Its a little bit further to travel in the coach but worth it!! Take a drink with you and take your coat off before you sit down and put your seat belt on as the reps tell you to put your seat belt on then proceed to tell you when youve started on your journey how long its going to be then suggest taking outer garments of!!But when your there you have a guide who gives you some great information and then your left to your own devices to go round and have a look and take pictures, have drink at the bar and have a go on the ice slide... great fun!
We went to the snow village to attend my nephews wedding in the Ice Chapel, which was absolutely amazing. The staff could not do enough for you and, in fact, I would say that all the Finns we came across are so warm and friendly - they cannot do enough for you and appreciate your business! After the wedding we were able to look through the rest of the village at our leisure. A cloudberry or blueberry vodka shot from a glass made of ice in the Ice Bar is a must and the food in the restaurant is amazing - very corden bleu style and beautifully cooked. The chefs free complimentary onion soup and hot flat bread is the best I have ever tasted. A good selection on the menu and something to suit every palette but we opted for reindeer fillet which was exceptionally good, as was the cold smoked salmon starter and the berries and caramel dessert. The carvings throughout the hotel just take your breath away with their beauty and the skill in carving them - photos do not do them justice. The ice slide for children only (yeh right!) was good fun, though I came back down the steps as the tunnel at the top was a bit narrow for me to turn in so I could have sat on the slide - didn't feel like slipping down head first!!!! If I hadn't had this experience with the wedding I still would have paid to go - the sort of trip that is unique and not to be missed.
We booked with thomson to come here. 3 adults and 2 children cost £470. We were here 2.5 hours so things were rushed and we didn't do everything.Sculptures in some rooms were amazing. The ice chapel and ice bar were equally impressive. The cinema was lacking in appeal. The Ice slide for the children was amazing. The food was lacking in taste and stodgy! There were only two small toilets and when trying to manoeuvre out of thermal suits it was difficult. Nice to see but not worth the money.
We got married here on the 16th December 2014, wow! where do I start? We booked our wedding through sun & snow weddings and Rue our wedding planner was amazing. The chapel is truly breath-taking, nothing can prepare you for the beauty and magic inside the snow chapel. It really was a dream come true for us, the best day of our lives. The lighting and carvings are out of this world the photographs we have capture all of the beauty. Truly recommend to anyone thinking of getting married here, it will create memories you will never forget.
Beautiful place. Highly recommended. It was very busy when we went but we had a guide who took us around as part of the Inghams trip. We were then allowed to walk round on our own. Th e children loved the ice slide, a once in a lifetime experience.
We went on an Inghams excursion & whilst Inghams have been excellent in all respects, I found this experience to be a little over priced. Comfortable coach to & from the venue & indeed the place is unique & very cleverly constructed. The carvings & sculptures are incredibly complex, certainly worth seeing if you are in this part of Finland. With just over an hour at the venue, this is more than enough time to see everything there is to see & have a drink from an ice shot glass.
Went to Ice Hotel on 20th December 2014. Fantastic visit. Snowed all day but coach drivers were not bothered at all! Would recommend to all. X
We booked the trip to the "Laino Snow Village" through the tourist office at Levi. It cost 195 Euros for two adults and one child, with Fintravel. Don't book through Thomsons!The drive to the snow village/hotel took about half an hour, I think, and was beautiful, driving through the forests while the sun was setting and the moon rising. When we arrived we went into the ice chapel, first, and someone came and gave us a short talk about how the place is built etc. We were then free to walk around and explore by ourselves. Unfortunately I can't remember now how long we were given - about an hour and a half, I think. It is basically a series of enormous igloos and tunnels which are carved inside. There are carvings in the snow walls and ice sculptures, including a huge lynx which was simply amazing. The kids (and adults!) loved the ice slide. Most of the bedrooms had carvings of a different theme, although I have to say the beds didn't look very comfy!We went to the ice bar (amazing sculpture of a wolf) and had a glass of champagne each - the coldest I've ever drunk!Basically, calling it a snow village wasn't the right descripion as it is just a hotel and bar/restaurant/shop. Also on the description of the excursion it said about having a hot drink and bun in "the wooden krouvi bar" and that didn't happen.The drive back was in the pitch dark but all the better for seeing the beautiful night sky and the pretty houses lit up in the dark.
Glad I went to this excursion however I don't think I would stay in the ice hotel as I didn't like the fact the rooms only had a curtain as a door and it's not really my thing, the more adventurous type that doesn't mind being cold might love it. I'm glad there is the opportunity to go to the ice gallery without staying over as the rooms, the Ice bar and the chapel looked so lovely.
Really enjoyed this. Felt authentic and dog were excited and enjoyable. Well organized and fantastic scenery. Wih we had booked the longer husky safari with inghams.