Every November, crews on the Torne River in Swedish Lapland start cutting blocks of ice the size of small cars. A few weeks later those blocks have become a hotel, with a lobby, a bar and bedrooms where the walls glitter under colored light. By April the whole thing melts back into the river.
Ice hotels are one of the strangest ideas in travel: you pay more than for a good city hotel to sleep at about 23°F (minus 5°C). They are also among the most memorable nights you can have in the Arctic. Here are the ones worth the trip in winter 2026-2027, what a night inside is really like, and how to plan it.
How Does an Ice Hotel Work?
An ice hotel is rebuilt from scratch every winter. Builders mix ice blocks with "snice", a dense mix of snow and ice that insulates far better than ice alone, and artists carve the suites and sculptures. Inside, the temperature stays at around 23 to 27°F (minus 3 to minus 5°C), whatever the weather outside.
You sleep on a bed made of ice or snow topped with a mattress and reindeer hides, inside an expedition sleeping bag. There are no bathrooms in the cold rooms. Every ice hotel has a heated building next door with toilets, showers, saunas and lockers, and most guests spend just one night in the ice and the rest of their stay in a warm room.
The Ice Hotels Worth Traveling For
ICEHOTEL, Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
The original. ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, a short drive from Kiruna Airport, started the concept around 1990, and it is still the largest and most artistic. The 37th edition, ICEHOTEL 37, opens on December 11, 2026, according to the hotel. It is built from around 2,000 tons of natural ice from the Torne River and has 12 new art suites designed by artists selected from almost 300 applicants.
Next door, ICEHOTEL 365 stands all year. It has been open since 2016 and is cooled by solar power in summer, so you can sleep in an ice suite even in July. Day visitors pay about 325 Swedish kronor (about $33 in 2026) to walk through, and entry is free for overnight guests.
The location helps: Jukkasjärvi is north of the Arctic Circle, and the hotel says its northern lights season runs from late August to April.
Hôtel de Glace, Quebec, Canada
The only ice hotel in North America sits at Village Vacances Valcartier, a short drive north of Quebec City. For the 2026-2027 season, Valcartier lists day and evening visits from December 26, 2026 to March 21, 2027 and overnight stays from January 4 to March 13, 2027, with the opening date depending on the weather. Suites start at around 485 Canadian dollars (about $340 in 2026) before taxes.
This is the easiest ice hotel for most Americans: a short flight to Quebec City, no jet lag and a chance to combine it with the Quebec Winter Carnival in February. The ice chapel is popular for weddings.
Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, Alta, Norway
Visit Norway calls Sorrisniva the northernmost ice hotel in the world. It sits on the Alta River about 12 miles (20 km) from the town of Alta in Finnmark. The hotel covers about 27,000 square feet (2,500 square meters) and takes around 250 tonnes of ice and 7,000 cubic meters of snow to build each year. It is open from December 20 to March 31. Day entry for 2026-2027 is 395 Norwegian kroner (about $42), and rooms start at about 4,070 kroner (about $430).
Alta is known for northern lights, so many guests combine the night with an aurora tour or a husky ride. If dog sledding tempts you, see our guide to dog sledding trips.
Arctic SnowHotel, Rovaniemi, Finland
Near Rovaniemi, the busy Lapland hub, the Arctic SnowHotel builds its snow rooms, ice restaurant, ice bar and ice chapel each winter, open from December 15 to March 31. Its unusual extra is a sauna built of snow. The same site has heated glass igloos, so you can split your stay between a cold night and a warm night under the sky.
Lapland Hotels SnowVillage, Kittilä, Finland
SnowVillage, between the ski resorts of Levi and Ylläs, is built from over 20 million kilos of snow and about 300,000 kilos of natural ice each year. It opens on December 25, 2026 and stays open daily until April 4, 2027, with a new theme every season. An adult ticket costs about 26 euros (about $29 in 2026).
Where You Can Not Sleep in Ice This Winter
Plans change quickly in this business, so check before you book anything:
- Tromsø Ice Domes in northern Norway say they will not be available for the 2026-2027 winter season.
- Kemi's SnowCastle in Finland, once famous, has not been built for years. The SnowCastle area now has a smaller year-round ice exhibition.
- Aurora Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs outside Fairbanks, Alaska, is the closest U.S. option. It is an ice museum and bar kept at about 25°F (minus 4°C) all year, which you visit on a 45-minute tour, not a full ice hotel.
What Is a Night in an Ice Hotel Really Like?
Most people sleep better than they expect. The expedition sleeping bags are rated for far colder temperatures than the room, and staff give a briefing on how to use them. The rules of thumb:
- Wear a base layer of wool or synthetic fabric and a hat inside the sleeping bag. Do not wear cotton or too many layers, which make you sweat and then feel cold.
- Keep your phone, batteries and contact lenses inside the bag or in the warm building. Cold drains batteries fast.
- Go to the bathroom right before bed. The heated building is a walk away.
- Expect an early wake-up, often with a hot drink, and head straight for the sauna in the warm building.
Children are welcome in most ice hotels, but check the minimum age, and think about whether a young child will handle a night at 23°F.
When to Go, and How to Book
Ice hotels are at their best in January and February, when the art is fresh and the cold is stable. December has the shortest days and the most holiday crowds, and March has more light and softer temperatures.
Book early. Art suites at ICEHOTEL and weekend nights at Hôtel de Glace often sell out months ahead, and the opening packages at ICEHOTEL 37 sold out before the season started. One night in the ice is enough for most travelers: plan it in the middle of your trip, so you have warm nights before and after.
Just curious? Every ice hotel on this list offers day tickets, so you can see the art without sleeping in it. For a softer option, look at Japan's ryokans or overwater bungalows in our other guides to unusual places to stay.
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice hotel in the USA?
Not a full ice hotel. The closest option is the Aurora Ice Museum at Chena Hot Springs near Fairbanks, Alaska. North America's only ice hotel is the Hôtel de Glace near Quebec City.
How cold is it inside an ice hotel?
Usually around 23 to 27°F (minus 3 to minus 5°C), regardless of the temperature outside. Guests sleep in expedition sleeping bags rated for much colder conditions.
When does ICEHOTEL open in 2026?
ICEHOTEL 37 in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, opens on December 11, 2026, according to the hotel. ICEHOTEL 365 next door is open all year.
How much does a night in an ice hotel cost?
Expect several hundred dollars per room. At the Hôtel de Glace suites start at about 485 Canadian dollars before taxes, and at Sorrisniva rooms start at about 4,070 Norwegian kroner.
