🏨 Ice hotels in Sweden and Canada, snow castle in Finland: 2026/2027 season and how to book

Spending a night in a room made of ice is something few people dare to do. These hotels are built only in northern countries, and every winter they are rebuilt from scratch. In winter, people come here for the Arctic night, the northern lights and unusual photos, not for conventional comfort.

The world's first ice hotel appeared in Swedish Lapland in the late eighties, and since then Canada and Finland have picked up the idea. We've rounded up three ice destinations, and at two of the hotels you can spend the night on an ice bed. The third place, the snow castle in Kemi, is designed for a daytime visit without an overnight stay. Below you'll find the operating season, room categories and the honest catch of each place.

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Ice hotels: what a night on ice is like

💡 In short:

The season at these hotels is short, usually December through April, and exact dates depend on the frost.
Rooms are built from ice blocks, beds are covered with reindeer hides, and sleeping bags and warm footwear are provided on site.
Season and accommodation conditions: as of 09/2026, verified on the official ICEHOTEL website.

The concept is the same at all three places, but the scale and price differ dramatically. Sweden's Icehotel focuses on art, Canada's Hôtel de Glace on entertainment, and Finland's castle in Kemi on a snow park for the whole family.

1. Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi (Sweden)

Ice bed with reindeer hides in a snow room

Icehotel is considered the world's first ice hotel. It has been built since 1989 from ice from the Torne River (as of 09/2026, ICEHOTEL page in Jukkasjärvi). Every winter, a new building with its own design appears on the site, so the hotel's shape never repeats, and the current season will be its thirty-seventh.

The room inventory is divided into several categories. Art Suites are decorated with ice sculptures created by artists from around the world. Ice Rooms are kept in the spirit of Scandinavian minimalism, while Snow Rooms remain the simplest option. The sleeping rooms stay at around minus five degrees, so warm clothing, footwear and sleeping bags are provided at check-in.

In the evening, guests gather in the Main Hall, have drinks at Icebar by ICEHOTEL and dine at the restaurant. A separate attraction of the hotel is the ice chapel, where local couples hold weddings and christenings. The complex also operates in summer, not only in freezing weather.

Location: the village of Jukkasjärvi in Swedish Lapland, beyond the Arctic Circle, with the nearest airport in Kiruna.
Who it's for: couples and travelers interested in ice sculptures and a night in Arctic silence.
Not for: those who don't handle cold well and want a regular heated room.
Price: a night costs more than a regular hotel; check the exact price in the hotel search on Trip.com.
The catch: you'll sleep in a sleeping bag on an ice bed, not in a regular bed.

2. Hôtel de Glace near Quebec City (Canada)

Snow hotel with arched entrances and people in winter

Canada’s Hôtel de Glace operates as part of the Village Vacances Valcartier complex. It’s about a half-hour drive from Quebec City (as of 09/2026, official Valcartier website). The hotel opens in January and is dismantled in late March, so the season here is shorter than in Lapland.

Several dozen rooms fit under the snow and ice vaults. Inside there’s an ice-bar skating rink, a small cinema, a museum and gallery of ice sculptures, a chapel, and a spa area with cryotherapy treatments. Rooms are decorated with ice chandeliers, carved columns, and arches.

You don’t have to stay overnight. The owners run tours through the ice halls and open a bar where you can get a drink in ice glassware (as of 09/2026, Valcartier).

Location: Valcartier, about a half-hour from downtown Quebec City.
Who it’s for: families and groups who combine a night on ice with skating and tubing.
Price: a night costs more than a regular hotel; check exact prices in Hôtel de Glace search on Trip.com.
The catch: the hotel is seasonal, in warm weather it simply doesn’t exist.

3. SnowCastle LumiLinna in Kemi (Finland)

Illuminated snow tower and castle wall at dusk

LumiLinna in Kemi is rebuilt from scratch every winter. The old castle melts, and a new one with a different design rises in its place, so both the shape and the interiors change each season. Inside there’s an ice bar, a gallery, and a chapel.

The castle used to be an ice hotel with a few rooms, including a honeymoon suite. Today it’s more of a winter park. According to Visit Kemi on the snow castle, the main building hosts an ice exhibition with sculptures, a slide, and an ice bar in winter.

In winter the program is designed for a full day. You can go dog sledding, ride reindeer and snowmobile sleds, take an icebreaker cruise, and join an igloo-building workshop. After the cold, a Finnish sauna, a hot shower, and a warm building next to the ice castle await you. In the evening an ice bar-restaurant serves Lapland cuisine on ice tables.

Location: downtown Kemi, a couple of minutes from the port.
Who it’s for: families with kids and anyone who wants to see a snow castle without sleeping on ice.
Price: a winter park ticket is valid all day, individual activities cost extra (as of 09/2026, Snow castle in Kemi).
The catch: in scale the castle is noticeably more modest than the Swedish and Canadian hotels.
Where to stay: hotels in Kemi on Trip.com.

⁉️🤔 Frequently asked questions

When does the winter season open at ice hotels?

Sweden’s Icehotel welcomes guests from early December and runs through April, Canada’s Hôtel de Glace is dismantled in late March, and the castle in Kemi stands from mid-January to April (as of 09/2026, Visit Kemi: winter season). Exact dates depend on frost and ice thickness.

What’s included in the cost of a night on ice?

A night in an ice room is always more expensive than a regular hotel. The price includes a sleeping bag, warm clothing, and footwear (as of 09/2026, ICEHOTEL: 2026/2027 booking). Exact prices depend on room category and date; check them on the hotel’s booking page.

Is it cold to sleep in an ice room?

Ice rooms stay around minus five degrees. You sleep in a sleeping bag on a bed covered with reindeer hides, and warm clothing and footwear are provided on site. In the morning a hot shower and sauna await you, so you won’t seriously freeze.

What should I bring for a night in an ice hotel?

Bring a warm hat, gloves, and wool socks. The hotel provides a sleeping bag and outerwear for the night (as of 09/2026, ICEHOTEL: what's included in the night), so you don't need a large suitcase. Keep warm items within reach and don't bring gear you'd hate to leave out in the cold.

Can you come with kids?

Yes, but with caveats. At Canada's Hôtel de Glace, there's a snow park nearby with tubing and a skating rink, and at Finland's LumiLinna there are ice slides and carousels (as of 09/2026, Kemi tourism office about the winter park). For little ones, it's better to swap a night on ice for a night in a warm cabin nearby.

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In short: what's worth booking

If you want to spend the night on ice and are willing to pay for the experience, go with Icehotel. It's the largest and most famous option, and part of the complex operates year-round.

If you're traveling with kids and want more entertainment, choose Hôtel de Glace near Quebec City. There's a snow park, skating rink, and spa nearby, and the drive from Quebec City takes about half an hour.

If a snow castle for the day is enough, make Kemi your stop. The ice park is easy to fit into a Lapland trip, and the ticket is valid all day.

Prices for winter nights sell out long before the season, so it's worth checking prices on Trip.com in advance.

Night on ice: two ice hotels and a snow castle rebuilt every season