Sweden prepares to open an ice hotel

In Swedish Lapland, on the river Thorn is located a unique hotel made of ice (Icehotel). Today in the world has already been opened several similar hotels, but the Icehotel is different. Firstly, it is the first hotel of its kind and the most popular one. In this season (2009/2010) Icehotel marks an anniversary - it will be built for the 20th time. Secondly, it is located in the far north, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. And finally, it is the largest of all the ice hotels in the world. Sweden's Icehotel is located in an area of 6 thousand square meters and each year it is visited by about 37 thousand visitors.

The history of Icehotel began in 1990, when the Jukkas AB company, being engaged in Lapland summer tourism in the small village of Yukkasyarvi, decided to organize an exhibition of ice sculptures. There were invited special sculptors, among whose was the French architect Jean Derida, who offered to host ice build statues of snow in traditional winter homes of the Eskimos - the igloo. It was like the real igloo, only differing in size, the space for the exhibition has been reached an area of 60 square meters. This exhibition quickly became very popular with the tourists, who lived in Yukkasyarvi, many have specially come to Yukkasyarvi only to look at the ice works. One day a couple of tourists who came to the exhibition, didn’t managed to rent a room in the small local hotel, and then they asked for permission to spend the night in this snowy apartment. They were given the deerskins with sleeping bags and sent to the igloo. The next morning they spoke to the other tourists with such enthusiasm that several other tourists also snowed the desire to spend the night there. Since then, the ice hotel has become a new competitor to the hotels and cottages in Sweden.

Since then passed almost 20 years, Jukkas AB has long ago changed its name to Ice Hotel AB and every year on December 10 opens its doors, which will exist only until mid-April. In this anniversary season the hosts of the Ice Hotel AB prepared some pleasant surprises for its guests. For the decoration of rooms and hotel facilities were invited thirty-nine artists from different countries. In addition, this year the Ice Hotel has worked closely with the nearby ski resort of Berkliden that will allow the guests to enjoy practically all the features of the winter holidays. But, according to Gismeteo, the familiar opening date of the ice hotel in 2009 is likely to be moved because of abnormally warm weather.