I recently visited the world famous Icehotel located in Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, for the second time. The first time I visited was in February 2018 and the second time was December 2018 – and it was fabulous!
If you are assuming that the Icehotel is a hotel made of ice, then yes, you are correct. It is an amazing location that features stunning pieces of art sculpted out of ice in rooms that are available for guests to sleep in. There is also an impressive Icebar and many other attractions for visitors to enjoy, such as dog sledding, snowmobiling and a tree obstacle course.
While the attractions are great, what I find particularly fascinating about the Icehotel in northern Sweden is how entrepreneurial it is, and how it gives people from all over the world reason to visit beautiful desolate Lapland.
The far north of Sweden, otherwise known as Lapland Sweden, is the least populated part of Sweden. Even Swedes themselves tend to never have visited the far north of their own country. This is not surprising considering it is located in the freezing arctic circle and has long dark days for nearly half the year. One of the primary reasons why Lapland is even as populated as it is is because iron ore mines have provided employment.
As a result, the area tends to be void of entrepreneurial spirit and social excitement. Between the two main cities in the north – Kiruna and Gällivare – there is not much activity happening when it comes to business and social gatherings (this is based on my experience of being a person from Southern California). The locals tend to keep to themselves and do not venture out much in social activities.
This is why I consider the Icehotel to be such a wonderful location. It gives the public, both locals and visitors, a destination to visit in Lapland Sweden. When I have visited the site, I have observed people who come from North America, Asia, other parts of Europe and beyond. As a resident of Lapland Sweden, I have never been around so many foreigners at any other location in the north.
The Icehotel is a place that offers something new to see every year, and something to look forward to. It has a cutting edge business model, and hosts entertainment and unique activities for all to enjoy. Its gift shop contains beautiful items from local vendors that even I have not seen in nearby villages or cities.
On top of that, the Icehotel’s entrepreneurial spirit has expanded beyond the small village of Jukkasjärvi. The hotel’s Icebar has actually opened branches in Stockholm, London and Copenhagen. It is amazing to think that celebrating ice in the far north of Scandinavia has made its way to bustling cities in the south.
I highly encourage you to visit the Icehotel and surrounding areas in northern Sweden if you ever have the chance. It is a wonderful and unique location to observe that has attracted thousands of visitors to the region for decades.
Lauren Ell is an American blogger born and raised in Southern California and is currently based in Sweden. She discusses Epilepsy, Politics and Fun. Professionally Ell is an Online Marketing Consultant and Virtual Assistant. She is also founder and president of Republican Atheists and GunSafetySociety.org. Connect with Lauren on Facebook and Twitter.