Guests visiting the Kirkenes Snow Hotel in Northern Norway should expect a frosty reception from a polar bear. Once beyond the check-in desk, a true winter wonderland awaits, year-round.
The Year-Round Snow Hotel
Kirkenes Snow Hotel was one of the world’s first such attractions to be completely built from snow and ice. Now there’s other snow hotels in Northern Europe, the team have gone a step further by making the hotel a year-round attraction, which they claim is a world first.
Remarkable sculptures of snow and ice line the hallway and ice bar, while drinks are served on tables of ice. Overnight accommodation is available on beds of ice, inside individually crafted snow caves.
Guests are, of course, given thermal sleeping bags and they are surprisingly warm. In fact, all that’s recommended for nightwear is woollen underwear, warm socks, and warm headwear.
Besides the guest rooms and ice bar, the snow hotel itself also includes an ice sculpture workshop. This is a must-visit to appreciate the artistry that goes into these wonderful sculptures.
Don’t miss the opportunity for selfies with the various sculptures. Before leaving, make sure you’ve seen all the guest rooms as every one is different.
Outdoor Activities
The fun continues outside with reindeers to feed, playful huskies to meet, and your choice of dog sleds or snowmobiles to explore the surrounding area in the winter.
When there is no snow, the huskies are still just as keen to run, and so wheeled carts give visitors a similar exhilarating experience in the summer.
A service building connected to the snow hotel provides restrooms and a cafe, while a standalone restaurant and visitor center completes the hotel’s facilities. All overnight guests receive dinner and breakfast as part of the rate.
If you want to stay overnight and enjoy the outdoor activities but aren’t so keen on the nighttime experience of the snow hotel, wooden cabins are also available. These are ideal choices for guests hoping to maximize the chance of a northern lights sighting.
How To Visit Kirkenes Snow Hotel
Despite its remote location farther east than almost all of Finland, Kirkenes and the snow hotel receieve a surprising amount of daily visitors.
Much of that is due to Kirkenes being the turnaround point for Hurtigruten and Havila ships sailing the Norwegian coastal route. Guests taking a one-way voyage can visit the snow hotel as a pre- or post-voyage overnight add-on, while those doing the full route can visit on an organized excursion.
A typical coastal route excursion costs approximately $115 and includes return transport to/from the quay, and a guided tour of the snow hotel including the ice bar, guest rooms, reindeer field, and husky kennels. Snowmobile tours and dog sledding trips are available for additional fees.
Independent visitors are welcome too by booking with the hotel directly. It’s a good idea to thoroughly read the hotel website in advance to understand the daily schedule of activities, from the dog sledding and snowmobile tours to the hotel tours and ice bar opening.