Five ice and snow hotels across Norway, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland are preparing distinctive winter stays combining frozen bedrooms with dining and outdoor adventures. Seasonal openings begin in December, while permanent ice accommodation offers alternatives beyond the winter calendar.
The properties include Sweden’s ICEHOTEL, Finland’s Arctic SnowHotel, Norway’s Sorrisniva and Snowhotel 365, and Switzerland’s Iglu-Dorf Zermatt.
Their programmes give international travellers several ways to experience unusual accommodation, from a daytime visit to an overnight stay below freezing.
For longer holidays, heated rooms and cabins provide a practical complement. Guests can combine one cold night with conventional accommodation and destination activities.
Sweden Opens ICEHOTEL 37 in December
ICEHOTEL 37 opens in Jukkasjärvi on 11 December 2026, introducing another seasonal collection of ice architecture and sculpted accommodation.
Artists create the winter building using ice harvested from the Torne River. Its temporary structure melts in spring, making each edition different.
Cold bedrooms remain around minus 5°C. Mattresses, reindeer hides and sleeping bags form part of the overnight arrangements, with heated facilities available nearby.
The permanent ICEHOTEL 365 provides year-round accommodation alongside the seasonal building. It contains 18 art and deluxe suites, an ice bar and an experience room.
Dining broadens the attraction. The heated ICEHOTEL Restaurant offers a four-course Ice Menu, with selected dishes served on ice plates.
Finland Combines Snow Rooms and Heated Igloos
Arctic SnowHotel near Rovaniemi lists its winter season from 15 December 2026 to 31 March 2027.
The annually rebuilt property offers approximately 20 rooms accommodating around 70 guests. Its wider attractions include an Ice Restaurant, Ice Bar and Ice Chapel.
Snow-room temperatures range between zero and minus 5°C. Overnight guests receive an introduction to the sleeping arrangements, breakfast and a morning hot drink.
Separate heated glass igloos offer another accommodation choice, with underfloor heating, private shower rooms and defrosted roofs.
Northern Lights notification arrangements differ between the two formats. Snow-hotel staff can personally wake guests when displays appear, while glass-igloo guests can activate an electronic alarm.
Neither system guarantees an aurora sighting.
Alta Adds Themed Ice Architecture
Sorrisniva’s Igloo Hotel near Alta is scheduled to operate from 20 December 2026 to 31 March 2027.
Each winter edition introduces a different artistic theme, expressed through carved interiors, bedrooms, ice furniture and a chapel.
Construction uses 250 tonnes of ice and 7,000 cubic metres of snow. Inside temperatures range from minus 4°C to minus 7°C.
Overnight arrangements include sleeping equipment, breakfast, heated washrooms, luggage storage and morning sauna access.
The adjacent Arctic Wilderness Lodge allows visitors to combine frozen accommodation with heated rooms. Available outdoor experiences include husky sledding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and Northern Lights excursions.
Kirkenes Offers Frozen Rooms Year-Round
Snowhotel 365 in Bjørnevatn, near Kirkenes, maintains its individually carved rooms at minus 4°C throughout the year.
Unlike seasonal structures that melt each spring, the property relies on continuing maintenance to preserve its frozen interiors.
Overnight stays include thermal sleeping bags, breakfast and a three-course dinner. Heated facilities provide a lounge, showers and sauna access.
Its Arctic Highlights package combines a snow-hotel night with a heated Gamme Cabin stay, husky sledding and a king crab safari.
That programme runs from December to March, although the snow hotel operates outside those months. Travellers should distinguish package availability from the accommodation’s year-round calendar.
Zermatt Takes the Experience Into the Alps
Iglu-Dorf Zermatt operates from 19 December 2026 to 4 April 2027, at an altitude of 2,727 metres.
Below Rotenboden station, its snow village offers mountain surroundings with views towards the Matterhorn. Ten overnight igloos accommodate up to 24 guests.
Fondue dining, a guided snowshoe walk and wellness facilities feature in advertised experiences. However, room categories differ, with private facilities limited to particular accommodation.
Access requires careful planning. Guests travel on the Gornergrat railway, meet their guides and walk to the village.
Railway tickets are excluded from the overnight price, and access is unavailable after the railway closes.
Cold Nights Support Wider Winter Itineraries
These properties offer more than unusual bedrooms. Dining, ice art, excursions and heated accommodation allow operators to build varied winter programmes.
Day visits also make the attractions accessible to travellers who prefer conventional overnight accommodation.
Before booking, guests should confirm operating dates, sleeping equipment, transfer arrangements and access to heated facilities. Weather can affect outdoor activities and mountain services.
A single cold night can anchor a longer holiday, provided the surrounding itinerary reflects each property’s location, facilities and seasonal conditions.
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