Jukkasj?rvi Ice Hotel
Jukkasj?rvi is a town in Sweden?s Lapland located 200 km inside of the Arctic Circle. Home to the world famous Ice Hotel, the tiny hamlet of 541 permanent residents builds the temporary lodging yearly entirely from ice from the local Tome River. Each spring, as the region thaws, the hotel is again returned to the Tome River. It?s the ultimate in ecotourism, representing the smallest footprint a lodging establishment could possibly make on the environment.

The yearly construction results in an awe-inspiring work of art. Beginning in 1991 as an art exhibition in a large igloo, the Ice Hotel has now been in business for 17 years and what started as an idea for promoting art has evolved into the world?s largest ice hotel, covering an area of over 5000m2 and complete with over 60 rooms, a bar, lobby and reception area, chapel, and ice sauna. The only objects not made of ice are the beds (and the toilets ? these are real). These are real mattresses covered in thick reindeer skins. Patrons are also issued proper attire to wear while in the hotel (don?t worry about not fitting in ? everyone else will be wearing the same garb). So the prospect of actually sleeping here is very real. The temperature inside the hotel is said to never drop below -5? Celsius.

Sponsored by Absolut Vodka since 1994, the Ice Bar specializes in Ice Hotel original cocktails that can be enjoyed nowhere else in the world. Of course, the visitor can enjoy a particularly satisfying Absolut martini. All drinks are served in, you guessed it, glasses made entirely of ice. Visitors from all over the world are guests at the Ice Hotel. Naturally, these globetrotters frequent the Absolut Ice Bar at night and are great conversationalists. Celebrities have been sighted here also, including the Swedish Royals, Irish Presidents, models Naomi Campbell and Kate Moss, and American rock ban Van Halen.

No visit to the Ice Hotel would be complete without a visit to the ice sauna and a dip in the hot tubs. The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis are a common site here?what can compare with a soak in the outdoor hot tubs under a sky filled with nature?s fireworks?

The hotel looks radically different every year it is constructed. 2007 is sure to be no different. Artists from all over the world will begin converging on Jukkasj?rvi during the first week of December to build this year?s version. What started out as an art exhibit is still an art exhibit on a much larger scale for the public to enjoy.

Ice Hotel – Quebec
Following Sweden?s lead and realizing their proximity to American dollars, another ice hotel has set up operations just outside of Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. A particularly spiritous time to visit this one would be during the Quebec Winter Carnival during late January. This hotel has many similar features as the original in Sweden but also has a cinema. Absolut yearly sets up an Ice Bar here also. Activities in the area include dog sledding, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, sledding, skating, and ice-fishing on Lake St. Joseph. They?ll even give you lessons on how to build your own, authentic Queenzy ?Native American? Igloo. This place is truly a winter wonderland and proud of it.

Unlike the original Ice Hotel, the Ice Hotel-Quebec does not hand out attire to where while a guest. Instead, the hotel offers a guide on properly selecting cold-weather clothing for those venturing to Quebec from places other than Canada.

Alta Igloo Ice Hotel
Norway and Sweden are constantly competing with each other on the ice and Norway was just not going to let Sweden be known as the only country in Scandinavia with an ice hotel. Norway?s version is farther north of the Arctic Circle, however. The Alta Igloo Ice Hotel has been open every winter since 2000 and might be for the most adventurous type of ice hotel patron. The Alta Igloo Ice Hotel is the only ice establishment to offer a bathing experience in a frigid sea. No kidding, special survival suits keep the bather warm while enjoying a truly unique experience of floating in the Barents Sea in the middle of winter. King Crab safaris are also offered. King Crabs are rare delicacies that only exist in the freezing waters of the northern seas.

Aurora Ice Hotel
The Aurora Ice Hotel is proud to claim its title as the only ice hotel in America. Since its built in America, it has to stand up to American building codes so during the first year of operation the hotel had to shut down so smoke detectors and fire extinguishers could be installed in every room. That?s right; fire prevention regulations have to be observed in every American hotel room even if the room is entirely composed of frozen water.

The Aurora is located sixty miles northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska. Much like Sweden?s version, attire is provided for guests. Unlike any of the other ice hotels, the Aurora has attempted to remain open year round. The attempts have been unsuccessful so far.

The Great Canadian Adventure Company
For a more traditional winter experience at one with the elements try contacting The Great Canadian Adventure Company for a snowshoe tour. With this tour group the adventurer can go on a two day snowshoe trek across frozen lakes and through the Canadian Shield Forest. In the forest the group constructs their own igloo that will serve as lodging for the night. Better build the igloo quickly because dinner is not served until completion. On the second day of the trip showshoers venture out again through the woods, return to the igloo for lunch and then say goodbye and head for home.

No ice bar, hot tubs, cinema, or snowmobiling here. But an authentic experience is guaranteed.