Ice Hotel Québec – Canada is one of the two ice hotels in the world. The other one, being in Sweden.

The Ice Hotel opened its curtains (for doors) during the winter in 2001, but as happens every year, the ice hotel is fated for an annual rebirth. Under the warming sun of early April, it slowly melts away like Dorothy's witch, only to come to life again the next winter.

The construction of the Ice Hotel, one of the most uncommon and complicated construction projects, takes approximately five weeks. At least 12,000 tons of snow and 400 tons of ice are used in the creation of this amazing ice and snow crystal cathedral. It's total surface of 3,000 sq m (30,000 sq ft), is more than enough space to accommodate, besides the guests, a large number of visitors.

The Ice Hotel officials claim that the hotel is almost always fully booked. Guests spend the night in one of the 32-cosy rooms and theme suites, which can accommodate some 80 persons. Rooms are furnished with an ice slab for a bed and a bedside table sculptured from ice. The guests sleep, tucked in warm sleeping bags on the ice slabs, which are covered with deer pelts over which are placed thick foam-rubber slabs.

Besides the rooms and theme suites, Ice Bar and hot tubs, the hotel incorporates two exhibition rooms, a movie theatre, a magnificent chapel, a large ballroom, and functional fireplaces. As for the chapel, worshippers listen to sermons sitting on stools of ice. However, this icy house of worship is, in the main, used for marriage purposes. On the agenda, one of the first stops for the visitors is at the Absolut ice bar. Drinks are served in ice utensils and appetizers on ice plates. Warm mittens are a must as visitors walk along siping their drinks.

The interior temperature is 4 degrees below freezing, somewhat warmer than the outside air. To warm up further, the hotel even has a fireplace made from ice. Only the toilets are heated to room temperatures, the rest is made from ice.