No Iceland Ice Hotel – but Don’t Miss This 2024 Experience

Is there an Ice Hotel in Iceland?

Surprisingly, no.

Iceland, a land renowned for its stark contrasts of fire and ice, often sparks the imagination of travellers dreaming of staying in an ice hotel. Surprisingly, despite its icy moniker, you won’t find any ice hotels in Iceland.

But don’t be disheartened, as we’re about to embark on a journey to discover where these frosty fantasies can become a reality.

Imagine wrapping yourself in a cloak of frosty air, stepping into a world where the walls glisten like diamonds under the Arctic sky. Join us as we unveil the secrets of the Ice Hotel, a place where fairy tales and reality dance under the Northern Lights.

We were going to visit Iceland, and I wanted to visit an Ice Hotel there. However, even though ‘Iceland Ice Hotel‘ comes up as well-searched in Google, your search will be fruitless when you try to find one.

Surprised?

We certainly were.

Although Iceland’s name suggests it is the land of ice, an actual Iceland Ice Hotel does not exist. 

Iceland’s unique geothermal activity, famed for its hot springs and geysers, contrasts starkly with the icy conditions needed for an ice hotel.

Coupled with the fact that most of the population resides in the warmer southwest near Reykjavik, it becomes clear why an ice hotel in Iceland remains a beautiful yet impractical dream.

Ever wondered why a land seemingly perfect for an ice hotel lacks one? Stay tuned as we delve into the frosty details.

🔎 Meanwhile, if you are heading to Iceland, explore Iceland’s 2-week itinerary in September 

Why There is no Ice Hotel in Iceland

There are a few reasons why you won’t find an Ice hotel in Iceland:

1. Iceland does not have enough ice to build an ice hotel. The parts of Iceland that are frozen are inaccessible.
2. In addition, the main tourist areas are in the ‘Golden Circle’ area of Iceland, known for its hot springs and geysers. These are not the ideal conditions for an Iceland Ice Hotel.
3. Furthermore, around 64% of Iceland’s population lives near the country’s capital city, Reykjavik, in the southwest of Iceland. Therefore, building an ice hotel in Iceland would neither be practical nor profitable.

Which Countries Have Ice Hotels?

Although you won’t find an Iceland ice hotel, you will find ice hotels in these countries:

• Norway
• Sweden
• Finland
• Canada
• Romania
• Andorra
• Switzerland
• Austria
• France
• Japan

See more details below or jump ahead to find out more about our icy escapades in the famous Ice Hotel 365 in Sweden, the only ice hotel open all year round.

Discover Icy Adventures in Iceland

Iceland offers thrilling alternatives to an Ice Hotel:

• 🏔️ Glacier Tours: Explore majestic glaciers on a guided hike. South Coast Adventure with Glacier Hike | 12 hours, 5/5 rating.
• 🌌 Northern Light Tours: Experience the magical Aurora Borealis. Northern Lights Tour with Pro Photos | 4 hours, 4.5/5 rating.
• 🧊 Ice Cave Explorations: Discover Iceland’s stunning ice caves. Ice Cave by Katla Volcano Tour from Vik | 3 hours, 4.5/5 rating.
• 🌨️ Snowmobiling on Glaciers: Enjoy an exhilarating snowmobile ride. Golden Circle & Glacier Snowmobiling | 10 hours, 4.5/5 rating.

These activities offer a deep dive into Iceland’s icy realm, providing awe-inspiring encounters with its natural wonders. Though different from the ice hotel experience, they’re equally captivating and highlight the diverse adventures that Iceland has to offer.

Visiting an Ice Hotel

A charming fairy-tale experience … until you realise, that it is a hotel and you’re meant to sleep in it

Joanna Lumley (on her ice hotel experience)

Ever since watching Joanna Lumley documenting her Ice Hotel experience back in 2009, sleeping in an ice hotel has been high on my bucket list. 

