The Best Winter Hotels in Scandinavia

The legendary ICEHOTEL Jukkasjärvi offers one of Scandinavia's coolest winter experiences. Each year, artists meticulously rebuild this architectural marvel using snow and ice harvested from the nearby Torne River. Every suite is a unique masterpiece, featuring intricate hand-carved ice sculptures and designs that transform frozen water into livable art.

While sleeping on a bed of ice might sound daunting, plush reindeer hides and expedition-grade thermal sleeping bags ensure a surprisingly cozy night's rest. The hotel's permanent structure offers a heated respite when you need it, featuring warming saunas, hot showers, and comfortable changing rooms.

Planning a beach vacation in Denmark for the winter months might seem crazy, but Marienlyst is worth a visit any time of year. This sophisticated seaside retreat transforms winter into a season of wellness and warmth, where guests can sink into heated pools while watching waves crash against the frigid shore. Beach saunas overlooking historic Kronborg Castle offer a particularly magical experience.

The resort embraces the Danish concept of hygge with intimate spaces designed for comfort and contemplation. Guests can drift between salt therapy rooms and fireside lounges, finding warmth on even the coldest of days.

It’s always winter at the Snowhotel Kirkenes, a hotel made out of snow and ice open 365 days of the year. Located in northern Norway, the Snowhotel offers a wide variety of arctic activities—and they provide all the gear you’ll need to handle the cold weather, from mittens to overalls so you can pack lightly.

Guests can experience the surreal sensation of floating in the Barents Sea protected by high-tech drysuits, or try the opposite of hot yoga with snow yoga. The hotel’s remote location offers prime Northern Lights viewing, and guests can even book a dogsledding tour to chase the phenomenon. offers prime viewing of the Northern Lights as they dance across the star-filled sky.

Want to see the Northern Lights but don’t want to leave your warm bed in the middle of the night to go look for them? Book a glass igloo at Lyngen North, where you can watch nature’s most spectacular light show from the comfort of your bed.

Choose between the 360º igloos, which leaves the top entirely transparent for stargazing, or the 180º igloo, which leaves half of the igloo exposed for better landscape views and a bit more privacy.

If your ideal winter hotel involves soaking in a hot tub while watching the snow fall rather than being out in the snow, Copperhill Mountain Lodge is the getaway for you. The spa’s panoramic windows overlook the stunning, snow-covered Åreskutan mountain.

The hotel's variety of saunas and indoor/outdoor pools offers different ways to warm up after a day of mountain viewing (or mountain skiing, for the more adventurous). For the ultimate relaxation, book a massage at the world-class spa.

The Steam Hotel transforms a historic 1917 power plant into Sweden's most fun winter resort. This unique property, overlooking Lake Mälaren, houses the country's only action slide water park. Here, heated indoor pools and waterslides will make you feel like you’re on a tropical vacation.

Thrill-seekers can challenge friends on racing slides, brave the spinning turbine, or conquer a climbing wall. The park's crown jewel is its VR waterslide, where digital effects transform each descent into an immersive adventure.

There’s plenty of entertainment to be had on dry land here as well. Guests can perfect their ping pong serve, rack up a game of billiards, try their hand at shuffleboard, catch a film in the private cinema, or channel their inner rock star in the karaoke room.