Adventure Spotlight: ICEHOTEL

On our must-visit list this winter? Sweden’s ICEHOTEL. Located in the small Swedish village of Jukkasjärvi—roughly 120 miles north of the Arctic Circle—ICEHOTEL is the world’s largest ice structure. And it’s exactly what it sounds like: a hotel made out of ice. Since 1989, it has been rebuilt from the ground up each year, using ice blocks from a nearby frozen river. This year it took 4,000 tons of ice to build the latest iteration of ICEHOTEL, and it may be the most stunning construction yet.

More than 200 artists from across the globe submitted designs for the 2017-2018 winter season, and ultimately 36 artists from 17 countries were chosen to sculpt the latest ICEHOTEL, each assigned their own room or public space to execute. Each of these “art suites” is made entirely of ice and snow. Even the “beds” are ice blocks covered in reindeer hides—guests are provided with thermal sleeping bags built for extreme weather conditions to ensure warmth. The finished structure includes 15 cold and warm rooms, an ice bar, and even a ceremony hall if you’re looking to find a truly unforgettable place for your nuptials.

To keep you from shivering your way through your stay the ICEHOTEL also offers hot showers, a sauna, fireplaces, and plenty of warm drinks. There’s also plenty to do: You can take a Northern Lights snowmobile tour, a dogsled tour, or—you guessed it—an ice-sculpting workshop. Make sure to have your camera ready when you check in because everything in ICEHOTEL is Instagram-worthy.

ICEHOTEL is open now through April 15. Below, some photos of this year’s awe-inspiring ice suites.