The experience looked exciting, adventurous, and magical and was high on the list, along with finding the Northern lights.

Take a peek at her documentary that inspired my dream — it’s hilarious.

(Skip to 4 minutes 53 seconds for the Ice Hotel part of the documentary).

Her experience, full of wonder and humorous moments, perfectly encapsulated the mix of awe and challenge that comes with staying in an ice hotel.

The Ice Hotel 365 in Sweden

So, with our hopes of visiting an Iceland Ice Hotel dashed, we began researching other options.

We then discovered the 365 Ice Hotel in Sweden.

Our discovery of the 365 Ice Hotel was a serendipitous twist, promising a winter wonderland in this year-round icy escape.

We were going to be driving through Sweden on our journey from Norway to France. And although it wasn’t winter, that didn’t matter because the 365 Ice Hotel is open all year round.

The 365 Ice Hotel is kept at -5 degrees year-round, so whatever time you visit Sweden, you can tick off an ‘Ice Hotel stay’ from your bucket list.

 Where is the 365 Ice Hotel in Sweden

ICEHOTEL Address: Marknadsvägen 63, 981 91 Jukkasjärvi, SWEDEN

World First 365 Ice Hotel

The Swedish Ice Hotel sits 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle in the small village of Jukkasjärvi. It originally opened in 1989 as a seasonal hotel solely built for winter. The hotel then melted in the spring.

However, in 2017, the new 365 Ice Hotel opened as a year-long option. It was the first permanent ice hotel in the world.

So, if you visit from December to March, you will have a choice to stay in either the Seasonal Ice Hotel or the 365 Ice Hotel.

Therefore, although there is no ice hotel in Iceland, you can rejoice that there is still one in Scandinavia, which you can visit at any time of the year.

And what an experience it is.

It will satisfy any Ice Hotel experience cravings you may have … and more.

So read on and step through into another world.

A world that is immediately enchanting, captivating and magical.

The Seasonal Ice Hotel

The Seasonal Ice Hotel is crafted from 1000 tons of ice harvested from the adjacent Torne River. Artists come from all around the world to create their chosen designs for that year’s hotel.

Come spring, the hotel melts, flowing back into the river from which it came.

Rooms in the 365 Ice Hotel

We stayed in the permanent 365 Ice Hotel when we visited in late September.

Solar panels maintain the temperature at about -5°C/21°F throughout the year. This is the perfect eco power source for the land of the midnight sun, where the sun never sets at the height of the summer.

The 365 Ice Hotel has twenty rooms, with a combination of Art Suites and Deluxe Suites. Each room has its unique theme, showcasing different artists’ creative designs. They are regularly replaced, so new designs are always being carved out even if you have visited them before.

The Deluxe Suites have a ‘warm room’ connected to them with a bed, private showers and a toilet. In comparison, the regular art suites have communal ablutions.

The artistic themes of the rooms are a kaleidoscope of imagination and craftsmanship, each telling a unique story frozen in time

Some of the Themes for the rooms in 2024:

• MYSTERY ON THE ICEHOTEL EXPRESS – Deluxe Art Suite
• THE BREACH (engine room of the Titanic) – Art Suite
• KODEX MAXIMUS (Morphed organic sculptures) – Art Suite
• TECKARA (9 tall pillars – see photo below) – Art Suite
• DANCERS IN THE DARK (see photo below ) – Art Suite
• HANG LOOSE (Paintings and sculptures) – Deluxe Art Suite

For more designs available in the rooms, head over to their website, where you can see more pics and hear about the story behind the design.

Warm Room Cabins at the Ice Hotel

Separate from the Ice Hotel, self-contained ‘normal’ cabins are available all year, which you can choose to stay at if you are not ice-friendly. Most people only stay in the Ice Hotel for one night and then move to a cabin for the rest of their stay.

