Ice hotels are one of the many unique vacation concepts available during the winter in many parts of the world. One such hotel is located not too far away, in Quebec City, Canada, where guests can choose the ultimate winter experience, a night in a ice hotel, and I do not mean an igloo.
The Hotel de Glace is a yearly attraction, which originally opened in the winter of 2001. The hotel s erected every December for the opening in January, and taken down after the closing in March. It is located just 10 minutes from downtown Quebec City, with huge snow vaults, ice sculptures and a dazzling decor. Due to it's popularity this year the total rooms, where guests can overnight, was expanded to 44.
The hotel opened on Januarey 5, but there is still lots of time, for those who would like to experience this unique hotel, as it will remain open until March 24. The artistic director Serge Peloquin said, and I quote "a tour of the Hotel de Glace is a fascinating experience in itself, just to realize the complexity of water in all it's different textures of snow and ice".
Let's look at just what the hotel has to offer it's guests. First the specially designed bedrooms are made of ice, the bed is made of ice then lined with deer fur and covered with mattresses and Artic sleeping bags. They have one, two or three beds. There are also themed suites which have been designed with artistic lighting and sculptures made of ice or snow. The premium and deluxe themed suites have a fireplace, and in the largest and most deluxe suite there is another unique touch a private Spa. Bathrooms are heated and located in a separate insulated structure.
Apart form the accommodations, Hotel de Glace has an ice cafe, an ice bar, a ice chapel where weddings are actually performed, and outside between 9 p.m. and 9.a.m., overnight guests have access to the Nordic relaxation area with outdoor spas and sauna.
During their stay guests can enjoy many nearby activities such as dogsleding and snowmobiling, and there are guided tours, to learn about the ice hotel, available between noon and 5:30pm daily. A visit to the website provides more information and a 'how to prepare for this exciting experience.
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