It’s July, and along with it comes the rainy season, but that doesn’t mean you don’t still wish for cooler days. After the record-breaking temperatures we experienced last April and May, you might already be planning where you want to spend your vacation next year.
If that’s the case, consider these five options if you’re tired of the heat waves and tropical weather here. These are five hotels or places where you can live out your winter wonderland dreams and escape the heat.
1. Lainio Snow Hotel and Village
This hotel is probably what comes to mind when you think of an “ice hotel”. This 16-bedroom marvel from Finland is sure to impress, but don’t worry about freezing to death—there are perfectly hidden “warm rooms” nearby in case the cold becomes too much. You may not be Elsa from Frozen, and the cold may bother you, but you’ll get to experience being in Elsa’s frozen palace of dreams, a dream worth revisiting every winter.
2. Schneedorf Igloo
If you’re looking for less “palace-like” amenities and more of an active experience roughing it out in the snow, this “snow village” in Austria might be just right for you. You still have necessities like beds and sleeping bags, but getting here requires skiing or taking a cable car. This area is renowned for winter sports, and after a long day on the slopes, staying in a quaint igloo might be just what you need.
3. Hotel de Glace
If the previous entries have been thoroughly European, this next one is the first of its kind in the New World. Located on the outskirts of Quebec City, Canada, Hotel de Glace offers an unparalleled experience where guests sleep in ice beds with fireplaces and private spas. You’ll find all the usual amenities, plus a non-ice hotel with hot showers and luggage storage. If you’re up for it, you can even exchange vows in the hotel’s ice chapel. Not bad for Canada’s first ice hotel.
4. Ice Hotel Jukkasjarvi
For a truly awe-inspiring ice hotel experience, consider visiting Sweden, Finland’s Nordic neighbor. Ice Hotel Jukkasjarvi is the grandest and largest on this list, also the oldest, constantly thawing and re-carving itself over the past two decades with a new design every year. It offers all the standard amenities, with a warm building conveniently nearby. If you were to choose a hotel from this list to visit twice, this might be it, as each experience is sure to be unique.
5. Kakslauttanen Igloo Village
While these ice hotels are incredible, maybe you prefer creature comforts inside your cabin and aren’t keen on icy walls. Kakslauttanen Igloo Village in Finland offers igloos warmed with glass and heating, allowing guests to view the beautiful night sky and Northern Lights.
After a day, you can retreat to warmer log cabins. Even though you won’t be sleeping under the lights anymore, there’s still plenty to do at the village’s Ice Bar, Snow Restaurant, or Ice Chapel.