Discover the World gears up for the 13th season of its #Iceflight.
As the original Icehotel in Swedish Lapland prepares to celebrate its 30th anniversary, the hotel’s first suite designs and plans for this winter season have been unveiled. In addition, principle Icehotel travel specialist Discover the World is preparing for its 13th year operating the only direct flight to the hotel from the UK, whisking guests to Swedish Lapland in just 3.5 hours.
First Look at Art Suite Designs
The largest ever group of artists from 34 different countries is preparing to help create the iconic hotel this year, with two design teams confirmed from the UK. As layers of fresh snow form a blanket over Jukkasjarvi in mid-November, these artists will gather together to create the exhibition of snow, ice and light that will become Icehotel #30.
From checking into a frozen West End theatre production and sleeping next to a submerged iceberg, to spending the night in a subterranean ice room with giant ice ants, settling down in a frozen feline lair, waking up surrounded by an ice-carved Kaleidoscope, enjoying the Greek island of Santorini as a backdrop and enjoying cocktails surrounded by frozen roller-coasters and carnival games in the IceBar, this year’s hotel will have an incredible range of rooms for guests to enjoy when it officially opens on 13th December 2019.
Image- TorneLand IceBar
The above image is of the IceBar, named “Welcome to TorneLand” which celebrates 30 years of frozen fun at the Icehotel with roller-coasters, carnival games and an ice-carved hot air balloon.
Ice Memories Exhibition and 360 Degree Viewing Platform
This season the hotel will be hosting a photography exhibition showcasing 30 years of ‘ice memories’ displaying the most memorable designs. In addition, guests will be able to enjoy a special ice-carved viewing platform built above the hotel, offering 360-degree views of the surrounding frozen landscape across the Torne River from which the ice is harvested.
30 Years of Icehotel:
It all started back in 1989 when founder Yngve Bergqvist decided to turn his summer business (offering white-water rafting, saunas and mountain biking) into a year-round experience with the addition of a small igloo allowing visitors to stay in Jukkasjarvi during winter months too. New activities like husky sledging, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing proved extremely popular with guests. Three decades later and the Icehotel has had more than one million visitors from across the planet and has become one of the world’s most famous and unique places to stay, featured regularly on many a ‘bucket list’ of travel experiences.
According to Yngve Bergqvist, “In 1989 we had no idea how much attention our hotel made of ice and snow would receive, but here we are, about to celebrate Icehotel’s 30th anniversary, fantastic history and its exciting future which I’m so proud about.”
“Right back from those early years we knew that the Icehotel offered something incredibly special for our clients which was the driving force behind us launching our own direct flight to Kiruna in 2006. We wanted to make the hotel more accessible for weekend breaks and take out the hassle of connecting flights” commented Clive Stacey, managing director of Discover the World.
“13 years later and it is as popular as ever thanks to the continued innovation by the talented team in Jukkasjarvi who manage to year after year create a totally unique hotel harnessing the creative talent from around the world” added Stacey."
New Icehotel Designs:
A total of 18 design teams have been chosen who will help build the 15 Art Suites as well as the Main Hall, the Ceremony Hall and the Icebar under the guidance of the hotel’s brand new Creative Director Luca Roncoroni.
This includes two British teams; father and daughter duo Jonathan and Marnie Green and professional sculptor Robert Harding, both of which have created Art Suites for Icehotel before.
Jonathan and Marnie Green’s suite will celebrate 30 years of Icehotel with an Icehotel-themed West End production called “A Night at the Theatre” complete with ice-carved curtains, a large stage and a frozen bed in the place of front row seats, whilst Robert Harding’s “Bone Room” celebrates the natural melting process of the hotel each spring as it dissolves back into the Torne River.
In addition to the suites, designs for the Icehotel’s Main Hall, Ceremony Hall and IceBar have also been unveiled. The theme for the Main Hall will be ‘Brutalism’ celebrating the construction of the hotel, the Ceremony Hall ‘Gingko’ will highlight the Ginkgo tree which is seen as a symbol of hope, strength and longevity and the IceBar ‘Welcome to TorneLand’ will be a tribute to 30 years of frozen fun, with ice-carved roller-coasters, Ferris wheels, carnival games and hot air balloons surrounding the bar.
Icehotel Prices and #IceFlight Departures:
A stay at the Icehotel offers the chance to combine sleeping ‘on ice’ in one of these unique suites with various winter adventures including husky sledding, ice sculpting, snowmobiling, reindeer sleigh rides, Northern Lights photography classes, wilderness dinners and guided Swedish sauna rituals.
Holidays run in conjunction with Discover the World’s IceFlight, the only direct flight to Icehotel from London Heathrow to Kiruna. There will be eight flights over the winter period, starting on 14 December 2019 and running until 07 March 2020.
A classic three night Icehotel Break is available from £1,046pp based on two sharing (with 2x nights in a warm Kaamos Room and one night sleeping on ice) on a B&B basis, including return direct flights on board Discover the World’s exclusive charter flight and return airport transfers. Extra activities can be added at an additional cost.
Tatiana is the news coordinator for TravelDailyNews Media Network (traveldailynews.gr, traveldailynews.com and traveldailynews.asia). Her role includes monitoring the hundreds of news sources of TravelDailyNews Media Network and skimming the most important according to our strategy.
She holds a Bachelor's degree in Communication & Mass Media from Panteion University of Political & Social Studies of Athens and she has been editor and editor-in-chief in various economic magazines and newspapers.
