Freezing Visit to Lapland's Ice Hotel That Melts Every Spring and Returns Each Winter

There are attractions you come to because of the hype, and there are others you come to because you simply can't understand how they're even possible. That was exactly my visit to the Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos, one of the symbols of Finnish Lapland and one of the most impressive attractions in the Rovaniemi area.

Even before you enter, it's hard to believe that everything you see is made of snow and ice. The walls, ceilings, hallways, sculptures, beds, and even the bar - all are made of snow and ice. The feeling is not of a regular hotel, but of a vast art gallery frozen in time

The project is being led by SnowHotel Family, which founded the hotel in 2008 with the desire to create an extraordinary Arctic hospitality experience. Since then, the place has become one of the most recognizable attractions in Rovaniemi and Lapland, attracting visitors from all over the world. Despite its popularity, it still maintains a unique character and combines Finnish hospitality, nature, design and art.

But what makes the hotel truly special is the fact that it is not meant to stay. Every year, with the onset of winter, the rebuilding process begins. Over the course of weeks, the entire structure is constructed from snow and ice, and each season it takes on a completely new design. When spring arrives and temperatures rise, the hotel gradually melts away and returns to nature. The following winter, it all starts over again, so no two visits are the same.

The Ice Hotel in Lapland. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

Art is an integral part of the experience. Each season, the hotel rooms and the artwork scattered throughout the complex are redesigned, with each room having its own concept. The ice sculptures, lighting, and engravings turn each space into a work of art in its own right, and during the tour I felt like I was moving between different installations rather than between hotel rooms. Almost every few meters, I found myself stopping to take a picture of another angle and another sculpture.

Although I didn't sleep at the hotel, I came to visit, but even so, it's an experience worth dedicating at least an hour and a half to. You can enter most of the ice rooms, admire the changing designs, visit the ice church, where wedding ceremonies are also held every winter, and understand how much work goes into a place that only exists for a few months of the year.

The Ice Bar. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

One of the most famous stops is the Ice Bar. Here, too, everything is made of ice: the counter, the chairs, the shelves, and even the drinking glasses. You can order a cocktail or a shot served in an ice glass, and when you finish drinking, you break the glass on the ice wall. This has already become a tradition at the place, and almost every visitor stops to take a picture of this moment.

The Ice Bar. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

No less impressive is the Ice Restaurant, which is rebuilt every winter according to that year's design concept. The tables, chairs and decorations are sculpted from ice, the colorful lighting gives the space an almost dreamlike atmosphere, and guests enjoy a warm meal in a space frozen at around zero to minus five degrees. The menu is based on Lapland cuisine and includes dishes such as Arctic salmon and reindeer meat, and the meal is finished with dessert served on a plate of ice, a small detail that also makes the meal itself part of the experience.

The complex also features the world's only snow saunas, alongside traditional Finnish saunas and an outdoor jacuzzi. The combination of Arctic cold and sauna heat is an integral part of Finnish culture, and even for those who don't plan to try it, it's a particularly intriguing sight.

The Ice Bar. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

For those who want to take the experience one step further, you can also stay overnight in the Ice Hotel.

The temperature inside the rooms is usually maintained between zero and minus five degrees, even when the temperatures outside are much lower. The beds themselves are made of ice, but they are topped with an insulated base and mattress, and guests are provided with thermal sleeping bags designed for arctic temperatures. The toilets, showers and changing rooms are located in a heated building nearby, so there is no need to worry about comfort.

One of the little details that made me smile was that there is a "Do Not Disturb" sign next to each room, just like in any other hotel. Only here there are no doors, just thick curtains that separate the rooms from the hallways.

The Ice Hotel in Lapland. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

How Much Does It Cost?

Even if you don't plan on staying overnight, it's definitely worth a visit. An entrance ticket to the Ice Hotel costs €35 for adults and €17 for children, and includes access to the Ice Hotel, Ice Bar, Ice Restaurant, Ice Church, and artwork. You can also join a guided tour, which explains how the hotel is built each year and how they manage to create an entire structure out of snow and ice.
Accommodation prices vary depending on the season, room type, and package selected, so it's recommended to check the hotel's official website before booking.

The ice hotel in Lapland, Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

When Can I Visit?

The Ice Hotel is usually open from mid-December to the end of March. When spring comes, it melts completely, so those who come to Lapland in the summer will no longer be able to visit it. However, the glass igloos in the complex continue to operate outside of the winter season.

You can even sleep here. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

How Do We Get There?

The hotel is located about a 30-minute drive from the center of Rovaniemi. It can be reached by rental car, taxi, or by the hotel's shuttle service from the city center and Santa Claus Village.

The ice hotel in Lapland, Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

How Much Time Should You Dedicate?

If you don't plan on staying at the hotel, it's recommended to spend between an hour and a half and two hours visiting. That's enough time to wander through the ice rooms, visit the ice church, enter the ice bar, admire the ice restaurant, and take pictures of the changing artwork.

The ice hotel in Lapland, Arctic SnowHotel & Glass Igloos. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

The Bottom Line

Before I arrived, I was sure that this was mostly a tourist gimmick. In fact, I discovered a place that manages to combine art, design, architecture, and nature in an extraordinary way. It's not every day that you get to walk around a hotel knowing in advance that it will disappear in a few months and return next winter in a completely different form.

Even if you have no intention of spending the night on a bed of ice, I think a visit to the Arctic SnowHotel is one of the experiences you shouldn’t miss when you come to Lapland. After I finished the tour and went back out into the snow, it was clear to me that this was not just another tourist attraction, but a place that manages to transform snow and ice into a real work of art. Perhaps it is precisely because it is temporary that it is so special.

Please do not disturb. Photo: Matan Hetzroni

Pretty frozen. Photo: Matan Hetzroni