ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, has now opened the doors to this year’s winter hotel, ICEHOTEL 36

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Here, guests from all over the world can sleep surrounded by shimmering art made of ice and snow, created by 33 artists from 12 countries. A highlight this year is a grand piano – a full-scale piano made of ice – which will be played during the winter season. 

Upon entering ICEHOTEL’s iconic doors, guests arrive in the 30-metre-long Main Hall, Cathedral Grove, where a glistening forest of icy treetops stretches all the way up to the ceiling. In the Ceremony Hall ECHO, wedding couples can say yes to love, and visitors are welcome to sit among the art to quietly experience the beauty and silence.

The creation of ICEHOTEL began already in March, when ice was harvested from the Torne River. Construction of the 2,800-square-metre winter hotel started in November. Under the direction of ICEHOTEL’s Creative Director Luca Roncoroni, a team of 89 builders, artists, lighting designers and art support worked side by side to transform ice and snow into world-class art.

“I am very proud of each and every one who contributed to ICEHOTEL 36, some of the artists came with years of experience and others never worked in snow and ice before. Thanks to hard work and a positive spirit we managed to get everything ready on time! Another thing we’re especially proud of is the grand piano made of ice. Assembling it was both nerve-racking and magical — we didn’t know if it would hold until the very last minute. Now we look forward to hearing music echo through the corridors of ICEHOTEL,” says Luca Roncoroni, Creative Director at ICEHOTEL. 

Soap bubbles, black holes, an Arctic story archive, and stormwinds of ice and snow 
ICEHOTEL 36 features twelve art suites created by artists from twelve countries – here, you can sleep in the eye of the storm in Sweep Me Off My Feet, settle in and read one of the stories from the frozen ICEHOTEL Archive, lose yourself in a world of soap bubbles in Soap Bubbles, or experience the force of a black hole in Spaghettification. Read more about the twelve art suites here.

In addition to the Art Suites, Main Hall and Ceremony Hall, a grand piano of ice, this year’s winter hotel includes an outdoor art project, a design installation, and another 20 Ice Rooms. In the year-round section, ICEHOTEL 365, guests will find 18 art and deluxe suites, an Ice Gallery and ICEBAR In Orbit. Those who prefer a warm bed can choose from cosy hotel rooms and cabins. ICEHOTEL is more than a hotel – it is a living art exhibition, filled with ephemeral art that melts back into the Torne River each spring.

Arctic experiences and local flavours 
Every year, ICEHOTEL attracts visitors from around the world — many experiencing life north of the Arctic Circle for the first time. Everything here is created on nature’s terms: the ice is borrowed for a short moment before returning to water, and both activities and culinary experiences draw inspiration from the surrounding wilderness.

At ICEHOTEL Restaurant, local ingredients are at the centre. Guests can enjoy the four-course Ice Menu, where parts of the meal are served on crystal-clear ice blocks from the Torne River — with flavours such as Kalix vendace roe, reindeer, sea buckthorn and cloudberry.

At the Veranda, guests can enjoy a Chef’s Table with a twelve-course tasting menu inspired by the eight Sámi seasons. The chefs transform local ingredients into an artistic culinary journey that delights all the senses.

Outdoors, the Arctic experience continues: try ice sculpting, join a snowmobile tour to witness aurora stronger right now than any in the past decade, go dog sledding across river and forest, take part in a traditional sauna ritual, and end the day with a wilderness dinner by open fire.

“At ICEHOTEL, the guests truly become part of nature. Sleeping among art made of ice and snow, feeling the cold and the deep silence, or standing on the frozen Torne River watching the stars and the Northern Lights — something happens inside you. These are the moments we hope our guests bring home with them: quiet, beautiful, unforgettable,” says Marie Herrey, CEO of ICEHOTEL.