On the River Torne, 124 miles north of the Arctic Circle, sits the ICEHOTEL, the original large-scale, frozen destination hotel. The company that now runs ICEHOTEL began with summer river tourism -- whitewater rafting and nature hikes. In 1990, they built an igloo, the 197-square-foot Arctic Hall, as a venue for an art show.

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Guests have a drink "in the rocks" at ICEHOTEL'S ABSOLUT ICEBAR.

Arctic Hall attracted extra visitors to Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, and one night, foreign tourists with reindeer skins and sleeping bags decided to sleep in the igloo. The tourists raved about their thrilling night and ICEHOTEL decided to create a working lodge for the next season.

Now ICEHOTEL boasts unique rooms, a starkly beautiful church and the ABSOLUT ICEBAR, where the bar and the glasses are all made from ice. During the day, the hotel opens to visitors who tour the rooms without staying the night. But at 6 p.m., the ice museum closes and overnight guests take over. They leave their luggage with a porter, who takes it to a heated storage area. Bathrooms and changing rooms are also heated. By 9 p.m., most people retire to their rooms. Guests wear long underwear and sleep in mummy bags on ice blocks covered by mattresses and reindeer skins.

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The ICEHOTEL's design changes annually.

Hotel employees wake up guests with a cup of hot lingonberry juice -- that is, if the guests make it through the night. No, not like that; this isn't "Call of the Wild." Ice hotels avoid unfortunate incidents by creating nearby heated chalets and lodges for guests who can't get cozy and want a warm bed in the middle of the night. The hotel actually encourages guests to combine warm and cold accommodations, passing their first night in the ICEHOTEL and relaxing in warmth for the rest of their stay. Plus, a room at the ICEHOTEL doesn't come cheap. Simple rooms start at about $169 with current exchange rates and go up to $800 for a package that also includes an ice sculpting class and airport transfer.

ICEHOTEL distinguishes itself with thrillingly transitory art -- all made from ice, of course. Every season, the hotel invites artists and designers to create the entryway, suites and public spaces. An Art and Design Jury reviews applicants' resumes and renderings and selects a group. Their designs have ranged from starkly modern crystalline halls to Seuss-like four-poster beds. The artistic directors and ICEHOTEL architect supervise technical issues and, because the hotel rebuilds annually, the designs are never the same.

In the next section, we'll visit an establishment in Quebec, Canada, and learn about igloos -- the forerunners of ice hotels.

Ice Hotels and the Environment

Although ICEHOTEL draws its water from the River Torne and uses geothermal energy for its electricity, not all ice hotels are environmentally friendly. Some even use electricity to make their ice. Ice bars have also made their way well outside of the Arctic Circle. The Absolut Vodka ICEHOTEL collaboration has extended to Stockholm, Milan, London, Tokyo, Copenhagen and Shanghai, where, despite the distance and warmer temperature, they still import ice from the Torne.