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A hotel made entirely of ice has opened in Lapland for the winter.
The ICEHOTEL, located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, is in its 36th iteration and was constructed entirely from ice harvested from the nearby Torne River.
Hotel guests can bed down on blocks of ice surrounded by shimmering, snowy art, created by 33 artists from 12 countries.
This year’s highlight includes a full-scale, playable grand piano.
The on-site restaurant will serve a four-course menu, served up on crystal-clear blocks, with options including reindeer, sea buckthorn, cloudberry and roe.
There will also be a “Chef’s Table” dining experience: a twelve-course tasting menu inspired by the eight Sámi seasons.
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The playable ice grand piano at ICEHOTEL 36 (ICEHOTEL)
Arctic activities include snowmobile tours to chase the Northern Lights, dog sledding across river and forest, traditional sauna rituals and a wilderness dinner by an open fire.
And inside, there’s also a cinema made entirely of ice and snow.
Suites are themed around the icy artworks within. Guests are transported to sleeping “in the eye of the storm” in “Sweep Me Off My Feet”, or can get lost in a dream world in “Soap Bubbles”.
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The “Sweep Me Off My Feet” art suite by Elin Julin & Ida Mangsbo at ICEHOTEL 36 (ICEHOTEL)
Guests seeking a warmer night can opt for one of 28 “warm” cabins, which start from 1656 SEK (£133) based on two people sharing.
The ice-harvesting process began in March, which was followed by the construction of the 2,800-square-metre hotel in November.
The “living art exhibition” melts back into the Torne each spring.
The team behind ICEHOTEL also plan to open an “ice bar” in London next year.
ICEHOTEL’s creative director, Luca Roncoroni, said: “I am very proud of everyone who contributed to ICEHOTEL 36.
“Some of the artists came with years of experience and others never worked in snow and ice before.
“Thanks to hard work and a positive spirit we managed to get everything ready on time!”
For more information, and to book, head to ICEHOTEL 36’s website.
Read more: How to visit Father Christmas in Lapland on a budget
