ICEHOTEL IN JUKKASJÄRVI: AN IN-DEPTH GUIDE ON KIRUNA SWEDENS ONLY “ALL YEAR ROUND” ICE HOTEL!
DISCOVER HOW TO SEE THE MAGICAL ICE HOTEL IN KIRUNA, SWEDEN – ALL YEAR ROUND!
ABOUT THE ICE HOTEL IN KIRUNA
WHERE IS THE KIRUNA ICE HOTEL LOCATED?
The renowned ICEHOTEL (the only ice hotel in Sweden) is actually located just outside of Kiruna in the small village of Jukkasjärvi. It’s an approximate 20 minute (17km) drive from Kiruna, just over the Torne River.
WHEN CAN I STAY AT THE ICE HOTEL IN KIRUNA?
Incredibly, there are actually TWO options available at the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi to choose from: The ICEHOTEL 365 and the ICEHOTEL Winter. We go into in-depth for each one below:
OPTION 1: THE ICE HOTEL 365
(AVAILABLE TO BOOK ALL YEAR ROUND)
Firstly, there is the magnificent ICE HOTEL 365 concept hotel.
ICE HOTEL 365 opened back in 2016 as the World’s first permanent ice hotel, offering unmissable overnight ice room stays and experiences all year-round, 365 days a year!
The whole ICEHOTEL 365 complex equates to 2100 sqm, housing a total of 18 ice rooms (Art Suites and Deluxe Suites), plus an Ice Bar and a revolutionary Ice Experience Room, all of which is open to the public to view from 10am – 6pm daily.
The Experience room couples as one of Sweden’s largest art gallery and a space to show short film screenings about the Icehotel’s exciting conception and yearly progression!
From 6pm onwards, lucky guests staying overnight in either the Art Suite or Deluxe Suite rooms at ICEHOTEL 365 can begin to check in for a once-in-a-lifetime sleepover experience!
ICE HOTEL 365:
OVERNIGHT ROOM TYPES & PRICES
Room Type 1: Art Suite (365) 💰💰💰
Suite size: 323 feet2
Price per night: Approx. £710 GBP / $900 USD
In-Room facilities: Furnished with real mattresses, reindeer skins and warm expedition sleeping bags for thermal protection and optimum comfort. Lockable doors for privacy. Power socket near the bed. Unit located on the ground floor. Dressing room.
Shared bathroom facilities: Located in nearby Riverside Lobby, a separate heated building down by the river. Private assigned changing room, shared toilet and shower facilities, shared sauna, storage facilities.
Inclusions: Superb breakfast included, complimentary hot lingonberry drink brought to your room in the morning.
Room Type 2: Deluxe Art Suite (365) 💰💰💰💰
Suite size: 646 feet2
Price per night: Approx. £1000 GBP / $1,300 USD
In-Room facilities: Furnished with real mattresses, reindeer skins and warm expedition sleeping bags for thermal protection and optimum comfort. Lockable doors for privacy. Power socket near the bed. Entire private unit located on the ground floor. Seating area, clothes rack, dressing room.
Private, heated en-suite bathroom: Private sauna, bath or shower, private plumbed toilet, hairdryer and towels and luggage storage area.
Inclusions: Superb breakfast included, complimentary hot lingonberry drink brought to your room in the morning.
ICE HOTEL 365:
DAY VISITING & PRICES
For those of you who do not want to stay overnight at ICEHOTEL 365, but simply want to come and marvel at its dazzling snow and ice creations during the day, visitors are welcomed daily between the hours of 10am and 6pm.
Entry tickets to ICEHOTEL 365 are purchased on-site in the Main Reception area only. It is not possible to pre-book.
It is crucial to note that the ICEHOTEL complex is cash free in all areas and accepts card payments only.
Current prices for ICEHOTEL day visitors are as follows:
UNTIL MID APRIL (PEAK SEASON):
- Adults: 375 SEK (Approx. £29 GBP / $37 USD)
- Student or Senior: 275 SEK (Approx. £21 GBP / $27 USD)
- Older Children (5-12 years): 125 SEK (Approx. £10 GBP / $12 USD)
- Younger Children (0-5 years): Free with a paying adult.
