The warmth of summer, however bright and sunny, can sometimes get to an aggravating point with the humid air rising in tropical countries like ours.
It’s a good thing we have just the right alternative for those looking for a cool getaway. Our recent travels took us to the far reaches of the North, immersing in the winter magic of the Swedish Lapland.
Read through and discover Swedish Lapland, your best bet for winter expeditions in the ICEHOTEL, a hotel and an exhibit that gets reincarnated each year in a brand new design, and across the snow.
The transfers are as follows; from Manila we flew to Doha, after spending a night in Doha we flew to Stockholhm, and after another overnight at Stockholm, we then flew to Kiruna-Jukkasjärvi. Venturing to the Swedish Lapland was well worth the trip as we looked forward to a slew of unforgettable experiences in the North.
As we got outside the Nordic Chalet where we were to stay, we could not believe how stunning the stark white view was. We took in the whole scene as we did strolls in our winter gear and felt the nip of the cold winter air.
These are photos of the warm cabin where we spent our first night at. Notice how cozy it is despite the cold, thanks to the heated tiled flooring in the hallway. It was set along a small passage only a couple minutes walk from the ICEHOTEL’s main reception, shop, and main restaurant.
The ICEHOTEL Restaurant has both a dining room and a cocktail bar that is warm and cozy and serves local delicacies such as reindeer, elk, mountain trout and arctic bramble, prepared by Michelin trained chef Alexander Meier and his team. It was Arctic gastronomy at its finest.
We then marveled at minimalist veils of frozen water showcased in The Fuzzy Chisel, a transparent icebar that gathers people around magnificent ice blocks, the moment we entered the Absolut ICEBAR by ICEHOTEL.
It’s where we discovered out-of-the-box ice artistry while enjoying delicious cocktails in a whole new perspective at the Ice Hotel’s Ice Bar. Nothing beats reveling in a unique drinking experience with everything from the walls down to our drinking glasses made from ice.
Here are photos depicting the scenery from outside the ICEHOTEL, an award-winning place clad in stark white snow where northern lights paint the night sky above lush winter forests. We suggest making this the highlight of your holidays as you plan it early this year through the help of our travel specialists.
One of the awesome activities at the ICEHOTEL is learning how to sculpt ice. The exhilarating experience came with a basic lesson on tools and on working with ice from a master sculptor. Check out our photos and videos as we chiseled our way to creating our own frozen masterpieces.
I also won’t forget the time we took the reigns on a sled and had our own team of huskies take us through the snow and into the Lapland wilderness. Thanks to Fjellborg Arctic Journeys for making our authentic arctic journey possible.
Spending a night in ICEHOTEL truly is a surreal experience, with art suites that are individually designed according to an artist’s theme. Each suite is individually hand carved by ice sculptors commissioned from around the world.
But of course, every good thing comes to an end. Here are pictures from when we left the ICEHOTEL, visual souvenirs to mark a bittersweet day where bid farewell to a place we will never forget. It’s funny because the experience even came with a diploma indicating how cold the night we survived was.
#JuanderWithUs to the Swedish Lapland and tick off a grand winter getaway from your travel bucket list. Luxury travel sure is memorable with #WorldJuanderer at your every beck and call.
