The Hotel de Glace, located outside Quebec City, is North America's only ice hotel, and its unique and novel nature have firmly planted it atop winter's once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
Understanding the appeal of spending the night at an ice hotel is not difficult (just in case, we provided some reasons below), but we've found that many people don't understand the logistics surrounding a stay-that is, how the practical things like luggage, showering and surviving all go down.
To help, we put together answers to common questions to give you an idea of what to expect from the experience.
Is the Hotel de Glace really made entirely of ice?
Yes! Well, ice and snow. At the beginning of winter, a frame is constructed and snow packed on top; once frozen, the frame is removed. Artists are then brought in to carve out the interior design of the bar, common areas and 42 rooms, including the beds and nightstands. Entry-level rooms are basic and without flair, but each of the suites has a unique theme that changes year-to-year.
Okay, so-isn't it freezing? How do you sleep there?
Yes, it is! The temperature inside the Hotel de Glace is always below freezing, so you'll want to be in full winter gear the entire time, just as if you were outside.
And yes, the bed frame is completely made of ice. On top, they place a wooden board, and then a hard mattress upon which you sleep. The hotel will give you an arctic-worthy sleeping bag that will keep you warm-perhaps even hot-throughout the night.
If you are new to sleeping bags, don't worry: each guest of the Hotel de Glace must attend a mandatory briefing session in the early evening, where the staff instructs on how to use the sleeping bag and best practices on how to most enjoy the experience.
What are the logistics? If the room is all ice, where do you put your luggage? Where do you shower and go to the bathroom?
Your reservation at the Hotel de Glace actually includes two rooms for the night-one in the ice hotel, and one in the adjacent Hotel Valcartier (which is literally right next to the ice hotel, two minutes walk). The latter is a normal, heated hotel room that operates as your home base.
Throughout your stay, you will take a tour of the Hotel de Glace, take part in activities, enjoy the sauna and hot tubs and hang out at the ice bar. In between, the room at the Hotel Valcartier is where you'll shower, change and keep your luggage.
What do I do while I am there?
The Hotel de Glace is part of a bigger complex which includes the Hotel Valcartier, an ice-skating rink, a tubing course and an indoor water park. There is a large common area with an ice bar, ice tables and a fireplace, as well as a slide. Guests of the Hotel de Glace also receive access to an outdoor area with hot tubs and a sauna, open from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m.
The Hotel de Glace is open to the public all day, until 8 p.m., for self-guided room and chapel tours. You should explore the hotel intensely, peeking into each room and enjoying all the nooks and crannies of the artistic work, including ice sculptures, wall carvings and colored lighting.
After 8 p.m., the hotel is open to overnight guests only, at which point you are given access to your ice room. Typically, all the overnight guests gather in the bar around 9 p.m. for drinks and a series of staff-led games, like ice carving. Afterward, guests enjoy the hot tubs and use their rooms at the Hotel Valcartier to shower and dry off before returning to the Hotel de Glace for sleeping.
What happens if I get too cold at night?
The arctic sleeping bag provided by the hotel is rated down to minus 40 degrees, meaning you should, after the initial chill of getting undressed and into the bag, find yourself warm throughout the night. But, if you do find yourself uncomfortable, simply head back to your heated room at the Hotel Valcartier. You can return in the morning for another dip in the hot tub or to spend more time touring the rooms.
What does it cost to stay at the Hotel de Glace?
Although a night in the icy confines of the Hotel de Glace (or any ice hotel in the world) mirrors an outdoor camping experience, it is not priced as one. Instead, the $495 per night entry-level package is more on par with a luxury hotel, which is why most people consider it a once-in-a-lifetime novelty.
Honestly, it's a fair enough assessment-it's expensive, to be sure, but the experience is indeed unique, one you are not soon to forget, especially if you stay in one of the artistic suites. And remember, the rate is also high because it actually includes two rooms for the night-one in the ice hotel and one in the adjacent Hotel Valcartier. You also get a free drink, a $9 value, for what it's worth.
Okay, I understand the process. But why should I stay there?
A lot of the Hotel de Glace experience speaks for itself-a hotel entirely made of ice, an ice bar, an artistic creation, the whole once-in-a-lifetime thing. But other things are less obvious.
First off, there's a hidden novelty beyond the ice and snow: When was the last time you had two hotel rooms in one night? That in itself is a story to tell at happy hour.
Then there are all the small in-betweens of a stay at the Hotel de Glace.
The visual stimulation you get inside the hotel is incredible, but the snow and ice also create experiences for other senses, too. Snow and ice absorb sound, so when in you're in your room at night, wrapped in the sleeping bag, you will experience absolute silence like none other. It's so quiet that it's almost deafening. In a world of technology, airplanes and construction, complete silence is hard to come by and is, unfortunately, a unique experience in the modern day.
Another great aspect of a stay is the community that forms and bonds over the experience. Everyone who is staying overnight at the hotel comes together at night at the ice bar for activities, and there's a sense of something special being shared-the hotel is a uniting factor, encouraging conversation and interaction.
Finally, waking up in the morning, breathing in the clean, fresh air, seeing your breath but feeling warm in the sleeping bag, perfectly captures the romance of the experience. It's a moment when you realize that, just maybe, winter is not so cold after all.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