Exploring the 365 Ice Hotel

After check-in, we were keen to explore the Ice Hotel itself. You are given a long, thick Arctic cape at the entrance before you step into the main ice hall.

Here, you find yourself in another world.  An immediately enchanting world.  As your eyes move around the entrance hall, they are captivated at every glance.

Stepping into the main hall was like wandering into a frozen palace, akin to the legendary halls of Narnia or the icy fortresses in fairy tales. The crisp and biting air held a silence that only a world of ice could create. Each breath formed a fleeting mist, adding to the ethereal quality of our surroundings.

The combination of the icy cold, the snow-muffled silence, and being surrounded by amazingly intricate ice designs makes for a moving and surreal experience.

It was more than we ever expected.

Simply beautiful.

Within the main hall, incredible chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling. We imagined they could not be made of ice, but each is made from hundreds of hand-cut ice crystals.

There is also an Ice Bar where you can order an ice-themed cocktail if you’d like to add an extra chill to your experience.

The chandeliers, each a masterpiece of hundreds of hand-cut ice crystals, cast a soft, otherworldly glow, illuminating the intricate designs that adorned the walls. The sheer artistry and craftsmanship required to sculpt these ice masterpieces left us in awe, a testament to the skill and dedication of the artists who created them

As we wandered through the ethereal ice hall, its cold beauty and the surreal winter wonderland setting reminded us of another of our incredible icy adventures.

Our winter visit to Banff National Park. A journey through a snowy landscape that is equally mesmerizing and filled with captivating winter activities. Like the Ice Hotel, Banff transforms into a stunning world of snow and ice, offering its unique wonders.

The Art Suites and Deluxe Art Suites

Still reeling in the wonder of our fairytale surroundings, we went through the reindeer-covered door into the corridor that held the ice rooms.

Here, the magic continued.

We felt like we had entered some kind of portal into the realm of Narnia.

Each room was delightful, with breathtaking designs, from winding ice staircases and giant deer to fireplaces and bookcases, giant statues and ice angels.

Our cameras clicked away until our fingers barely worked, the cold desperately nipping at them. We managed about fifteen minutes before our exposed body parts screamed for us to leave.

At this point, we both wondered how on earth we could sleep there. Moreover, why would anyone in their right mind want to sleep in something akin to a ‘fridge’ overnight?

Ice Hotel Induction

An induction session is held for all Ice Hotel guests at 5.30 pm before being given access to your room. 

The induction was more than just a briefing; it felt like a rite of passage, preparing us mentally and physically for the night ahead. We weren’t just guests, but adventurers, braving an environment as beautiful as it was challenging.

You will also receive a thermal sleeping bag, a balaclava, and snow boots. It is recommended that you sleep in thermal woollen leggings and tops.

No backing out

During our stay, the reception was closed from 11 pm.  As such, a complimentary ‘warm room’ (separate cabin) was available from our arrival at 4. pm until 11 am the next day. This meant that if we couldn’t handle the cold in the Ice Hotel, we had somewhere cosy to get a good night’s sleep.

However, we both knew that wimping out wasn’t an option.

This was a fantastic deal, and the warm room was a great place to store our things and relax before venturing into our ice room for the night.

This was going to be a lifetime experience. No matter how it went, it was an experience we would see through.

What’s It Like To Sleep in an Ice Hotel?

‘In the morning, I emerged, not so much like a butterfly, more like a dishevelled icy pole. I emerged, thankfully, nonetheless.’

Shelley

Find out more in this short video below:

Settling in for the Night

 With nature’s wonders all around us, we excitedly made our way to our frozen chamber. Reindeer pelts cover the mattress, which tricks your mind into thinking this is a cosy experience. 

Lying in our ice bed, surrounded by sculptures that glistened like diamonds under the muted light, the contrast was stark. Here was a room of unparalleled beauty, yet the physical discomfort of the biting cold was a constant reminder of the environment’s harshness.