MID APRIL – DECEMBER (OFF-PEAK SEASON):
- Adults: 295 SEK (Approx. £23 GBP / $29 USD)
- Student or Senior: 195 SEK (Approx. £15 GBP / $19 USD)
- Older Children (0-12 years): Free with a paying adult.
OPTION 2: THE ICE HOTEL WINTER
(AVAILABLE FROM DECEMBER – APRIL ONLY)
The ICEHOTEL Winter at Jukkasjärvi is the original ice hotel in Sweden, built from scratch purely from the excavated snow and ice from the nearby River Torne for the past 30 years!
The empty space where the ICEHOTEL Winter sits is reimagined back to life bigger and better with every year that has passed by an incredibly talented team of sculptors and artists.
The ICEHOTEL Winter has an average of 15 to 20 standard Ice Rooms, as well as 12 extra special Art Suites (as per ICEHOTEL 365). Each Art Suite is beautifully designed and crafted by hand, creating truly unique creations every year.
ICE HOTEL WINTER:
OVERNIGHT ROOM TYPES & PRICES
Room Type 1: Ice Room 💰💰
Suite size: 323 feet2
Design: Standard room with classic ice décor.
Price per night: Approx. £650 GBP / $830 USD.
In-Room facilities: Furnished with real mattresses, reindeer skins and warm expedition sleeping bags for thermal protection and optimum comfort. Lockable doors for privacy. Power socket near the bed. Unit located on the ground floor. Dressing room.
Shared bathroom facilities: Located in nearby Riverside Lobby, a separate heated building down by the river. Private assigned changing room, shared toilet and shower facilities, shared sauna, storage facilities.
Inclusions: Superb breakfast included, complimentary hot lingonberry drink brought to your room in the morning.
Room Type 2: Art Suite 💰💰💰
Suite size: 323 feet2
Design: Each Art Suite is uniquely hand crafted by commissioned worldwide artists.
Price per night: Approx. £800 GBP / $1000 USD
In-Room facilities: Furnished with real mattresses, reindeer skins and warm expedition sleeping bags for thermal protection and optimum comfort. Lockable doors for privacy. Power socket near the bed. Unit located on the ground floor. Dressing room.
Shared bathroom facilities: Located in nearby Riverside Lobby, a separate heated building down by the river. Private assigned changing room, shared toilet and shower facilities, shared sauna, storage facilities.
Inclusions: Superb breakfast included, complimentary hot lingonberry drink brought to your room in the morning.
ICE HOTEL WINTER:
DAY VISITING & PRICES
During December to April, when the additional ICEHOTEL Winter is ready and open, this complex completely made from snow and ice is included in the Day Visitor entry ticket we previously discussed for the ICEHOTEL 365.
Click here to scroll back up for prices and full information.
ICE HOTEL 365 VS ICE HOTEL WINTER:
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?
The permanent ICE HOTEL 365 was essentially created to keep the magical experience of the ICE HOTEL Winter alive and accessible all year round, instead of just seasonally.
When the ICE HOTEL Winter is reincarnated every year between December to April, the two complexes (sat in very close proximity) compliment one another, both housing unique facilities whilst maximising capacity on Ice Hotel rooms available during the peak and busier months of Winter.
The ICE HOTEL 365 was specifically designed to match the shape, design and standard of the original ICE HOTEL Winter complex (as illustrated in image above).
KEY DIFFERENCES – ROOMS:
The main difference between the ICEHOTEL 365 and the ICEHOTEL Winter are the room options available:
ICE HOTEL 365: Deluxe Art Suites (365) and Art Suites (365).
ICE HOTEL WINTER: Art Suites and Ice Rooms.
This is purely because the “Deluxe Art Suite (365)” rooms feature a private en-suite bathroom area directly attached to the suite. This would obviously not be possible to accommodate in the ICE HOTEL Winter, made purely from snow and ice.
