Travellers seeking an unusual winter holiday can choose from a growing number of ice hotels across Europe, where accommodation is built from snow and ice and reconstructed each year or maintained throughout the winter season.
These destinations feature sculpted ice bedrooms, frozen bars, snow-built restaurants and other attractions designed around their icy surroundings. Options range from remote Arctic retreats in Norway and Sweden to igloo villages in the Austrian and Swiss Alps.
Some properties also offer winter activities, including Northern Lights excursions, husky sledding and other experiences. Stays at selected hotels are advertised from around £143 per night.
Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, Alta, Norway
Located about 20 kilometres from Alta town centre in northern Norway, the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel is built entirely from snow and ice and reconstructed from scratch every winter.
The 2,500-square-metre structure uses approximately 250 tonnes of ice and more than 7,000 cubic metres of snow collected from the local Sierravann lake and Alta River.
Sorrisniva is recognised as Norway’s oldest ice hotel and is described as the world’s northernmost igloo hotel.
The property has also been cited as an inspiration for a similar ice hotel featured in the Apple TV+ series Pluribus, where the setting represents a dreamlike but uncomfortable experience for the characters.
Arctic SnowHotel, Rovaniemi, Finnish Lapland
The Arctic SnowHotel in Rovaniemi is constructed for the winter season, offering guests the choice of staying in the snow hotel or booking one of its 15 igloos.
The igloos feature thermal glass and heated floors, while guests can arrange to have breakfast delivered the following morning.
Facilities at the property include an Ice Restaurant, Ice Bar, Ice Chapel and snow saunas, giving visitors several ways to experience the hotel’s snow-and-ice setting.
Snowhotel 365, Kirkenes, Norway
Snowhotel 365 in Kirkenes is described as the world’s only hotel made entirely from snow and ice that remains open throughout the year.
Its rooms are individually carved, with each offering a different design against the surrounding Arctic landscape.
Visitors can also take part in activities such as Northern Lights viewing, husky sledding and king crab safaris.
ICEHOTEL, Jukkasjärvi, Swedish Lapland
The ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi, Swedish Lapland, is the largest ice hotel in the world, covering approximately 6,000 square metres.
First built in 1989, the property is located about 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle. Its construction uses around 550 tonnes of ice each year.
Guests can choose between “cold” accommodation inside the ice hotel and warmer rooms. Packages include an overnight stay, dinner and breakfast.
Hunderfossen Snow Hotel, Lillehammer, Norway
The Hunderfossen Snow Hotel in Lillehammer offers snow-built suites designed for groups of two, four or six people.
Accommodation packages include entry to the Winter Park, which features a range of seasonal activities. Guests also receive dinner and breakfast at Hunderfossen Hotel, transportation by kick sled, an ice drink at King Valemon’s Ice Bar and a private apartment.
Those staying in the snow hotel spend the night in sleeping bags, with the rooms providing a particularly quiet environment.
Iglu-Dorf Zermatt, Switzerland
Iglu-Dorf operates five igloo holiday villages in the Alps, each built from snow and ice and reconstructed every year. Its Zermatt village is a popular choice among visitors to the Swiss resort.
Temperatures inside the igloos typically range from minus 2C to 2C. The beds are carved from snow, while guests receive expedition sleeping bags to help them cope with the cold.
The rooms also feature thermal mats, electric lighting and USB power connections. A network of corridors links the igloos, providing shelter from the elements.
SnowVillage Lapland Hotels, Kittilä, Finland
Lapland Hotels SnowVillage is rebuilt annually in Lainio, Kittilä, in Finnish Lapland. The property is scheduled to open for the 2026–2027 winter season on December 25.
According to the hotel, the complex covers approximately two hectares and is constructed using more than 20 million kilograms of snow and around 300,000 kilograms of clear natural ice each year.
The village adopts a different theme each season, with the theme for winter 2026–2027 still to be announced in the supplied report.
The Schneedorf Igloo Village, Austria
The Schneedorf Igloo Village is located at an altitude of 2,000 metres in Austria’s Ötztal Valley in Tyrol. The property describes itself as Austria’s first igloo village and says its elevation guarantees snow.
Built entirely from snow and ice, the village is reconstructed every year. Snow sculptors create artwork across the walls and ceilings of the igloos, giving the accommodation distinctive designs.
The property offers visitors an opportunity to stay in a snow-built setting in the Austrian Alps.
