Just outside Quebec City, Canada, there is an extraordinary place called Hotel De Glace -- Ice Hotel. It's a real hotel, made almost completely out of ice and snow. And yes, you can actually spend the night there. Being so close to Quebec when I was in Vermont last week, I couldn't resist a visit. Well OK, it wasn't THAT close--about a five hour drive from Burlington--but my sister Donna gamely agreed to join me for an impromptu road trip.
The complex is built with 5,000 tons of ice and 15,000 tons of snow.
Inside, everything--walls, pillars, tables, seats -- is carved from ice and snow.
Benches, chairs, and beds are covered with deerskin for warm seating.
Photo by Donna Kruszewska
Even the chandeliers are made of ice.
There are fireplaces scattered throughout (above), with real fire. But the fire is well-insulated (for obvious reasons) and is meant more for ambiance than for warmth.
Photo by Donna Kruszewska
Photo by Donna Kruszewska
Donna relaxes on an ice bar.
Photo by Donna Kruszewska
When you take pictures without flash, the ice comes out in various shades of blues and pinks (above). I wondered if the colors reflected the temperature or thickness of the ice?
There is also a chapel, where supposedly a number of weddings have taken place. Gives new meaning to "getting cold feet" on your wedding day...
Your favorite alcoholic beverage is available at thefull service bar, also made of ice.
Donna and I trying out the Maple Liquor drink, served in a recyclable glass made of--what else?--ice.
The hotel has 36 private rooms and suites, each with a different artistic theme.
This was one of two beds in our suite. Beds are made of a thick slab of ice, covered with a plank of wood, and topped off with a styrofoam mattress. Some of the bedrooms come with fireplaces, but those cost an extra $150.00 USD per night, so I opted out of that.
Photo by Donna Kruszewska
That's me (above) snuggling in for the night. The thick ice walls keep the temperature inside at about 25°F / -4°C. The nordic sleeping bag is included in the price, and is definitely needed! The only part of my body that got a little chilly was the top of my head, so I ended up sleeping with my hat on. And yes, I did make it through the whole night. Getting out of that cozy sleeping bag in the morning was the most difficult part of the experience.
If things get too chilly for you, there is a spa nearby, with outdoor hot tubs (above)and a sauna. I spent an hour here, watching the spectacular total eclipse of the moon from a hot tub. Getting out of the tub was excruciating -- the outside temperature dipped down to 0°F / -17°C that night. They give you strict instructions to dry off every part of your body (including your hair) before getting into your sleeping bag, so you don't turn into a human icicle.
This spectacular place is available from January through April only. In April, the whole thing melts down, to be rebuilt again the following year. This was the most impressive addition yet to my Sleeping Around series!
That is the coolest!!!! (pun intended). I love it.
Posted by: Sheila Kelley | Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 07:37 PM
Great pics and amazing place. I can't think of anything more wonderful than watching an eclipse from a hot tub. Wow!
Posted by: Dale B. | Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 07:43 PM
And I was just sitting around hating winter and you post something that I immediately fall in love with...how magical!! I can't believe it all then melts...I wonder how long it takes to rebuild every year..just spectacular...how do you find this amazing places? sharon
Posted by: Sharon from CT | Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 09:48 PM
YeeHaw-
Basia is back in the business of showing us around the world. That is fasinating!!!!!!!
Now I am excited-- where are you going next?????
Posted by: shannon | Tuesday, February 26, 2008 at 11:02 PM
Good Basia, You're keeping us occupied. Ice hotel looks awesome. It was very nice talking to you the other day.
Hej Donna,, jak się masz? Good to see you after long time. Wife and I often talk about the dinner at Chin chin. That was one of the day we all would've laughed for our life.
Till next comment - Do widzenia
-Ranga
Posted by: Ranga | Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 05:02 AM
How do they manage to rebuild the hotel year after year? Wow! Truly amazing....whoever runs this place must have an obsession for ice carving. Thanks for another insightful blog entry.
- Ramadas
Posted by: Ramadas S | Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 06:58 AM
wow, well worth the zloty, I mean dollars- eh???? Cause remember what your eternally freelance sister says, "when you're in-between jobs, you should be..."
Posted by: sister M | Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 06:43 PM
awesome! i've heard of this place... but never knew more than "it's made of ice!" you've piqued my curiosity and i'm definitely putting it on my MUST visit list!
Posted by: kir | Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 10:02 PM
Hi Ranga. Donna here. I too recall that dinner very fondly. In the last 10 years, I can recall only one other time when I had as much genuine fun and laughter as I did that night. Till we meet again. Na razie! ( For now!)
Danuta
Posted by: DonnaK | Wednesday, February 27, 2008 at 11:07 PM
Sheila: Yup, it sure is...
Dale: The eclipse was definitely an added little bonus -- I only vaguely knew that it was going to happen sometime that week, and then, there it was, right there in front of me. Spectacular.
Sharon: Magical is definitely the word for it. I don't remember where I first heard about this place -- probably something I read on the internet, years ago?
Shannon: LOL...I like that...the business of showing you around the world. Not sure yet where I'm going next. Now that I'm unemployed, I have lots of time, but little money...so we'll see...
Ranga: I'm trying! ;o) See Donna's reply!
Ram: It's pretty amazing, that they rebuild it. I think they were saying that they start drawing up the plans for the new one, as soon as the old one melts down. And the other interesting thing is, that they do the rooms differently each year, I think maybe even with different designers each time. It's absolutely amazing, the whole process.
sister M: OK, I'm remembering....but are you remembering my words at the other end of the spectrum...when you're in-between jobs, is not the time to be spending your zlotys. (I think between us, we make one balanced person!)
kir: I heartily recommend it, you won't be disappointed. (And thanks for the url...)
Donna K: That was definitely a memorable day. (The dinner with Ranga, AND the ice hotel...)
Posted by: Basia | Friday, February 29, 2008 at 04:46 PM
"There is no such thing as bad weather, only wrong clothing" -- folk wisdom from Scandanavia
Posted by: Two Dishes | Saturday, March 01, 2008 at 01:52 PM
Wow! What fun :D By far this one's the best of your sleeping around series! :)
Posted by: Miss I | Sunday, March 02, 2008 at 11:57 PM
Wow! This place is like my dream come true! I'd read about this hotel sometime back, but was sceptical about its existence!
Posted by: Prasi | Friday, March 07, 2008 at 01:41 AM
Two Dishes: What a great quote - I love it. A good thing to remember in the Rochester winter-
Miss I: I agree, this was the funnest of the series so far.
Prasi: You would absolutely love it, Prasi. Come out to Rochester next year, and I'll take you there. (It's too late for this year, I think the hotel is scheduled for melting in a week or so.)
Posted by: Basia | Friday, March 21, 2008 at 11:06 AM
Dear sister, this is inbelievable... amazing... beautiful ... and unbelievable... how is it possible... please help me to understand this miracle building... how u can survive in such a cold place, the candle is not melting the ice? hahah... please entlighten me... ur's kishori
Posted by: anuradhadasi | Monday, March 31, 2008 at 02:04 AM
Hah... those crazy Canadians, eh?!
Posted by: Jeet | Tuesday, April 01, 2008 at 02:33 PM