When winter descends on Jukkasjarvi, Sweden, nature’s quiet magic gives way to one of the world’s most extraordinary art projects; the creation of the ICEHOTEL. On Friday 12 December 2025, the doors will open to the 36th edition of this remarkable property and in this blog we will unveil the planned, standout suites and art installations.
The Vision Behind ICEHOTEL 36
At its core, ICEHOTEL is more than just a place to stay: it's a living art installation, crafted from 2,000 tons of ice harvested from the neighbouring Torne River and sculpted by love. With the arrival of spring, the hotel melts back into its source, leaving behind only memories — a beautiful metaphor for temporality and renewal.
For the 2025/26 season, ICEHOTEL 36 features 12 art suites, in addition to ice rooms, a Main Hall and a Ceremony Hall. As we write, some 29 artists from 9 countries around the world have come together under the Arctic skies and Aurora Borealis to bring their vision to life.
Design Highlights: Suites and Conceptual Themes
Below are some of the most intriguing and imaginative designs from ICEHOTEL 36. Each suite a frozen story, each hallway a sculptural journey.
Arctic Archive
- Design: Kristina Möckel and Sebastian Scheller
- Concept: This suite treats the ice like a library – a time capsule. Sculpted “books” made of ice fill the room, each one symbolising stories from past ICEHOTELs, from the people who built it to the guests who have visited.
An Otter's Midwinters Night's Dream
- Design: Sandra St-Laurent & Mylène Leboeuf-Gagné
- Concept: As it gently drifted along the river, the otter dozed off... in its dream, the river became a stage of a winter carnival, where creatures of the current - a playful beaver, a dancing heron and majestic salmon - gather in celebration.
Dragon Of Icehotel
- Design: Bao Hongyu & Guo Baiwei
- Concept: The dragon is one of China's mythical creatures and represents power and prosperity.
Ice As Mirror
- Design: Pieke Bergmans & Peer de Wit
- Concept: A space of reverence.
Linking The Beads
- Design: Yasuaki Onishi & Minako Yoshida
- Concept: The dreams and imaginations of the people who stay in this room grow and fill the space with a series of "juzu" - a small, perforated bead with a thread threaded through it to form a loop, and is worn over the hands when worshipping the Buddha.
Parliament Of Owls
- Design: David Rothstein, Carlos Miguel Ramirez Pereyra & Israel Magaña Rodriguez
- Concept: The suite is intended to soothe and inspire. The rising moon and the forest's depth evoke a sense of sanctuary.
River Bed
- Design: Clément Daquin & Raphaël Jeanne
- Concept: Inspired by the Torne River itself, this suite aims to immerse guests in the sensation of being underwater — beneath a frozen river surface. Sounds, lighting, and sculptural forms create a dreamlike “under-ice” environment.
Spaghettification
- Design: Thomasz Czajkowski & Milosz Matelski
- Concept: Drawing on astrophysics, this suite visualizes the phenomenon of extreme gravity near a black hole. Objects are stretched and elongated, as if “pulled” into space. The bed, the walls, the architecture itself twist into surreal, flowing forms.
Soap Bubbles
- Design: Coralie Quincey & Peter Hobbs
- Concept: A playful suite inspired by bubbles suspended in midair. Frozen spheres of ice mimic soap bubbles, capturing the fragility and whimsy of a fleeting moment.
Let us take you there
ICEHOTEL 36 isn’t just a hotel — it’s a choreography of ice, art, and imagination. Visiting it isn’t just about spending a night; it’s about immersing yourself in a fragile, luminous world that exists only for a moment. For design lovers, adventure seekers or anyone who cherishes art in unusual places — this is a real-life Winter Wonderland.
Why book your ICEHOTEL holiday with Sunvil?
The diversity of design — from astrophysics to natural history — shows how ICEHOTEL continues to push creative boundaries every year. Each suite is a world unto itself. With our first-hand knowledge and depth of local knowledge we can craft your perfect break. Call our destination specialists on 020 8568 4499 to learn more.
