The building process starts in mid-November when the snow guns start humming and large clouds of snow start to drift along the Torne River.

The snow is sprayed on huge steel forms and allowed to freeze. After a couple of days, the forms are removed, leaving a maze of free-standing corridors of snow.

In the corridors, dividing walls are built in order to create rooms and suites. Ice blocks, harvested at springtime from Torne River, are now being transported into the hotel where selected artists from all over the world start creating the art and design of the persihable material.

Some of them are experienced ice artists, some of them have never experienced temperature below sub zero. Experienced or not, each year they create new and unique art and design at ICEHOTEL.

To be able to create ICEHOTEL and ensuring its construction; provide support to the artists and setting the lights, the construction is done in several phases. As one section is completed, it opens to visitors and overnight guests, while the other sections are still under construction.

The first phase is completed December 10th and each week thereafter a new section opens, until January 7th when the construction of ICEHOTEL is completed. ABSOLUT ICEBAR opens December 12, the Ice Church and the Main Hall are completed December 23.

If you are on location during the building phase you can gain a closer insight into the unique requirements that apply when building and creating art and architecture in snow and ice.

As we build ICEHOTEL under the open sky, using the natural materials of the winter season, our time plan and building progress depends on Mother Nature and therefore we ask you to make allowances for any deviations from the plan.