REVIEW: The Snow Hotel in Kirkenes - What's it like sleeping in an ice cave?

We woke up from our - 4 degree room carved entirely out of ice and headed straight for the
sauna. It’s optional to wear clothes, but as it’s a unisex sauna we opted for towels. A local
man joined us in the sauna, and explained how he likes to go outside after and rub snow into
it. The obvious choice? Join him of course.

We stood that morning in the -13 degrees completely starkers (bar towels) and watched the
heat visibly steaming from our skin. Rubbing snow into your face almost pushes you over the
edge, but there isn’t a more unique opportunity to experience a truly authentic Norwegian
winter.

When you imagine adventure, what does your mind conjure up? Perhaps that of roaming
through an untamed rainforest, with danger imminent at every turn. Maybe it’s exploring a
deserted island, unchartered territory that you’re the first to stumble upon. Whatever it is, it doesn’t come close to that of sleeping in a hotel made completely of ice.

Every room, bed and step is completely carved from ice in the Kirkenes Snow Hotel. Heck,
even the bar serves all of its shots in frozen glasses, that you can smash after drinking.
They’ve really taken the whole ‘minimalist’ movement to the next level with less cleaning and
more recycling.

Nestled amongst the vast lakes and towering fjords lies the quaint town of Kirkenes;
population 3498 humans and more than 400 dogs. The town is straight out of a
Scandinavian winter wonderland postcard, picture perfect with a thick layer of glistening
snow covering every building, tree and vehicle.

We begin our journey at the Kirkenes airport, which is located about a 20 minute bus drive
from the Snow Hotel. There is a lovely man wearing a high-vis vest holding a sign with our
names on it, and as he ushers us onto the bus he jokes about having to dogsled to the
airport, as there wasn’t enough room on the bus.

He isn’t kidding.

As we leave the airport, we watch him walk to his sled attached to his huskies, who are
patiently waiting for him. Meanwhile, we travel in comfort on the heated bus, and are
pleasantly surprised at just how mild -2 degrees felt. It’s no Sydney weather, but it isn’t as
uncomfortable as we thought it might have been.

When we arrive, our luggage is whisked away to the elusive luggage room and we’re
greeted by smiling staff. It’s Mother’s Day in Norway, which means special Norwegian
chocolates for everyone; whether you are a mother or not - nice touch.

Our tour of the grounds was fascinating, as we discovered that there were 200 dogs on the
grounds (for mushing) and 80 staff in total; 20 Norwegian and the rest from around the
world. Heck, there was even the token Aussie bloke working there. People had travelled far
and wide to spend a winter working at one of the most incredible hotels in the entire world.

There are 22 rooms in the snow hotel in total, each hand carved to a different theme for the
year. We’d arrived for the ‘Movie Characters’ theme, which meant recognisable faces like the
Grinch and Joker adorned the rooms. The only ice carving that stays as is the infamous
‘Marilyn Monroe’ room – the website says that’s because it’s the most popular... but a staff
member told us it’s because one of the owners loves Marilyn more than anything on Earth
and is completely besotted!

If you can’t bear the thought of spending a night rugged up in the cold, you can also opt for
the cozy wood cabins. They’re the epitome of romance, with matching reindeer hides and
large, opulent windows to gaze into the Norwegian fjords with mulled wine in hand.

Have you ever eaten King Crab? Known as the King Crab capital of the world, the Kirkenes
Snow Hotel also offers the unique experience to actually go and catch these enormous
crustaceans on their King Crab Safari. If you’re on the tour, ask to sit on the snowmobile with the tour guides rather
than be pulled by the sled behind. Feel the icy cold wind whip through your hair (and
balaclava, beanie and helmet!) as you take in the sights of the Fjord and magnificent sunset.
It’s truly something special.

The crabs themselves are massive, and you watch on as the experienced guides pull them
out of the box and humanely kill them. Please note; if you’ve got a weak stomach or small
children, this might not be the activity for you. You’re given a crab to take a photo with, and
often the clear blue blood is still falling as you hold it. We weren’t phased by it, but there
were a couple of smaller kids that were devastated watching.

After you’ve taken photos and listened to how and why the crabs are important to the
Kirkenes region, you’re then transported back to a local restaurant and served the very king
crab that was caught on your trip. I’ve never been a fan of crab, but this was something else.
Incredibly fresh, tasty and authentically cooked; the crab caught on the Kirkenes Snowhotel
King Crab expedition is out of this world. I can’t recommend this trip enough, particularly if
you want to see the landscape and try one of the most famous Northern Norwegian foods in
the region.

You’ll then be transported back at the Snowhotel just in time for the welcome dinner, where
you’re served Reindeer sausages with traditional Norwegian pancakes. The host for the
night tells us stories about the Snowhotel, the owners and the Shabbi – the locals and
ancestors of the land.

Then, you’re taken to feed the four reindeers that live on the property, including one called
Dot Com... which means ‘prick’ in Norwegian as he’s apparently quite naughty. The reindeer
eat right out of your hands, and they’re very tame. Great activity for the whole family to enjoy
together.

After feeding the reindeer, you’re whisked away upstairs for a three course traditional meal.
The night we were there it was mushroom soup, freshly caught atlantic Char and a brownie
served with snow for dessert. Last stop; to the Ice Bar within the Snowhotel, where you’re served a shot of pure crowberry juice – delicious!

The most important part of the entire night is the demonstration for how to use your sleeping
bag. When you’re sleeping in arctic conditions (a cool -4 degrees), it requires special
equipment. The Kirkenes Snowhotel provides sleeping bags that are designed to handle up
to -32 degrees, as well as woollen socks, balaclavas and a cotton sheet.

Sleeping overnight in the ice hotel isn’t comfortable, but it’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
There is a thin rubber-esque mattress on top of the ice bed base, and when you’re in your
sleeping bag, sheet, socks, balaclava and one layer of clothing; it’s actually quite warm. The
only part of your body that feels the cold is your nose and eyes, as they’re all that are
exposed.

The night we slept in the snow hotel, I slept a full eight hours. Here’s a hint; if you need to go to
the bathroom, make sure you go just before you go to sleep. The midnight run to the
bathroom isn’t fun, especially when you’ve got to get back into your sleeping bag and other
paraphernalia in the dark.

Breakfast is a decent buffet that includes cheeses, meats, eggs, bacon, fruit, yoghurt etc. If
you’re flying out of Kirkenes airport the next morning, don’t opt for the 400NOK (per person)
bus organised by the hotel. Instead, order a private taxi. It’ll cost you around 350NOK for the
entire taxi, which is much cheaper.

If you’re looking for the adventure of a lifetime, you can’t go past the Kirkenes Snowhotel for
a bucket-list worthy experience.