Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi: a hotel rebuilt from river ice
Published on 08/19/2026 at 16:21 | Editorial responsibility: Rafael Müller, Editor-in-Chief AD HOC NEWS
Icehotel in Jukkasjarvi in northern Sweden is a hotel and art project constructed from snow and ice harvested from the nearby Torne River. Opened in 1990 as the world’s first ice hotel, it has been rebuilt with new architecture and art every winter season since then.
Ice, river and Arctic light
Icehotel stands on the banks of the Torne River in the village of Jukkasjarvi, close to Kiruna in Swedish Lapland. The river’s winter ice is cut into large blocks and used as the structural and sculptural material for the hotel’s seasonal buildings, making the river an integral part of its architecture and identity.Torne River ice freezes clear and hard in the sub-Arctic climate, and the transparency and subtle blue tint of the blocks give the interiors their distinctive appearance.
The idea behind Icehotel grew from an ice art workshop held on the riverbank in 1989 by local organiser Yngve Bergqvist. That winter, an ice structure known as ARTic Hall was built as an ice art gallery, and visitors sleeping there on reindeer skins in sleeping bags became the first overnight guests in what would soon become a hotel.Icehotel’s story in Jukkasjarvi links its origin directly to these early ice sculpture experiments beside the river.
A hotel that changes every winter
The first winter season of Icehotel as a hotel operation is recorded as 1990, and since that opening the snow-and-ice part of the property has been rebuilt each winter and then allowed to melt back into the Torne River in spring.The hotel’s opening year and repeated rebuilding are central to its character. Each season, artists and designers are invited to create individual suites and public spaces, carving the walls, ceilings and furnishings directly from blocks of ice and sculpted snow. Rooms therefore differ from year to year, with themes, reliefs and sculptural elements that exist only for a single winter.
The winter hotel is joined by a year-round ice experience known as ICEHOTEL 365, opened in November 2016 beside the seasonal structures and designed by Swedish architect and sustainability specialist Hans Eek.Press information on ICEHOTEL 365 describes this permanent section as housing art suites, luxury suites, an ice gallery and an Icebar, kept frozen with solar-powered cooling equipment. Together, the winter-only hotel and the year-round section give Icehotel a dual character: part temporary architecture that returns to the river, part maintained ice interior contained within insulated structures.
Sleeping, eating and everyday life in Icehotel
Overnight stays in the winter hotel take place in rooms and suites where the bed frames, decorative panels and many of the fixtures are carved from ice, with reindeer skins and insulated bedding providing warmth on top. The main building also includes an ice hall and communal spaces made from snow and ice, laid out as corridors and chambers with softly textured walls and sculpted surfaces.ICEHOTEL winter information emphasises that every suite is unique and that the architecture is renewed each season.
Icehotel operates warm accommodation alongside the cold rooms, in conventional buildings constructed from permanent materials. The wider complex includes restaurants and bars with menus that incorporate local produce, and an ice bar serving drinks in glasses made from river ice.Eat and drink facilities are part of the hotel’s offering and sit close to the ice structures, so guests can move between frozen art spaces and heated interiors. The setting in Arctic Sweden also supports activities such as snowmobile excursions, dog-sled outings and viewing of northern lights, which are commonly paired with overnight stays at Icehotel in travel descriptions of the region.
Visiting Icehotel: what travellers from Western Europe should know
- Icehotel stands in Jukkasjarvi in northern Sweden, east of the town of Kiruna. The nearest airport is Kiruna Airport, and Kiruna has rail connections into the Scandinavian network.
- The winter ice structures lie on level ground close to the Torne River, with packed snow and ice surfaces around the buildings. Walking between warm and cold areas therefore involves outdoor paths in Arctic conditions.
- The surrounding landscape is low-lying forest and river terrain within Arctic Sweden, where winter temperatures can fall well below freezing and snow cover is a regular feature of the season.
- The official language is Swedish and the currency is the Swedish krona.
- Entry requirements depend on your nationality; UK travellers can check the FCDO travel advice at gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice, Irish travellers the Department of Foreign Affairs at ireland.ie.
Searching for Icehotel on social platforms
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Frequently asked questions about Icehotel
Where is Icehotel located?
Icehotel is located in the village of Jukkasjarvi in Arctic Sweden, beside the Torne River and within reach of Kiruna by road and local transport.
What can visitors expect during a stay?
Visitors can stay in cold rooms and suites made from snow and ice, explore sculpted ice halls, and combine these with warm accommodation and restaurant facilities on the same site.
What makes Icehotel distinctive among hotels?
Icehotel is distinctive because its main snow-and-ice structures are rebuilt every winter season from blocks of Torne River ice, with new artistic suites created each year.
