Get there before it melts (The Ice Hotel (Jukkasjärvi, Sweden))

Member Name: degsy70

Product:	The Ice Hotel (Jukkasjärvi, Sweden)
Date:	05/02/09 (135 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Ice suites, skidoo trips

Disadvantages: Cabins are uninspiring

If you've never been to the Ice hotel in Jukkasjärvi then you are missing out on one of the greatest experiences you can ever have in the freezing cold.
We flew from Leeds Bradford to Copenhagen, then to Stockholm then to Karuna. It was a roundabout way of getting there due to weather conditions, the original flight was supposed to be LBR to Stockholm and then Karuna. A 30 minute coach trip to the hotel is provided and on arrival you are amazed at the sheer beauty of the complex.
The hotel is rebuilt every year due to the fact that ice melts () but this makes it an even more unique experience as you know that only a few people will have been in the same room as you and probably never again.
You are given all the gear you need i.e. hats, gloves, jackets etc as obviously it gets very cold. We chose to spend the first night in one of the log cabins which is like a sauna on overdrive. They are well equipped and functional but not very inspiring. The main attraction of our trip was to stay in one of the suites. The second night we were shown to our suite, the 'Vortex' which was exclusively designed by one of the many architects and artists that are invited each year. Before settling in for the night we went to the restaurant (there is a bar restaurant as well with cheapish sandwiches and burgers) where my girlfriend had reindeer steak and I had 'steak of cow' (according to the waitress!). 3 course meal with wine approx £60.
We were 'advised' not to drink anything if we were staying in the suite but we were on our holidays!
You have to get changed in a communal area (with cubicles) into your thermals and then leave your belongings in a locker. If you bring items into the room then they will freeze! We opted for the double sleeping bag and headed for the ice room. I have a tendency to sleep above the covers and found that my head was rather cold when I was awoken by our room supervisor at 6am with a glass of warm elderberry juice. It was deadly silent in the room and apparently they often get requests for a radio as people are so used to city noise when they are in bed at home.
We chose to do two skidoo trips which although were quite costly (about £150 in total) were the best fun I've had in years. The first trip takes you through the woods on a 16 kilometre ride and then back across the river that they get the ice from to build the hotel. The second trip was the Northern Lights trip, it is much longer and halfway through you stop off in little huts to have food and drink (included in the price). Roaring fire, mongoose soup (which was delicious), sandwich, dessert and more elderberry juice. Was really nice sitting and chatting to other members on the trip. We didn't see the lights but still loved the excursion. Would highly recommend hanging at the back of the group so that you get the skidoo at the back of the queue, when the instructor is out of sight floor it, it's 0-60 in 2 seconds!
We also did a huskies trip through the forest which was also superb (with stop off for refreshments). Sitting at the front gives you a great view of the landscape and the dogs but bear in mind that they like to do lots of number ones so make sure you have a scarf over your mouth!
Bizarrely it was arguably the warmest I have been on any holiday as you are constantly in your ski suits. We went from inside the hotel which is maintained at minus five degrees to outside which was minus two and it felt like walking into a sauna!
It was a fantastic trip, I highly recommend staying inside the hotel in a suite but only for one night.

Summary: A must for those who don't mind the cold