Fancy waking up and Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland? Stay at one of these five seriously cool, snow-blanketed residences, and you’ll be able to do just that. (The featured image is courtesy of Igloo Village.)
Like to see some other Winter-wonderland-themed articles? Check out the White Pod resort in the Swiss Alps, Europe’s most incredible mountaintop buildings, The IceHotel, Sweden and wintry, romantic activities in Canada.
Igloo Village – Kakslauttanen, Finland
With a handful of snow igloos, 20 glass igloos and one glass kota (shaped like a Lapp teepee) all set in a snow blanketed Lapland forest, Hotel Kakslauttanen has to be the world’s foremost winter wonderland.
The Ahwahnee – Yosemite National Park, USA
The Ahwahnee Hotel has got to have one of the most atmospheric settings of any US mountain resort.
The fact that Queen Elizabeth II, Ansel Adams, Walt Disney, Charlie Chaplin and several US presidents (including John F Kennedy, Ronald Reagan and Dwight D Eisenhower) have all stayed here tells you all you need to know about the seductive qualities of the hotel itself, and Yosemite’s magnificent forest, waterfalls and towering cliffs that surround it.
IceHotel – Jukkasjärvi, Sweden
Situated 60 miles north of the Arctic Circle near to a small Lapland village, this is the largest hotel built of ice and snow in the world. Mid-November every year a team of snow builders, architects and artists from all over the world descend on Jukkasjärvi to create a brand new version of IceHotel.
Recent versions have been a few shy of 50 rooms and included a deluxe suite, and several “Art suites”, “ice rooms” and “snow rooms”. We have a picture-packed blog post about The IceHotel – have a read.
New Monte Rosa Hut – Zermatt, Switzerland
There’s been a hut here at the foot of Monte Rosa near the Swiss town of Zermatt since the late 19th century. Then at the beginning of this one, the Swiss Alpine Club decided to build themselves a new one.
The resulting crystal-shaped construction made of a complex wooden skeleton and aluminum skin is nothing short of striking. Yet, style isn’t its only quality.
Thanks to a number of solar-based systems, it’s 90 percent self-sufficient. Incredibly, the four-story construction provides refuge for up to 120 hikers, trekkers and climbers.
Hôtel de Glace – Quebec City, Canada
Much like its inspiration the IceHotel, Hôtel de Glace is a temporary structure built anew every winter.
It’s only open between the first week of January and the last week of March. Visitors are advised to wear three layers when visiting. Hats, scarves and gloves are described as “essential” accessories.
Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…
