Why I Slept in A Hotel That Was 20 Degrees And Loved It

 

Ok, so I didn’t “love it’, love it. But the experience was worth all of the discomforts and challenges. And for me, that is why I travel. I want the experience, and to push myself out of my comfort zone. I want to experience first hand different history, geography, climate, cultures, food, and how others see the world.

Travel is a big reason I quit my corporate job and retired early. Life is short. I’d spent enough time diligently saving and delaying gratification. It’s time to enjoy that hard work while we are physically up for the challenges that come with travel.

I know most travel articles don’t talk about the challenges but if you expect your trip to be like the highlight reel I post on social media, I’m afraid you will be frustrated or disappointed. Real travel includes hours and hours of flight time, early mornings and late nights, seemingly endless jet lag, struggling with language issues, luggage issues, unfamiliar foods, culture shock, and endless other challenges. But that’s what makes it fun. How well can I adapt to all of these situations? Adaptability is a skill I want to maintain.

Most of my travel recently has focused on warmer climates. But when the opportunity came up to visit the Ice Hotel in northern Sweden, I only hesitated briefly. I had watched a documentary about the hotel and I was intrigued and nervous.

The Ice Hotel is 165 km north of the Arctic Circle in Sweden. It is built new every year with giant blocks of ice carved from the river. They harvest the ice at the end of winter, when it’s at its thickest. Massive blue chunks are stored all summer in a solar powered warehouse that are then transformed into a hotel as soon as winter arrives again. This making and melting cycle has taken place for over 20 years.

There are parts of the hotel that operate all year round and there are permanent structures, but the part of the hotel I really wanted to see is completely different every year. Each room is a work of art, not just an igloo. Everything is crafted to create an experience that can’t be duplicated. I was in awe of it from beginning to end.

 

The adventure started from the time we landed in Kiruna. We were met at the airport with all the winter gear we would need for our stay. Hats, gloves, parkas, etc designed to keep you warm even in the harshest winter weather. I was super nervous about how cold it would be. I had watched the weather for the previous month. Sub-zero temperatures were the norm. I have lived in cold climates and part of me couldn’t believe that I was volunteering to vacation in such a cold place. But we lucked out weather wise and had beautiful and moderate temperatures………….for the arctic circle.

Transportation from the airport was by dog sled. Sure, we could have taken a taxi, but how often do you get a chance to dog sled it?? When we were getting geared up in our parkas and snow pants, we could hear the dogs going wild. They love to run, and are restless when they can’t so they wouldn’t stop barking until they were allowed to run. As soon as we took off, they didn’t make a sound.  It was a unbelievably quiet and peaceful gliding through the trails. And the winter scenery was spectacular.

Along the way we made a short coffee stop where we enjoyed the first of many strong coffees and a sweet cake. The guides told us a little about the area. The thing that struck me the most was how resilient you would have to be to even think about calling this place home. But everyone we encountered seemed to love the life…..even it it included harsh subzero temperatures and 40+ days a year where the sun never rose.

As soon as the dog sleds parked us at the hotel, I knew we were in for a jaw dropping experience. Even the rejected pieces of ice that were stacked up in a pile, looked like they came from another world. The massive pieces were a brilliant shade of blue.

Then it was on to the inside of the hotel, which was actually cooler than the outside that day. During the day, the ice rooms are open for guest to view. Artists are commissioned to create the rooms decor. Ice chandeliers, ice beds, ice furniture……..everything in the room is made of ice except the bed itself. There is a mattress of sorts that is covered in animal skins. We would be provided with sleeping bags that evening to keep us warm in the 20 degree room. I was starting to get nervous. It would be like winter camping, which I had never done.

So why not get a little liquid courage from the ice bar? Shots of various berry flavored alcohol and a few snacks of reindeer jerky made sleeping on an ice cube seem like a brilliant idea! Right?!?

I had to scheme a back up plan. If I couldn’t hack it all night, maybe I could sleep in our assigned changing room. It was tiny but it would be warm. The other option I was scoping out was the place they called the living room. It was in the reception area and the couches looked pretty comfortable. But that would be cheating, wouldn’t it?

Don’t stress yourself out about it was the recommendation of our host. Just relax and enjoy the experience. So I tried not to psych myself out about it. What is the worst that could happen? Probably just losing a nights sleep. Which wouldn’t be so bad except I hadn’t slept much that last 2 nights and was feeling a bit out of it already. Maybe that would work in my favor. I’d be so tired that I’d just pass out and sleep til morning.

Before I could worry about it too much, it was time for dinner. A nice warm reindeer stew, a couple of glasses of wine and an artistic dessert kept took my mind off our future sleeping arrangements for a few hours.

Our host had briefed us on where to pick up our sleeping bags, how to find the bathroom in the middle of the night if we needed it, and a few pointers about surviving until morning. Ok, he didn’t say surviving…..but that’s what I  kept thinking in my head. I needed to stop thinking about it and just go to sleep!

The sleeping bag kept me plenty warm. But the air was very cold to breath and the way our room was situated the bed was close to the ceiling making it feel a bit claustrophobic. Getting in and out of the bed required a slippery climb of a few steep stairs. That would certainly add to the challenge of getting up in the night.

It was a long night.

I never fell into a deep sleep and I had to get up a couple of times for the  bathroom trek. The surprise was how magical the place seemed in the dark of night. It was completely still. I felt like the only person there. But I still wished I could just go to sleep!

Just as it felt like I was finally dozing off, the staff came to wake me and offer up the warm lingonberry morning drink. I had made it through the night! I was a survivor. The ordeal was over. Tonight I would have a warm room to sleep in. But for now, I was happy that I had the experience and hadn’t bugged out the the living room. It turns out other people had had that same thought and acted on it! But I hadn’t. I’d toughed it out!

Now all I needed was another strong cup of coffee and I would be ready for the day’s next adventure. And little would I guess that I would do something even more challenging. I’ll tell you all about it next time.

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