I found myself reflecting on the comforts of life we often take for granted. This chilling experience was a stark yet beautiful reminder of how adaptable we humans can be.

However, it was a battle between the desire to stay awake and soak in beauty and the need to burrow deep into our sleeping bags for warmth.

Who could fail to fall asleep and dream beautiful dreams while under the influence of this unique underwater ambience?

However, beautiful dreams there were not.

Sweet Dreams or Chilly Nightmares?

There wasn’t so much dreaming during the night as I was trying to work out where the head opening to my sleeping bag was.

I had buried myself so deeply trying to stay warm that I completely lost my bearings. Moments of panic ensued; like a caterpillar constrained in its much too snug cocoon, I struggled and wriggled until I felt a brisk arctic chill invade my nostrils.

A few seconds of welcome relief, knowing there was an escape route if needed, before I plunged my exposed nose back into the depths, trying to find slumber.

It was the kind of sleep where you feel you have been awake the whole time, but too many hours have passed, so you must have unwittingly dropped off at some point.

In the morning, I emerged, not so much like a butterfly, but a dishevelled icy pole.

I emerged nonetheless.

Happy to have survived the night and not quite as frozen as the room’s bespoke art. 

Although not as cold as me, Lars had also slept in fits and starts, uncomfortable enough to prevent deep sleep.

There seemed to be a mixed reaction from the other guests, so getting a good night’s sleep is not impossible.

The joy is in the experience rather than in achieving a great night’s sleep.

Defrosting at the Ice Hotel

The wake-up call, with a cup of hot lingonberry juice, was at 8.00 am.

We peeled ourselves out of our sleeping bags, slid into the snow boots and trudged our way to the reception.

Stepping out of the Ice Hotel, the world seemed different. The morning light brought a warmth that felt alien after a night in sub-zero temperatures. It was a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit, capable of finding comfort even in the most extreme conditions.

The temperature outside was a welcome balmy 2°C. We passed on the option of a sauna, downed our welcome, ‘you survived the night’ juice and retired to our ‘warm room’ for the immediate gratification of a hot shower.

We were still contemplating whether we had ‘enjoyed’ the whole experience as we tucked into the delicious full buffet breakfast at the restaurant.  

Eggs, bacon, the works. Pancakes on top? Why not?

For goodness ‘ sake, we’d just survived a night in Arctic conditions — we were practically Arctic pioneers.

Time Magazine listed the Ice Hotel as one of the world’s top 100 places to visit in 2018. We would have to say that we agree.

The experience far outweighed our expectations. It was worth doing and an unforgettable experience.

But perhaps only worth doing once …

Northern Lights at The Ice Hotel

Amazingly, the Northern Lights appeared as we made our way to the Ice Hotel from our cabin (warm room). They danced and swirled and mesmerised us with their luminous colour.

For more breathtaking Northern Lights experiences, discover our adventures under the aurora in Lofoten, Norway.

Interested in the photography gear we use to capture these stunning scenes? Take a look at our travel photography equipment.

How Much Does it Cost To Stay At The Ice Hotel?

We stayed one night in an Art Suite at the 365 Ice Hotel — Check prices here. Prices vary a lot depending on the day you check in – so browse to find the best time to visit to suit your budget.

Our price* included a night in the Ice Hotel and a full buffet breakfast.

*We also had a complimentary warm room offered on arrival – but would advise checking with the hotel whether this will be offered.

🧊 🥱 Book a room at the Ice Hotel here 

Guests do not have access to their ice rooms until after 6.00 pm as, before this, visitors to the hotel and other guests can take a tour around and admire the unique ice designs in each room.

Guided Tours around the hotel take place in English at 12 pm and 4 pm daily (Free for guests).

What to do Near the Ice Hotel 365

What to do Near the Ice Hotel: Visit the Nutti Sami Resort

We knew very little about the Sami indigenous culture, and because we love experiencing wildlife encounters around the world, it had to be on our road trip itinerary.

