The World’s Most Famous Ice Hotel Just Opened — and It Has a Fully Playable Piano Made of Ice
Every winter, one of the most unusual hotels on Earth rises from the frozen Torne River in northern Sweden. Built entirely from ice and snow, ICEHOTEL in Jukkasjärvi is remade from scratch each year. And when spring arrives, it melts back into the river it came from.
This season’s edition, ICEHOTEL 36, is now open, welcoming guests to sleep inside shimmering art suites sculpted by artists from around the world. The standout feature this year is a full-scale grand piano carved entirely from ice — not just for display, but playable throughout the winter, with music echoing through corridors of frozen walls.
A Hotel That’s Also a Temporary Art Exhibition
Walking through ICEHOTEL is not like checking into a traditional hotel but more like stepping inside a gallery that just happens to be kept at -5°C. The main hall resembles an icy cathedral, with towering, frost-covered forms stretching toward the ceiling, while individual art suites transform snow and ice into immersive environments.
Guests can fall asleep surrounded by swirling “soap bubbles,” frozen libraries, abstract storm systems, or sculptural scenes inspired by black holes and Arctic folklore. Every room is different, and every piece is temporary — designed to exist for just one winter before returning to water.
The project is massive in scale. Ice is harvested in early spring, construction begins in November, and dozens of artists, builders, and designers work side by side to bring the hotel to life in just a few weeks.
What It’s Like to Spend the Night Inside ICEHOTEL
Staying overnight is very much part of the experience. Guests sleep on ice beds topped with thermal mattresses, reindeer hides, and very cozy sleeping bags. It’s cold, yes, but surprisingly comfortable, and the silence is unlike anything most visitors have experienced.
For those who want the art without the chill, the property also offers warm cabins and hotel rooms, plus a year-round ice section where suites stay frozen even in summer.
ICEHOTEL’s location north of the Arctic Circle adds another layer to the experience. Many visitors come hoping to see the Northern Lights, which have been particularly strong this winter, and the hotel offers snowmobiling, dog sledding, ice sculpting, sauna rituals, and wilderness dinners by open fire.
Food, Fire, and Ice — Literally
Dining at ICEHOTEL leans heavily into local flavors and the surrounding environment. One of the most memorable options is the Ice Menu, where parts of the meal are served on crystal-clear blocks carved from the Torne River. Ingredients like reindeer, Arctic char, cloudberries, and sea buckthorn feature prominently.
There’s also a chef’s table experience inspired by the eight Sámi seasons, offering a longer tasting menu that reflects how life in the Arctic shifts throughout the year.
Why People Keep Coming Back
ICEHOTEL has welcomed more than a million visitors since it first opened in 1989, and its appeal goes beyond novelty. The experience taps into something deeper, the idea of slowing down, embracing discomfort, and reconnecting with nature on its own terms.
That same philosophy is reflected in broader Swedish travel initiatives focused on wellness, sustainability, and time outdoors, an approach that encourages visitors to reset, breathe, and experience winter as something restorative rather than something to escape (like my recent experience in Dalarna, Sweden).
Standing on a frozen river under a star-filled sky, surrounded by silence and snow, it’s easy to understand why a night inside an ice hotel stays with people long after they’ve warmed back up.
And, ICEHOTEL isn’t the only place in Sweden where the stay is part of the experience. Across the country, travelers can find everything from futuristic cabins in the forest to design-forward hotels that feel more like art installations than accommodations—proof that Sweden has quietly become one of Europe’s most creative destinations for truly memorable places to spend the night.
