Exploring ICEHOTEL 34 || A Journey Through Art and Ice in Sweden's Enchanting Winter Wonderland
If you’re looking for a winter escapade with a one-of-a-kind experience, look no further than the return of the annual iCEHOTEL—the fantasy winter wonderland returns after a 4-year hiatus.
On December 15th, the doors to this year's winter and art hotel in Jukkasjärvi, ICEHOTEL 34 were opened.
The hotel, where every room is a work of art, makes the destination a unique art gallery. Its suites, sculptures, and halls are entirely made of ice and snow, all of which have been created by artists worldwide.
This year’s rendition of the hotel was created by 32 artists from 14 different countries all over the world, together with the hotel’s construction team and Luca Roncoroni, Creative Director at ICEHOTEL. This year, there are 15 art suites, a main hall, and a ceremony hall, which forms the hotel's heart. Around 90 people took part in building this year’s hotel, which maintains an inner temperature of -5 degrees Celsius/23 Fahrenheit.
Main Hall. Photo by Asaf Kliger.
MINUS 10 deluxe art suite by Luc Voisin & Mathieu Brison. Photo by Asaf Kliger.
“We are thrilled to have collaborated with artists from 14 countries - some for over two decades, others for the first time. That’s what makes ICEHOTEL unique and still exciting after 34 years. ICEHOTEL 34 has expanded with a new layout, presenting multiple art suites, the Ceremony Hall, and our ‘Main Hall,’ making a grand comeback after a 4-year hiatus”
The creation of ICEHOTEL 34
ICEHOTEL 34 has taken six intense weeks to build, with 500 tonnes of ice and 10 Olympic swimming pools of “snis” – a mix of ice and snow. Working on ICEHOTEL 34 started in the spring when ice blocks were harvested from the Torne River to be kept cold in the ice warehouse in Jukkasjärvi. The ice harvested in the spring has been used to make 34 the magical experience it is. Artists from all over the world – Sweden, Poland, Japan, Italy, Belgium, Canada, Germany, the Netherlands, Romania, France, Singapore, Belgium, Slovakia, and the UK – were selected by a thorough jury to create unique art suites and halls for guests to experience.
SEA INSIDE, deluxe art suite by Kristina Möckel-& Sebastian Scheller. Photo by Asaf Kliger.
“This year marks the inauguration of the 34th edition of ICEHOTEL, and once again, our international artists have created something unique and spectacular. The art suites of this year showcase an incredible height of creativity and form an exciting collection of artistic dreams, expressions, and ideas. Guests this year will be captivated by art suites that evoke thoughts of fairy tales, nature and cultural tradition, to name a few. I am excited to unveil ICEHOTEL 34 to all our guests from around the world,” says Marie Herrey, CEO ICEHOTEL.
SLAVA, Ceremony Hall by Tomasz Czajkowski & Grzegorz-Olczak. Photo by Asaf Kliger.
ICEHOTEL 365
ICEHOTEL 34 will be available to experience during winter 2023-2024 before it melts and returns to the Torne River in the spring. What remains is the permanent part of the hotel, called ICEHOTEL 365. ICEHOTEL 365 contains art and deluxe suites, an ice bar, and a movie theatre. Two new suites in ICEHOTEL 365 were completed in November of 2023: The Breach, created by Annie Locke Scherer and Tobias Kiefer, and Mystery on the ICEHOTEL Express, created by Jonas Johansson, Jordi Claramunt, and Abel Pruñonosa.
if you revel in the cold, don’t miss out on the limited-time opportunity to stay in one of these cool suites.
DREAM WITH A THORN, Deluxe art Suite by Monica Popescu & Emmylou Varon. Photo by Asaf Kliger.
Photos courtesy of ICEHOTEL 34