Just 900 meters from the Ice Hotel, Nutti Sami Siida offers a unique glimpse into the Sami culture. Here’s what makes it special:

• Reindeer Encounters: Get up close with friendly reindeer. Feed them by hand and observe their distinct personalities, reminiscent of characters from beloved tales like Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.

• Cultural Insights: The resort, a reconstructed Sami Camp, showcases the traditional lifestyle of the Sami people. Explore outdoor displays and learn about their nomadic history, deeply intertwined with reindeer herding.
  
  
• Café and Sami Foods: Don’t miss the chance to try traditional Sami dishes at the on-site café. Whether it’s Reindeer Suova or a unique Sami coffee, it’s an experience for your taste buds.

For lunch, we ordered Reindeer Suova. This is a Sámi flatbread filled with finely sliced smoked reindeer, lingonberry cream and salad. The meat was cooked on the open fire in the middle of the restaurant. Lars tucked in and found it delicious. I was not so keen on the taste (or the idea of eating reindeer, especially when we had just been feeding them!). I do eat meat, but…Bambi?

Lars also had a Sami coffee cooked in a pot over the fire. It had a lighter taste than Turkish coffee, and he found it palatable and worth trying. However, he won’t give up the Nescafe Classic Blend anytime soon.

• Engaging Activities: From interactive displays to a cozy café setting, Nutti Sami Siida blends education with entertainment. It’s a window into the Sami world, offering insights into their customs and connection with nature.

• Seasonal Experiences: Whether you visit in autumn or winter, each season brings its own charm. Winter offers sleigh rides, while autumn reveals the natural phenomenon of reindeer antler shedding.

Nutti Sami Siida is more than just a stop; it’s an enriching experience that complements your visit to the Ice Hotel, offering a different perspective on the Arctic lifestyle.

The Sámi people lived a nomadic lifestyle in Northern Europe for thousands of years. Herding reindeer, animals well-suited to Arctic conditions, were, and to a lesser degree still are, an integral part of that culture, with the reindeer being a source of food, milk, clothing and transport.

Our Nutti- Sami Siida Video

Where is Nutti Sami Siida? 

To use this map, expand it using the square symbol on the top right-hand side, and you will find the key on the left-hand side. 

Fancy Castrating Reindeer With Your Teeth?

Working reindeer are traditionally castrated because they then become more docile. It is said that the Sámi used to castrate the reindeer themselves by biting into their testicles.

I can’t even imagine how that worked, but thankfully, there are rules in place today to prevent any such practice – just in case you ever get the feeling that you’d like to chomp down on a pair of reindeer’s testicles.

I found Matthew Ingro’s video on YouTube if you’d like to see this type of castration in action.

No Iceland Ice Hotel … That’s a Wrap

Our journey began with a search for an Ice Hotel in Iceland, a quest sparked by a simple yet powerful misconception. It’s fascinating how a single search can lead to such an extraordinary adventure.

Despite the initial surprise that Iceland, the land of fire and ice, doesn’t boast its own ice hotel, our discovery of the 365 Ice Hotel in Sweden offered more than we could have ever imagined. From the surreal experience of sleeping in a room carved from ice to the awe-inspiring display of the Northern Lights and the enriching cultural immersion at Nutti Sami Siida, this journey transcended our initial expectations.

Reflecting on our experiences, it’s clear that sometimes, the true essence of travel lies in the unexpected. It’s about embracing the unknown and finding joy in the surprises along the way.

Our foray into the frosty world of the Ice Hotel and the rich Sami culture has not only been an adventure of a lifetime and a reminder of the endless wonders our planet holds.

Were you as surprised as we were that there isn’t an Iceland Ice Hotel? Is an Ice Hotel stay on your bucket list? We’d love to hear your thoughts or hear about any similar experiences.

Please feel free, as always, to ask us any questions or share your own tales of unexpected journeys and magical discoveries.

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