What it's like to sleep in a (luxury) freezer: Inside Lapland's palatial Icehotel, with its elaborate bar, -5C rooms and special 'duvet suits'

  • MailOnline's Annabel Fenwick Elliott spent a night in Sweden's Icehotel, 125 miles above the Arctic circle 
  • Each winter, the 65-room structure is built from scratch by artists using ice from the nearby Torne River 
  • This year for the first time ever, a new wing will stay open all summer too, when the rest has melted down 

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Of all the hotels I've ever been to, it was my recent stay at Sweden's Icehotel which elicited the most questions.

Are you mad? Isn't it really cold? What do you sleep on? What do you wear?

In short, yes it's really cold, I slept on a bed genuinely crafted from ice, and I kept warm thanks to the strange space-age 'duvet suit' they provided me. But there's so much more to it than that at this curious Lapland domain...

Annabel spent one night at Sweden's magnificent Icehotel and enjoyed a surprisingly restful sleep in one of its 65 spacious rooms, all kept to a frigid temperature of -5C

Annabel spent one night at Sweden's magnificent Icehotel and enjoyed a surprisingly restful sleep in one of its 65 spacious rooms, all kept to a frigid temperature of -5C

Annabel's room (pictured) consisted of wavy ice structures and a swirling roof
Despite the cold she slept happily all through the night in one of the hotel's specially-designed duvet suits

Annabel's room (left) consisted of wavy ice structures and a swirling roof, and despite the cold she slept happily all through the night in one of the hotel's specially-designed duvet suits (right)

While the Icehotel has inspired copycats around the world, it all started here in the far north of Sweden back in 1989.

Nestled in the small town of Jukkasjarvi, it was first built by hotel pioneer Yngve Bergqvist - who was, at the time, regarded to be mad as a box of frogs.

As it turned out, the concept was a roaring success and each winter since then, artists from around the world have been flying in to construct the 65-room palatial structure from scratch, using ice from the nearby Torne River.

Come summer, when the sun finally wrestles its way through the winter-long darkness, the Icehotel melts back into the river from whence it came.

While the Icehotel has inspired copycats around the world with its glacial walls and reindeer hide doors, it all started here in the far north of Sweden back in 1989

While the Icehotel has inspired copycats around the world with its glacial walls and reindeer hide doors, it all started here in the far north of Sweden back in 1989

Nestled in the small town of Jukkasjarvi, not far from Kiruna, it was first built by hotel pioneer Yngve Bergqvist - who was, at the time, regarded to be mad as a box of frogs.
Of the hotel's vault-like corridors

Nestled in the small town of Jukkasjarvi, not far from Kiruna, it was first built by hotel pioneer Yngve Bergqvist - who was, at the time, regarded to be mad as a box of frogs. Pictured, two of its long corridors

As it turned out, the concept was a roaring success and each winter since then, artists from around the world have been flying in to construct the 65-room palatial structure from scratch. Pictured, the hotel's extremely cool Ice Bar

As it turned out, the concept was a roaring success and each winter since then, artists from around the world have been flying in to construct the 65-room palatial structure from scratch. Pictured, the hotel's extremely cool Ice Bar

The sprawling site consists of two oblong wings which house the bar and all the ice rooms, as well as warm cabins dotted around the perimeter, and a cosy restaurant in the centre

The sprawling site consists of two oblong wings which house the bar and all the ice rooms, as well as warm cabins dotted around the perimeter, and a cosy restaurant in the centre

The hotel sources its ice each year from the nearby Torne River
Building the hotel takes around two months

The hotel sources its ice each year from the nearby Torne River (left) and builders spends two months with chainsaws and tractors (right) to get it ready 

Come summer, when the sun finally wrestles its way through the winter-long darkness, the Icehotel melts back into the river from whence it came. Pictured, one of its dome-shaped entrances 

Come summer, when the sun finally wrestles its way through the winter-long darkness, the Icehotel melts back into the river from whence it came. Pictured, one of its dome-shaped entrances 

This year, for the first time ever, its newly opened 365 wing will remain standing all season round, kept cool - although it sounds impossible - entirely using solar power.

My Icehotel experience kicked off with an awe-inspiring tour through the gleaming corridors and vault-like rooms - each one more quirky, it seemed, than the last.

The band of artists spend months with tractors, ice picks and chainsaws to create this architectural feat - and the finished rooms are nothing short of breathtaking.

Following the tour, it was dinner fit for a (Vi) King in the property’s ski chalet-esque restaurant.

The food here is true to Lapland's native staples: chunky slices of reindeer filet served with creamy potato mash, glossy wine-infused gravy, and an array of plump red lingonberries. Desert is served on rustic ice plates.

