Staying in the Ice Hotel has to be done once in a lifetime

There’s something utterly magical and also rather poignant about staying in the Ice Hotel.

Its frozen beauty only lasts for the winter, from December to April, and when the thaw sets in, the whole building slowly melts back into the River Torne in the Arctic Circle from where it came.

All the beautiful carvings, intricate designs and even the bed of ice you sleep on, simply disappear, to be recreated again in what just might be the best and most impressive example of recycling anywhere on the planet.

Before we spent a night in The Ice Hotel, we went in search of the Northern Lights. Mother Nature always puts on the best entertainment and Swedish Lapland is one of the best places to see this phenomenon.

On landing at Kiruna airport we headed further north to the little town of Abisko, an hour’s drive away and we had high hopes of catching a glimpse of the sky ablaze with those eerie, emerald green lights.

From the basic but comfortable hotel we took a night chair-lift ride up to the Aurora Sky Station, stopping off to put on the thermal suits provided for the chilly 20-minute journey up the mountain.

As well as being cold enough to take your breath away, it was spookily misty and quiet.

What a contrast at the top where we found a warm and cosy cabin, a roaring fire, fantastic three-course dinner, and a chance to pop outside and view the night sky in search of the aurora borealis.

The lights were there in all their dramatic splendour, but sadly it was too cloudy for us to actually see anything. That’s the chance you take, but, even without a sighting, it was still an unforgettable evening.

The next day we headed to the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, and a chance to experience life in the freezer.

Through doors covered in reindeer skin, you are transported to another world and it is just like bursting through the wardrobe into Narnia.

The snow and ice shimmers and glistens and the sculptures and artistry are incredibly beautiful.

The special and slightly more expensive “art rooms” are all themed and, as well as being impressively intricate, some of them show a wicked sense of humour.

There’s the “It’s Alive” room based on the old black and white Frankenstein films and complete with flashing lights.

The “pole dancing” room isn’t what you might think. It features a scarily true to life ice creation of a polar bear happily “North Pole dancing”.

One of the Brits checking in with us was extremely bemused to find himself in the “Mind the Gap” ice room, complete with an impressive carving of full-size London Underground carriage which doubled as a bed especially as he worked as a train driver on the Tube!

Everything in your room is made of ice, apart from a light switch and the reindeer skins and pillows atop your bed.

As well as the rooms and bar, there is a separate reception, lounge area, toilets, showers, saunas and changing rooms in a “normal” warm building nearby.

You can also opt to stay in a separate “hot” room and there’s a cafe, restaurant and shop on site.

The food is a hearty buffet style for breakfast and lunch in the restaurant, and you can have an impressive evening ice meal of local produce including fish, ptarmigan, reindeer and moose.

Before turning in for the night, you simply must have a drink in the ice bar. Vodka comes in every colour and is served in glasses made of ice that start to melt if you don’t down them quickly enough.

As long as you wear a hat, gloves and the thermal suit and boots provided you rarely feel cold, even through the Ice Hotel is kept at a constant minus-five.

The well organised, friendly and patient staff supply your warm gear as well as cosy sleeping bags.

You need to dress in layers and bring gloves, a hat and scarf, as well as thermals to sleep in, but the shop sells anything you might have forgotten.

One important tip is not to pick up your sleeping bag and liner until the very last minute.

If you leave it in the room before going to sleep it will freeze and be rather chilly.

If you do need to get up in the middle of the night to go to the loo, be warned, it’s a bit of a palaver, involving donning boots and a quick dash down the corridor.

You can push the boat out and book a room with a loo, sauna and shower, but you still have to un-snuggle yourself from your sleeping bag and pop outside, although it’s only a few steps.

I was actually really warm, apart from my nose which got a bit nipped by the cold, but you wiggle back into the warmth of your bag and you soon heat up.

Take advantage of the trips on offer. They are exhilarating and really good fun.

We went for a night-time snowmobile ride across a frozen lake and into the forest. You had to be careful not to stray from the icy track or you would end up chest-deep in a drift and it’s a bit bumpy, but a real thrill.

Your guide leads the way, keeps you on the right track and sorts out a hearty stew and hot lingonberry juice as well as cake and coffee in a hut in the forest.

The highlight for me was an afternoon Husky trip. The dogs are incredibly strong, intelligent and would happily run all day.

Again there’s a warming meal of elk stew to set you up for the journey back.

The whole Ice Hotel experience is perfect for a long weekend or a mini break and it is something that has to be done once in a lifetime.For information and bookings, call ICEHOTEL specialist, Discover the World on 01737 214 291 or visit www.discover-the-world.co.uk/icehotel