The Art Suite rooms offerings are exact the same (including design level and overall footprint) for both hotels, though the ICE HOTEL Winter offers an additional “Ice Room” at a lower cost offer, but has more of a standard, classic ice design.
KEY DIFFERENCES – EXTRA COMMUNAL SPACES:
ICE HOTEL 365: Ice Bar and Experience Room.
ICE HOTEL WINTER: Ice Church & Ceremony Hall.
Top Tip: The ICE HOTEL in Jukkasjärvi is also one of the best places to stay to see the Northern Lights in Kiruna without a tour!
STAYING OVERNIGHT AT THE ICE HOTEL:
WHAT TO PACK
Inside the Ice Hotel Ice Rooms, Art Suites and Deluxe Art Suites, the temperature is always kept between -5°c and -8°c.
While the provided reindeer hides and warm sleeping bags are specifically designed to keep you warm during the night, there are a few things you can wear to ensure maximum comfort.
The main point is to ensure everything you wear is made from a breathable and non-synthetic material, wool for example is perfect.
If you go for a non-synthetic material instead (i.e. cotton), this could cause you to sweat as your body heat can’t escape, which will then freeze and make you feel very uncomfortable!
Some suggestions on what to bring below:
Inside the ICEHOTEL room packing suggestions:
- A warm fleece or jumper (thermal, non-synthetic)
- A warm hat (thermal, non-synthetic)
- Long-sleeved shirt (breathable, non-synthetic)
- Long trousers (breathable, non-synthetic)
- A few pairs of warm, thermal wool socks!
Added extra packing suggestions by us:
- A GoPro to capture amazing footage of the night sky or Northern lights should they appear!
- Refillable water bottle to take into the ICEHOTEL with you.
- Your swimsuit! You will need this for the sauna.
ON-SITE FACILITIES AT THE ICE HOTEL
RESTAURANTS AT ICE HOTEL JUKKASJÄRVI
There are three dining options to choose from at the ICE HOTEL complex: The ‘ICEHOTEL Restaurant’, ‘The Verdana’ and ‘The Old Homestead’:
ICE HOTEL Restaurant:
Opening times for early December to late March.
Breakfast: 7am – 10.30am
Lunch: 11.30am – 2pm
Dinner: 6pm – 11pm
The Verdana
Open mid December – mid April.
Wednesday to Saturday from 7pm onwards.
The Old Homestead
Open mid December – late March.
Fika (Coffee break): From 11am onwards
Lunch: 12pm – 3pm
Dinner: 5pm – 11pm
BARS AT ICE HOTEL JUKKASJÄRVI
There is one official ‘bar’ on the complex, the ICEBAR, which is located inside the permanent ICE HOTEL 365 building.
The ICEBAR is open from November to March only.
The themed design of the ICEBAR is reconstructed by selected artists every year, usually over a course of about 10 days.
Enjoy the unique opportunity of drinking your favourite tipples from glasses made of ice, in a bar entirely made of intricately designed ice masterpieces!
Price: Entry is free to enter for all hotel guests, or included in the Day Visitor entry ticket price.
COMMUNAL AREAS AT ICE HOTEL JUKKASJÄRVI
IN ICEHOTEL 365 (ALL YEAR ROUND):
– (WARM) A heated communal area for ICEHOTEL 365 Art Suite guests, consisting of toilets and small lockable cabinets.
– (COLD) Experience Room.
IN ICEHOTEL WINTER:
– (COLD) Ceremony Hall
ACTIVITIES AT ICE HOTEL JUKKASJÄRVI
WINTER ACTIVITIES AT ICE HOTEL IN KIRUNA:
(November to April)
- Northern lights safari.
- Cross-country skiing.
- Snowmobiling.
- Sauna experience with hot tub.
- Dog sledding.
- Ice fishing.
- Wilderness dinner experience.
- Moose safaris.
- Ice sculpting course.
