The second thing I noticed was just how very beautiful it was. At Sorrisniva, the first area you come into is a large lobby that is filled with absolutely remarkable ice and snow designs. This season the theme was Vikings so all around were intricate ice carvings and warriors as well as snow carvings of wild animals. I had never quite realised how talented the artists here must be to take a huge block of ice and turn it into something so lovely and it was quite breathtaking to see the designs here.
There is also an ice bar in the main snow room, where the drinks are served in glasses made completely of ice. Drinking from one of these is an unusual experience but of course your drink stays perfectly cold!
At either side of this main room are corridors where you will find the bedrooms, where the temperature stays around -5°C. In each there is a bed made from compacted snow which is topped with a thin mattress and reindeer skins. The rooms do not have doors but simply a large heavy curtain which you pull across which is really all you need in the quietness of your surroundings.
When it came time for bed we were each equipped with two heavy duty sleeping bags – one to sleep in and one to use as a blanket – and a pillow and an additional blanket if required. The guides advised to go against your natural compulsion to put on every item of clothing you own and instead sleep in your thermals, along with socks and a hat.
Their advice, of course, proved to be excellent and I have to admit that I was actually pretty warm and comfy. Reindeer skins are natural insulators, and the sleeping bags we were given are arctic grade and designed to keep you warm down to -30°C so really all that was cold was your nose!
I slept pretty soundly all in all and it was a really fun experience that has easily made its way onto my top ten list of travel experiences.
These are some things I learnt from sleeping in a snow hotel and advice I would offer to future guests!
• Everyone will ask you about it when you get home as it is a real bucket list item for people and one that only a lucky few get to enjoy
• If like me, you sleep with your phone nearby to use as an alarm clock, be sure to keep it tucked in your sleeve or pocket – if you leave it out in the cold the battery will run down much faster
• Reindeer hair does shed and will stick to your thermals! This is not really a nuisance by any means, and if you have pets is something you are used to. It did very much intrigue my cat who spent a very long time sniffing inside my suitcase upon my return!
• You might wake up a few times in the night with a cold nose, but it is easy to warm up again. I think for me it was sleeping in such absolute silence that made me wake up a few times, as I'm so used to listening to Newcastle street life outside my window!
• As you would no doubt know already, don't drink too much before bed, as stepping out of your cosy sleeping bag, putting boots and clothes on in the middle of the night and trudging out to the toilet in the main building is not an enjoyable experience....
• In the morning you should embrace Scandinavian tradition and warm up in the sauna as this is quite simply wonderful!
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