The Ice Hotel, Sweden

After my epic dog sledding trip across the uninhabited, but beautiful Swedish Arctic, before I left Sweden I took some time to see a few of the more inhabited areas close by.

Which just so happened meant I was close by to the world famous Ice Hotel. So me and my fellow explorers hopped in the back of a rather large truck and headed over to it.

The Ice Hotel is as it sounds, a hotel made of ice. The walls, floor, rooms, even the beds are made out of ice from the local river.

Now it's also as much a museum as it is a hotel, meaning that it is open to the public until 6pm, so even the rooms are open to go view and explore. I wasn't staying there, which I wasn't gutted about his time as I'd just stayed in my very own igloo I built personally, so I think I win.

Inside the hotel is a grand, beautiful entrance with pillars made of solid ice, carved with intricate designs of past Swedish tribal symbols. 

There is even chandeliers made of ice. Every single thing is made of ice and snow, to a degree of detail that really is an art.

Which actually is true in other senses too as the each room is designed by a different artist, who was challenged to work with the rather unusual material of ice to create something magical. 

Just how?! I was gobsmacked at the level of detail.

I would say to go warm ourselves up we headed to the bar, but that would be a lie, as of course it was made out of ice too. 

Right from the bar, to the menus.

The seats and even the glasses to hold the drinks. 

The hotel is magical and mesmerizing, however they recommend only staying for one night in the actual rooms as it's sub zero temperatures, meaning there is a whole other traditional wooden and brick hotel next door, with rooms, a restaurant and a warm bar. 

After spending the last few days seeing the uninhabited Swedish Arctic, and now what can be done with some simple ice, I really was falling in love with this part of the world.

Arctic, ice hotel, Sweden, the ice hotel, travel, travelling