SUMMER ACTIVITIES AT ICE HOTEL IN KIRUNA:
(May – October)
- White water rafting.
- River fishing.
- Cycling.
- Challenge adventure park
- Reindeer calf month (May only)
- Wilderness dinner experience.
- Sauna experience with hot tub.
- Ice sculpting course.
ALTERNATIVE ON-SITE ACCOMMODATION
The Ice Hotel in Kiruna also offers a host of comfortable and cosy “warm room” accommodation options.
This is perfect for you if you like your extra comforts, if you want to stay overnight at ICE HOTEL to enjoy all of its facilities and activities, but do not necessarily want to stay in an Ice Room!
“Warm room” types available at the ICE HOTEL include:
- Nordic Chalet
- Arctic Chalet
- Twin Room
- Superior Double Room
- Deluxe Double Room
- Tent
Check out prices for your dates on Booking.com!
GETTING TO THE ICE HOTEL IN JUKKASJÄRVI
GETTING TO THE ICE HOTEL: BY PUBLIC TRANSPORT
From Kiruna town centre, you can catch the Line 501 bus towards Jukkasjärvi kyrkan.
Board this 501 bus in Kiruna town at the ‘Kiruna Ok-Parken’ bus stop, and disembark at the ‘Jukkasjärvi Icehotel’ bus stop. The bus journey takes 32 minutes in total, with a total of 11 stops.
The bus will conveniently drop you directly outside the Icehotel, and costs as little as £5 GBP / $6.50 USD one way!
GETTING TO THE ICE HOTEL: BY CAR
One of the best and most convenient ways to get to the Ice Hotel is by self-driving yourself there and making the most of their free parking for guests.
If you are a visitor and do not have your own car, there is the option to rent a car for a few days! This will allow you you freely drive to and from this ice hotel in Kiruna without restriction.
ICE HOTEL IN KIRUNA: ADDITIONAL FAQ’S
DOES ICE HOTEL JUKKASJÄRVI PROVIDE AN AIRPORT SHUTTLE?
Yes, the ICE HOTEL Jukkasjärvi does offer a shuttle service from Kiruna airport for an additional fee of 275 KR (Swedish Krona). This equates to approximately £21 GBP / $26 USD.
IS THE ICE HOTEL 100% ICE?
Yes, the seasonal ICE HOTEL Winter (built and open during the Winter months of December to April only) is made completely from snow and ice harvested from the local River Torne.
The external foundations of neighbouring ICE HOTEL 365 on the other hand is a permanent building, allowing for a year round experience.
Nonetheless, all of the creations inside the room suites and cold rooms are still hand-crafted completely out of snow and ice and give the same unique experience.
WHERE DOES THE ICE HOTEL GO WHEN IT MELTS?
When the Ice Hotel in Kiruna, Sweden begins to melt in April, all of the resultant water flows straight back into the River Torne, where all the ice was originally excavated from.
We love this idea that the fresh river water is lovingly borrowed to naturally find its way back to its original source!
DO THEY REBUILD THE ICE HOTEL EVERY YEAR?
Yes, they rebuild the ICE HOTEL Winter facility from scratch every single year, with works beginning in November ready for a December opening.
WHERE ARE THE SHOWERS & TOILETS AT THE ICE HOTEL?
There are shared toilet, shower, sauna and changing facilities for hotel guests to use freely in the ICEHOTEL 365 building itself, and the nearby ‘Riverside Lobby’ building down by the river.
If you book the most high-end Ice Room, the ‘Deluxe Art Suite (365)‘ in the ICEHOTEL 365, this comes with its own private luxurious bathroom area, including private toilet, shower or bath, sauna and storage facilities.
HOW MANY NIGHTS SHOULD I STAY AT THE ICE HOTEL?
Just a one-night stay is recommended in this ice hotel in Kiruna. This is because you tick the once-in-a-lifetime experience off already after just one night.
If you wanted to stay around the ICEHOTEL complex longer, you could opt to swap to an alternative “warm room” accommodation to stay there longer after your nights stay!
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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