This year, for the first time ever, its newly opened 365 wing will remain standing all season round, kept cool - although it sounds impossible - entirely using solar power. Pictured, the Icehotel's chapel, which holds weddings

This year, for the first time ever, its newly opened 365 wing will remain standing all season round, kept cool - although it sounds impossible - entirely using solar power. Pictured, the Icehotel's chapel, which holds weddings

Drinks in the Ice Bar are served in these molded ice cubs
Some courses in the restaurant are served on an ice slab

Drinks in the Ice Bar are served in these molded ice cubs (left) while some courses in the restaurant are served on an ice slab (right)

Annabel enjoyed a dinner fit for a (Vi) King in the property’s ski chalet-esque restaurant-cum-warming-station, pictured

Annabel enjoyed a dinner fit for a (Vi) King in the property’s reclaimed wood paneled ski chalet-esque restaurant, pictured 

The rooms and bar, pictured, are lit with candles and special 'cold' light bulbs which are built into the ice and don't melt it
Some cause the ice to appear electric blue

The rooms and bar (pictured) are lit with candles and special 'cold' light bulbs which are built into the ice and don't melt it

Unsurprisingly, the Ice Bar is very cold so it's essential to wrap up before heading in for a session, and wear gloves to hold the glasses

Annabel (left) was assigned a spacious walk-in 'locker' in the hotel's warm building (right) which is where guests leave their suitcases and the rest of their belongings

There, she changed out of her ski gear and wriggled into the hotel's snoozing garment (pictured) - best described as the love child between a sleeping bag and an astronaut suit

After dinner followed a lengthy stint in the cavernous, candle-lit Ice Bar sipping neat whiskey from a glass which was not a glass, but in fact an ice goblet. After that? It was finally time for bed.

First, I am assigned a spacious walk-in 'locker' in the hotel's warm building. This is where guests leave their suitcases, change out of their ski gear and wriggle into their snoozing garment - best described as the love child between a sleeping bag and an astronaut suit.

The only thing that comes into my ice bedroom with me is my phone (I can't sleep without noise) and my stuffed monkey (yes, pathetic).

Fit snugly into a groove of my stately ice bed is a waterproof mattress topped with a reindeer hide. I shuffle onto it in my suit. There's a single light switch within arm's reach. I flick it off.

And so begins my strange and glorious night in what is, once it's dark and silent, effectively a large freezer.

One of the whimsical rooms this year (pictured) comes with its very own staircase leading up to a bed on the upper level

Fit snugly into a groove of each ice bed is a waterproof mattress topped with a reindeer hide, and within arm's reach is a single switch which turns off all the lights when it's time to sleep

Once it's dark and silent, sleeping in one of these rooms means effectively snoozing in a large freezer
Still, Annabel was toasty warm in her duvet suit

Once it's dark and silent, sleeping in one of these rooms means effectively snoozing in a large freezer, but Annabel was toasty warm in her duvet suit

I slept soundly, snug as a bug in a rug all through the night, until I was woken offensively early in the morning (7am) with a steaming mug of warm lingonberry juice.

This elixir, I’m afraid, did nothing to ease the grim task of emerging from hibernation. It was the only time during my stay at the Icehotel that I can truly say I was cold.

After waddling back to sanctuary in the warm building and being reunited with my belongings, it was home time. 

Seldom few spend more than one night here, and it's certainly a long way to voyage for a single night. It's also expensive, with rooms starting at £220 and running up to around £1,000.

But was it worth it? Absolutely. And would I do it again? You bet I would.

One of the many activities the hotel offers is ice carving in a large tee-pee
Here, Annabel used a chisel to fashion this heart-shaped sculpture

One of the many activities the hotel offers is ice carving in a large tee-pee, where Annabel used a chisel to fashion this heart-shaped sculpture

Reindeer hides are used widely throughout the rooms and seating areas to offer warmth and a little comfort here and there

A few of the eye-wateringly expensive suites come with their own bathrooms, equipped with a bath and a wooden sauna leading off from the cold room

Amusingly, the hotel has fire extinguishers dug into some of its walls - a safety requirement despite a fire here being all but impossible
One of the dome panels at night time

Amusingly, the hotel has fire extinguishers dug into some of its walls - a safety requirement despite a fire here being all but impossible. Pictured right is one of the dome panels at night time

Just outside its perimeter lies a vast stretch of flat land (pictured) which makes an ideal viewing spot for the Northern Lights

Overall, Annabel (pictured) found the Icehotel experience to be magical from start to finish, and well worth the long trek and occasional shiver

TRAVEL FACTS 

With Off the Map Travel a Northern Lights adventure to Swedish Lapland costs from £1,950 per person, based on two adults sharing with some meals included, excluding flights.

Included in this are all transfers and activities including one night in the Icehotel; one night at Camp Ripan including the Aurora Spa; two nights in Bjorkliden with dogsledding, Fjäll to Fjord Narvik trip, the Taste of the Arctic wilderness experience and the Aurora Sky station dinner.

For more information, call +44 (0) 800 566 8901 or email info@offthemaptravel.co.uk. 

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