anxious as I am to see this annual work of ice art, contact Covington Travel to arrange your adventure!

Enjoy this PBS video about the magical ICEHOTEL:

All photos graciously provided by ICEHOTEL.