Visitors to Snow Village are greeted by glowing grottos of eerily-lit ice that appear to be part-art gallery, part-igloo. Annually resurrected, phoenix-like from the season’s early frosts, the hotel changes shape and design each winter. The snow-hewn rooms and suites here are complemented by a warm subterranean area with bathroom facilities, a large fireplace, an ice cocktail bar, chapel and more, so there is plenty to wonder at before retreating to a private igloo and snuggling into your warm sleeping bag at bedtime.
Eat
Dining at Snow Village's Ice Restaurant is a remarkable experience. Once where you’ll eat surrounded by shimmering illuminations and impressive statuettes, all made of ice. Dinner begins with a aperitif, served in an ice glass, of course, and continues on to include all manner of Lappish delicacies, many of which are sourced from the surrounding lakes, mountains and forests. There's also the cosy Log Restaurant, where heart food once again promises to celebrate the rich bounty of Finnish Lapland's Arctic extremes. Then, round things off with a drink at the Ice Bar, where steaming mugs of hot chocolate and perfectly chilled cocktails are served in candlelit atmosphere with blankets on hand to keep you warm.
Sleep
A stay at Snow Village is all about embracing the cold. Ice-carved rooms are resplendent in intricately carved artworks, while beds, made of ice of course, are topped with cosy reindeer hides and high-tog sleeping bags to make for a comfortable night's sleep. And, for those that like their creature comforts, there's a collection of tepee cabins to counteract the cold – stout wooden accommodations built within a traditional tented framework.
Do
You'll begin with a tour of the hotel itself, marvelling at walls, halls, restaurants and bars all intricately carved in season's new snow. Following this, there are some fantastic excursions on offer, from husky safaris and snowmobile adventures to ice sculpting classes and tours in search of the Northern Lights. Snowshoeing is also popular, while reindeer safaris take you deep intro frozen forests to watch out for passing Arctic wildlife.
