Photo by Ruben Laguna

One hundred twenty-five miles above the Arctic Circle lies a hotel built entirely out of ice and snow – the Ice Hotel.  The original Ice Hotel — located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden — was the first of its kind and is without a doubt one of the coolest places to stay in the world. That’s right; prepare for some very bad ice related puns.

In the winter of 1989, Yngve Bergvist, founder of the Ice Hotel, traveled to Sapporo, Japan to visit the town’s annual ice and snow festival. At the festival, Bergvist was inspired by the ice sculptures and art that he saw on exhibit thre. When he returned home to Sweden, Bergvist invited two prominent Japanese artists to Sweden to teach a seminar about working with ice.  Now a master of ice work, Bergvist built his first snow house in February, 1990. At first Bergvist’s snow house was used merely to showcase a local art exhibit. But when some unexpected guests needed a place to sleep, Bergvist’s snow house became an impromptu hotel. Motivated, by his guest’s ecstatic reaction to their thrilling night in Bergvist’s snow house, he built the first and original Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi , Sweden in1992. Today, the Ice Hotel enjoyed a steady stream of guests and artists for over twenty years.

Photo by bjaglin

In a sense the ICEHOTEL is more like art gallery with beds than a traditional hotel. Sleeping at the Ice hotel is breathtaking experience all on its own. The entire hotel is kept at a brisk minus five degrees Celsius and features three different room types for guests: the art suite, the ice room, and the snow room. Every suite in the Ice hotel is individually designed and crafted by artists from around the world. Check out some the one-of-a-kind suites and halls designed this year and previous years for the Ice Hotel here.  In each room, guests sleep atop thermal sleeping bags to stay warm among the freezing temperatures. Each room is fully furnished with icy furniture, but lacks some other common amenities like a television or hair dryers. But just because there isn’t an overabundance of electronics in the Ice Hotel doesn’t mean that there isn’t something to do. Ice Hotel guests are free to go snowmobiling and skiing around the snowy tundra. Or grab some snow tires and hop in a car a drive around the beautiful icy Swedish countryside. Hey, you might even see some local wildlife, but if you’re hoping to see a penguin or shark then you will probably be disappointed. And each year, the Ice hotel hosts a Magnetite (Iron Ore) Art exhibit.

Because the Ice hotel is made out of snow and ice it has to be rebuilt every year. So no one stay at the Ice hotel will be like the others. Construction begins on the ICEHOTEL every year beginning in March when the hotel’s massive snow cannons churn out ice blocks harvested from the frozen Torne River and continues into December when the hotel receives its first guests. Each week in December a new section of the hotel opens up as artists and Ice hotel employee’s work diligently to build new areas like the hotel’s bar and restaurant.  And each year new artists and designers come to the Ice Hotel to build all new rooms and halls.

Unfortunately we can’t give you a description of what the menu  at the Ice Hotel restaurant will be like because it changes with every season just like the hotel. But you’re welcome to drift into the hotel’s Absolut (Vodka) ICEBAR and grab a drink or just chill out in the lounge; it’s a great place to break the ice with fellow guests.

Photo by Charlie 1965

The ICEHOTEL closes when the temperatures start to rise in April and the full summer season reduces the hotel back to water. If you’re having cold feet about staying at a frozen hotel  you could always stay in the Ice Hotel’s warm ice-free accommodations, but why wouldn’t go all the to Sweden in the winter to stay in an average warm room.

Find out more about the ICEHOTEL

The Ice Hotel is the Coolest Hotel in the World is a post from: T For Travel

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Cuba’s big news today, now that Pres. Obama has lifted old restrictions on U.S. family members’ Cuba visits. See the Los Angeles Times and USA TODAY’s coverage, and a Miami Herald story about airline service. (A flight from Miami takes 45 minutes each way and costs about $500 round trip.)

The travel restrictions, coupled with the broader push in Congress to allow all American to visit, has many people asking: Can Cuba’s existing hotels handle a potential flood of visitors?

This AP story suggests that Cuba could easily be overwhelmed by a broad American influx.

Cuba has only about 42,000 hotel rooms – or about as many as Detroit, and many are already filled with Canadians and Europeans, the story says. (Operators include Spanish hotel and resort chain Sol Melia.) Add eager Americans to the mix, and you could see sold-out nights and soaring prices. Plenty of people to enjoy the wonderful Latin music and sultry nights…

Cuba Travel Restrictions Lifted is a post from: T For Travel

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