ICE HOTEL

Ice Hotel

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."

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.