An ice h0tel is a temp0rary h0tel made up 0f sn0w, sculpted bl0cks 0f ice, and, in s0me cases, s0me
steel framing. They are pr0m0ted by their sp0ns0rs and have special features f0r
the travelers wh0
are interested in n0velties and unusual envir0nments, and thus are in the class
0f destinati0n h0tels. Their l0bbies are 0ften
filled with ice sculptures, and f00d and drinks are
specially ch0sen f0r the circumstances.
All 0f
the ice h0tels are rec0nstructed every year, and are dependent up0n c0nstant sub-freezing temperatures during
c0nstructi0n and 0perati0n. The walls, fixtures, and fittings are made entirely
0f ice 0r c0mpacted sn0w, and are held t0gether using a substance kn0wn
as snice,
which takes the place 0f m0rtar in a traditi0nal brick-built h0tel.
Sweden:
Existing each year between December and
April, the Iceh0tel in the village 0f Jukkasjärvi,
ab0ut 17 km fr0m Kiruna, Sweden, was the w0rld's
first ice h0tel. In 1989, Japanese ice artists visited the area and created an
exhibiti0n 0f ice art. In spring 1990, French artistJann0t Derid held an exhibiti0n in a
cylinder-shaped igl00 in the area. 0ne night there were n0 r00ms
available in the t0wn, s0 s0me 0f the visit0rs asked f0r permissi0n t0 spend
the night in the exhibiti0n hall. They slept in sleeping bags 0n t0p 0f reindeer skin – the first guests 0f the "h0tel."
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The
entire h0tel is made 0ut 0f sn0w and ice bl0cks taken fr0m the T0rne River;
even the glasses in the bar are made 0f ice. Each spring, ar0und March, Iceh0tel
harvests t0ns 0f ice fr0m the fr0zen T0rne River and st0res it in a nearby pr0ducti0n
hall with r00m f0r 0ver 10,000t0ns 0f ice and 30,000 t0ns 0f sn0w. The
ice is used f0r creating Icebar designs and ice glasses, f0r ice sculpting
classes, events and pr0duct launches all 0ver the w0rld while the sn0w is used
f0r building a str0ng structure f0r the building. Ab0ut 1,000 t0ns 0f what is
left is used in the c0nstructi0n 0f the next Ice H0tel.
Japan:
The Alpha Res0rt T0mamu in the
Shimukappu village (H0kkaid0 island) builds and 0pens a ice h0tel every year.
It is believed t0 be Japan’s first and 0nly h0tel c0nstructed 0ut 0f ice: a 15
meter-wide d0me where everything fr0m the bed t0 the table and the ceiling is 0ne
big ice sculpture.The h0tel interi0rs are typically -3 t0 -5 centigrade.
Guests dine 0n ice table and sit 0n ice chair c0vered with sheepskin.
Canada:
The Hôtel de Glace (Ice H0tel)
first 0pened in January 2001. It was 0riginally l0cated 0n the sh0res 0f Lac-Saint-J0seph,
Quebec, 31 minutes n0rth 0f Quebec City, but has since m0ved cl0ser t0 the city, 10
minutes away fr0m 0ld T0wn Quebec.It 0perates fr0m the first week in
January t0 the last week in March.
R0mania:
In 2006, the first ice h0tel in Eastern Eur0pe was built in R0mania, deep in the Făgăraş M0untains, at an altitude 0f 2034
m. Due t0 its altitude and rem0te l0cati0n the Ice H0tel is 0nly accessible via
cable car in the winter.
This
picturesque setting is next t0 Bâlea Lake,
where each year l0cal craftsmen wait f0r the lake t0 freeze, bef0re using the
ice t0 build the small 14 r00m Ice H0tel and its adjacent Ice Church. L0cal
artists imitate sculptures by R0manian m0dernist sculpt0r, C0nstantin Brâncuşi. Typically the h0tel
is c0mpleted in December and is 0pen until it melts in late April 0r early May.
Bedding,
furs, specialist sleeping bags are all pr0vided, with bathr00m facilities
nearby. There are als0 tw0 chalets within walking distance, which als0 pr0vide
acc0mm0dati0n. Activities such as skiing, sledging 0r perhaps a ride 0n a sn0w
bike are 0n 0ffer. F0r th0se wh0 are m0re 0rganised and adventur0us y0u can
even arrange heliskiing.
The Bâlea Lake Ice H0tel is R0manian 0wned, but has a
relati0nship with a travel c0mpany Untravelled Paths Limited, based in the
United Kingd0m.
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