( Budget Travel ) -- I 've never been a fan of the cold . As a kid , my favorite part of skiing was the hot chocolate , and I relished blizzards for the snow days , not the snowball fights . So when I booked a trip to the Icehotel in northern Sweden , my family and friends were amused -- and a bit concerned , especially when I got sick days before my flight . `` You ca n't go to the Arctic with a cold ! '' my mother admonished . The hotel in northern Sweden opens every year in early December and closes at the end of April . But I had good reason for wanting to sleep in a glorified freezer : As an environmental reporter , I was curious to see a place where people have turned snow and ice into a moneymaker , one that 's spawned copycats in frigid spots from Canada to Romania . Conceived by Yngve Bergqvist , a river-rafting guide who wanted to lure visitors to the Arctic north during the winter , the Icehotel started out in 1990 as nothing more than a crude igloo . Now , it 's a fanciful ice castle that 's rebuilt every November with an unparalleled level of artistry -- which explains why each winter 16,000 guests pay hundreds of dollars a night to sleep on a slab of ice and thousands more make the trek just to tour the rooms for the day . The 30 most elaborate suites are the handiwork of a team of artists -- sculptors , painters , architects , even comic book illustrators -- many of whom have never worked with ice before . Wielding chain saws and chisels , they spend weeks crafting frozen furniture while electricians install lights to provide an ethereal glow . Surreal ? Exceedingly . This winter , German furniture maker Jens Paulus and American industrial designer Joshua Space created a space-station room straight out of `` Star Trek , '' with giant carvings of the sun and moon on opposing walls and twinkling lights in the ceiling . British decorator Ben Rousseau and graffiti artist Insa devised the Getting Cold Feet suite , with oversize high-heeled ice shoes beside the bed . Twenty-nine unadorned snow caves offer a somewhat less pricey and more purist experience . Since no hotel would be complete without a bar , the artists also sculpt a chic space where guests can warm their innards with an Icebar Jukkasjärvi , a mix of vodka , blueberry liqueur , blue curaçao syrup and elderflower juice , sipped from a cube-shaped ice glass . Then there 's the chapel , where designs etched into the ice walls resemble stained glass . About 150 couples tie the knot here each year , some brides bundled in snowsuits , others dressed in white wedding gowns , their teeth chattering as they recite their vows . When I arrive in Sweden , I 'm surprised to find that the guests actually spend a lot of time in a pair of heated chalets that look like life-size gingerbread houses . The shower and bathroom are located in the one nearest the hotel -- because , really , who wants to sit on a frozen throne ? And the other contains the restaurant , where chef Richard Näslin dreams up such intriguing dishes as arctic char ice cream , which has a slightly salty , smoky flavor and is much more delicious than it sounds . Budget Travel Dream Trip : Scale a volcano in Ecuador . After my dinner , wrapped in several layers of fleece and down , I waddle out to a tepee for a folk concert by native Laplander Yana Mangi . At the end of each song , the crowd responds with a uniquely Arctic ovation : muffled mitten clapping . My suite has a nautical theme , with walls curved into a frozen wave and an oval bed of bluish ice set beneath a clam-shaped headboard . Topped with a mattress and a reindeer skin , the setup looks snug . Almost . The temperature is a brisk 23 degrees Fahrenheit , and I 'm still petrified I 'll lose a finger to hypothermia , even in my head-to-toe winter wardrobe . I climb under the furry blanket , making sure not an inch of skin is exposed . Then I gaze through the slits in my microfleece face mask and marvel at the stillness . My breath comes in shallow white puffs . Soon , I 'm fast asleep . The next thing I know , a hotel attendant is standing beside me with a cup of steaming lingonberry juice -- my wake-up call . Amazingly , I slept through the night , giving new meaning to the expression `` out cold . '' I wiggle my fingers and toes -- they 're tingly , but all there . Then I do what any sane person would : sprint to the chalet to thaw out in the shower and sauna . Most guests stay only one night , but I opt for a second . It 's not to prove my mettle ; I feel as if I 've done that . Rather , I find my frosty alcove incredibly restful and therapeutic . Maybe the hotel should add an ice yoga studio next ? IF YOU GO ... GETTING THERE A round-trip flight between New York and Stockholm on SAS costs about $ 700 in midwinter ( flysas.com ) . From Stockholm , take a 16-hour train ride to Kiruna ( from $ 44 round trip ) . The Icehotel is a $ 13 bus ride away . WHEN TO GO The hotel opens every year in early December and closes at the end of April . You have a chance of spotting the northern lights in December and January , but those are the coldest months -- temperatures can dip to 45 below . WHAT TO PACK Think wool and fleece layers ; avoid cotton , which can trap moisture and make you colder . The hotel supplies boots and hats . For details , see icehotel.com/winter/adventure/dress . WHERE TO SPLURGE Do n't miss the guided hotel tour ( $ 37 per person ) . And how about an ice-sculpting lesson ( $ 75 per person ) ? Or a six-hour snowmobile safari to see moose at their winter feeding grounds ( $ 400 per person ) ? WHERE TO SAVE Tour the Icehotel by day , and then spend the night at Hotel Kebne in Kiruna ( 011-46/980-68-180 , hotellkebne.com , from $ 100 ) . Get the best travel deals and tips emailed to you FREE - CLICK HERE ! Copyright © 2009 Newsweek Budget Travel , Inc. , all rights reserved . Note : This story was accurate when it was published . Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip .
The Icehotel started out in 1990 as nothing more than a crude igloo . Now guests can stay in elaborate suites handcrafted in ice by artists . Hide Caption 1 of 11 Photos: