The world's first and most famous ice hotel, rebuilt every winter with new art suites carved from Torne River ice. Includes warm hotel rooms year-round in ICEHOTEL 365. Once-in-a-lifetime Arctic experience.
Icehotel stands at Marknadsvägen 63 in Jukkasjärvi, a village of approximately 500 residents on the bank of the Torne River in Swedish Lapland. The property sits 17 kilometres east of Kiruna Airport and 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, placing it in one of Europe's most remote and climatically extreme hotel settings. Transfers from Kiruna Airport take around 20 minutes by shuttle or taxi.
The concept began in 1989 when an igloo-like art gallery was constructed from local river ice and snow. It has since grown into the world's most recognised cold-construction hotel, rebuilt in a different configuration each winter by commissioned artists from around the world. The seasonal ice hotel occupies a large footprint of individual art suites, each designed by a different artist team and carved from blocks harvested from the Torne River the previous spring. The internal temperature in ice rooms is held at approximately minus five degrees Celsius year-round.
Accommodation splits across two distinct categories. The seasonal cold accommodation — open roughly November through April — comprises Art Suites with unique hand-carved interiors, and Deluxe Suites at the upper tier. Guests sleep on reindeer-skin-covered ice beds inside sleeping bags rated to minus thirty degrees. ICEHOTEL 365, the permanent structure powered by solar energy and Torne River cold-storage, offers the ice suite experience year-round. Warm hotel rooms and cabins are available on the property for those wanting proximity to the ice experience without sleeping on it.
The on-site restaurant serves Nordic cuisine with heavy use of local ingredients including reindeer, Arctic char, and cloudberries. The Icebar is a permanent fixture, serving drinks in glasses made of ice. Guided activities include Northern Lights excursions (November through March is peak aurora season), dog sledding, snowmobile safaris, ice fishing, and midnight sun experiences in summer.
Spa facilities include an outdoor hot tub and traditional wood-fired sauna, both standard at Swedish Lapland properties. Service is guided and experience-focused rather than conventional concierge — the team's strength is logistics for Arctic activities. The property suits adventurous couples, photography-focused travellers, and those seeking a high-latitude experience with structured guiding.
Amenities
- Icebar
- sauna
- restaurant
- Northern Lights tours
- dog sledding
Location
Marknadsvägen 63, 981 91 Jukkasjärvi
67.8511, 20.6075 View on map
Highlights
- Seasonal art suites built entirely from Torne River ice and snow, redesigned by international artists each winter
- ICEHOTEL 365 permanent structure enables the ice suite experience year-round, not only in winter
- Northern Lights excursions departing directly from the property during the November–March aurora season
- Dog sledding, snowmobile safaris, and ice fishing organised through the in-house activity programme
- Restaurant serving traditional Sami and Nordic cuisine with reindeer, Arctic char, and local foraged ingredients
Tips for visiting
- Book 12 months in advance for Art Suites — the most distinctive rooms sell out within hours of the annual release
- Sleeping in the ice requires no cold-weather clothing experience; the hotel provides full thermal sleeping bags and briefing on how to manage the minus-five temperature
- ICEHOTEL 365 is the better choice in summer and early autumn when the seasonal ice rooms are not yet built
- Aurora viewing is not guaranteed — the hotel recommends a minimum three-night stay to maximise the chance of catching Northern Lights in clear-sky conditions
- Kiruna town, 17 kilometres west, has additional restaurants, the relocated Kiruna Church, and the LKAB iron ore mine tours — worth a half-day excursion
When to visit
December to February for the full ice suite experience and best aurora probability. June to August for midnight sun and summer Arctic activities via ICEHOTEL 365.
Accessibility
The ice structures are not wheelchair accessible — uneven surfaces, narrow carved passages, and sub-zero temperatures present significant barriers. Warm hotel rooms and cabins are more accessible. Contact the hotel directly to discuss specific requirements.