What would it be like to record a podcast in a room made of ice? This winter, it will be possible in Jukkasjärvi. When ICEHOTEL opens its 37th edition on 11 December, one of this year’s new features will be a podcast studio built entirely of ice and snow. It is hoped that it will be the first of its kind in the world.
At the same time, new art experiences await at the hotel, where every year international artists transform the natural ice of the Torne River into suites, halls and works of art. And this is an anniversary year for ICEHOTEL 365. The permanent part of the complex is celebrating ten years as the world’s first year-round hotel made of ice and snow.
A night amongst ice sculptures
ICEHOTEL is rebuilt every winter using around 2,000 tonnes of natural ice from the Torne River. During a few intense weeks at the end of November, Jukkasjärvi is filled with artists working with this unique material. The result is a hotel that only exists for a limited time.
Among this year’s new suites are The Cold Descent, featuring an ice-cold pool as part of the artwork; The Emperor’s Suite, which features hand-sculpted emperor penguins; and Skogsrå, inspired by the mythical forest creature.
Staying in one of the suites is, in itself, part of the art experience. The ice that has built up over the winter eventually melts back into the Torne River, making way for next year’s installation.
Stories that live on
The new podcast studio plays on precisely this contrast. The space itself is temporary, whilst the stories recorded there can live on long after the ice has melted. The studio serves both as an art installation and a venue for stories, conversations and selected podcast productions. The studio is part of ICEHOTEL 365, which since 2016 has allowed visitors to experience ice and snow all year round. The permanent facility is powered by solar energy and makes it possible to step into a world of ice art even when the midnight sun is shining outside.
– There is something truly beautiful in the contrast between what is fleeting and what lives on. We have been recreating ICEHOTEL every winter for almost four decades, and every visit leaves behind new stories. The podcast studio gives us the opportunity to gather some of these stories and let more voices become part of ICEHOTEL’s ongoing history, says Marie Herrey, CEO at ICEHOTEL.
ICEHOTEL 37 opens on 11 December 2026.
Visit Icehotel and Jukkasjärvi.
Sketches shown in the image:
The Other Side by Milosz Matelski & Thomasz Czajkowski
Shape-shifters by Lisa Lindqvist
Open Wide by Chris Pancoe & Jakobi David Heinrichs
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