ICEHOTEL is seeing a sharp increase in summer demand. The number of overnight guests has increased by 50 percent compared to the summer of 2025, while ICEHOTEL 365 is celebrating ten years as a year-round ice experience this fall. The number of day visitors has also increased by 12 percent, and from Denmark the number of guests has increased by almost 100 percent. Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium are also showing strong development. Many guests have chosen to travel north by car or camper.
”"We are very happy and at the same time humbled by the development. We really see a difference in how more people choose to spend their summer vacation in the north. It is especially fun to see that it is not only long-distance international guests, but also people from our local markets who are discovering summer here," says Marie Herrey, CEO of ICEHOTEL.
Ice and snow art all year round
This fall marks ten years since ICEHOTEL 365 opened and made it possible to sleep among ice and snow art year-round.
Today, guests can step from the midnight sun, greenery and the Torne River into an environment of around minus five degrees – and then return to summer again. ICEHOTEL 365 is powered by solar energy and cooling technology that makes it possible to preserve the ice all year round.
”"There is something very special about the contrast between the Arctic summer outside and the winter ice and snow art inside. ICEHOTEL 365 is a world-unique experience – and the fact that we make this possible with the help of solar energy feels extra nice. Over the years, more and more guests have discovered the magic of this contrast, and this year we are seeing a clear increase in demand," says Marie Herrey.
For ICEHOTEL, it all started when founder Yngve Bergqvist saw opportunities where others saw limitations. He ran a rafting company based in Jukkasjärvi and saw the potential in the long winter – in the ice, the cold, the darkness and the Northern Lights.
In 1989, he created an art gallery made of ice and snow. The following year, ICEHOTEL opened, which over time developed into one of Sweden's strongest destinations.
From ”coolcation” to real demand
In the summer of 2026, the concept coolcation received considerable international attention. Financial Times recently reported on how heatwaves in southern Europe are driving more travelers north and highlighted ICEHOTEL as an example of the growing demand for cooler summer experiences.
But for ICEHOTEL, the development is not new.
”"We have seen this interest grow for several years, and now it is nice to see that the development is also being recognized internationally. We have long noticed that more and more guests are choosing to come to us in the summer, long before the concept coolcation "became a trending word. The heat can certainly be a factor, but maybe it's about something bigger. About a longing for nature, peace and experiences that feel genuinely rooted in the place," says Marie Herrey.
It is close to what Bianca Brandon-Cox recently raised in Tourism news, where she describes ICEHOTEL as an example of more place-based and authentic tourism – where the local, nature and what is actually there are at the place take center stage.
Maybe that's also where part of the explanation lies. Because when more people travel north, it doesn't always have to be about doing more. It can be about doing less. Sitting by the river. Hiking. Sauna. Experiencing the light. Swimming in the Torne River. Eating local delicacies. Sleeping in an art suite of ice and snow. Letting nature and tranquility take up more space.
”"There is strength in simplicity. Yngve saw opportunities where others saw limitations. Maybe it's the same thing we see now with summer – that more people are discovering the value in what is already here," says Marie Herrey.
Short facts about ICEHOTEL
44 Warm hotel rooms
28 Warm cabins
18 Year-round open art and deluxe suites made of ice in Icehotel 365 (-5 degrees Celsius)
36 Winter-open art suites and ice rooms (-5 degrees Celsius)
1 Accessible ice art suite (-5 degrees Celsius)
3 Meeting rooms
1 Ceremonial hall made of ice in the winter hotel (mid-Dec – mid-April)
1 Ice and snow cinema for 29 guests, open all year round
1 Exhibition room made of ice and snow
1 Icebar in Icehotel 365
3 Restaurants
5 Wilderness Campers
