Have you heard of the Ice Hotel in Finland? Ever wondered what it is like to spend a night sleeping on ice in a snow hotel? We spent a couple of nights at the incredible Artic Snow Hotel and loved every minute. Find out what you need to know about spending the night on ice!
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Where is the Arctic Snow Hotel?
Located approximately 25km outside of Rovaniemi in Finland you will find Lake Lehtojärvi. The Arctic Snow Hotel sits right on its shore. It is the most tranquil and serene place, covered in snow making it just magical. The area is located in the Arctic Circle in Finnish Lapland.
What is it like to spend the night in the Snow Hotel?
Checking in and taking a tour of the Ice Hotel Finland
I was a little daunted by the idea of sleeping in an Ice Hotel Finland but it ended up being a very unique and special experience. The Snow Hotel itself is beautiful. When you arrive you will be checked in and shown around the hotel and area by a staff member. We loved our tour, the staff member was so helpful and made us feel confident about the night ahead. There is so much to see at the Arctic Snow Hotel! Check out all the details on our overall review of the Arctic Snow Hotel.
Organising our stay
We were asked when we would like to be woken up in the morning as a staff member would come into wake us with a warm apple drink. We selected our time and then chose to also be woken up if the aurora borealis appeared.
After this we stowed our belongings in the locker room. This is a warm room that is set up to stay in if you can’t stand the ice and cold any longer. There are bunk beds in here and it is also where you retrieve your sleeping bags from.
There is a separate toilet area (not made of ice) which is incredibly clean and well maintained in the hotel.
Looking around the Snow Hotel
We were then free to wander and explore the Artic Snow Hotel Ice Hotel. There are around 50 rooms and each one is carved out of ice each year. We were given the dinosaur room. It was incredible. Large dinosaurs jutting out of the walls of ice and a bed that was a slab of ice. There was a thin mattress on top of the bed to lie on.
Exploring the other rooms we found so many incredible designs. A Little Bo Peep design, jungle, sloths and more. Each room was just as wonderful as the next. Coloured lights were used to light up the carvings and create a mood for each room. I really liked our dinosaur room the best!
The Ice bar and chapel
It is quite easy to get lost in the Ice Hotel Finland and we kept walking back up the same hallways! It really becomes a little rabbit warren of ice.
We came across the Ice Bar where you can buy drinks made in ice glasses, of course the tables and bar are also made of ice.
After this we discovered the Ice Chapel. Apparently there are many weddings here each year. What a unique and special wedding that would be!
Time to turn in
We decided it was time to get our beds set up and turn in for the night. We collected our sleeping bags and pillows and returned to our room. There is a little sign that you can attach across the door to let others know not to enter and after drawing a curtain we were done.
We set up our inner sleeping bag and the outer sleeping bag and then climbed in. Once we were wrapped up in our sleeping bags we started to warm up and become quite comfortable!
The Aurora Borealis at Ice Hotel Finland
We had asked to be woken up if the aurora came out and it did! During the middle of the night Mike got a tug on his leg, it was a staff member waking him up to see the aurora. He got up but I was so tired I just couldn’t! Mike went out and had a look, walking down to the lake to check it out.
The next morning
We really felt like we had achieved something by spending the night in the Artic Snow Hotel Ice Hotel. You are not allowed to spend more than one night in the ice hotel, due to the temperature and we can see why. When the lovely staff member came in, waking us up with a delicious warm apple drink it was much appreciated!
We went to the Log Restaurant for breakfast after putting our sleeping bags away. Wow! The breakfast was incredible. It was a full buffet with everything you can imagine. All the food was really fresh and the staff were wonderful. Being coeliac I asked what was safe for me to eat. I was given a full tour and then brought out hot gluten free rolls and gluten free cinnamon donuts! I was in heaven.
Is the Ice Hotel in Finland at Arctic Snow Hotel worth it?
Yes 100%! We absolutely loved our stay at the Arctic Snow Hotel. It is the most unique and memorable experience we have ever had. To think that the Ice Hotel is created fresh every year is just incredible, so much work and creativity is put into it.
If you are looking for the ultimate Arctic stay, full of ice, snow and magical moments then the Arctic Snow Hotel is your perfect destination accommodation. We even received a certificate for spending the night in the Snow Hotel! It was such a sweet gesture, making a lovely souvenir.
If you just want to visit but not stay the night this is a great tour to the Snow Hotel and includes dinner in the Ice Restaurant!
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