For people whose idea of The Perfect Valentine’s Day involves lots and lots of cuddling, you might want to check into Quebec’s Ice Hotel. Fashioned from 4-foot-thick blocks of ice, the hotel’s walls insulate against the frigid outdoor temperatures and keep guests inside enjoying comparatively balmy 23°-28°F rooms. Think of it as sleeping inside a giant Thermos.
Open from January to April, the Ice Hotel is made from 500 tons of ice and 15,000 tons of snow. In addition to heated bathrooms, the hotel features a wedding chapel, igloo-building classes, and the Ice Lounge — for when you want to chill. Many of the rooms feature themes; some have fire places; and one even has private hot tub with waterfront views.
The hotel is currently running a cool Romantic Shivers promotion: $159 gets you a drink in an ice tumbler (that you can keep as a souvenir!); one night in the hotel; access to the public hot tubs and sauna (that’s where I’ll be); and more. If you need a little nudge before you’re willing to plop down some of your cold, hard cash on a night in a glorified igloo, check out the trip reports by Lisa Shea or Andrea Granahan. Also, be sure to swing by Etolane’s Ice Hotel images on Flickr, in which she lovingly, dotingly, joyously photo-documents the hotel. What amazing colors! It’s like sleeping inside a prism.