I learned a LOT about the cold on a recent trip to Québec City.
Not just because the temperatures plummeted to -27C while I was there (that’s -17 Fahrenheit, for those of us who remember!), but also because I had a chance to talk to experts who deal with the cold all the time – and are huge advocates of it, in fact! Those experts were actually able to convince me that cold can be good for me, if approached the right way. And they would know, since one of them is a guide at Québec’s Hôtel de Glace (Ice Hotel) and the other manages Québec’s Siberia Station Nordic Spa.
In both cases, however, the experts’ advice is to get into your birthday suit – or as close to it as possible, at least. (More on that later.)
Here then, is Part One of two posts describing how embracing the cold can be a good thing, starting with a visit to Québec’s Hôtel de Glace…
Hôtel de Glace: the best sleep of your life? Perhaps!
A night at the Hôtel de Glace in Québec is one of those adventures that many people (55,000 and counting) have on their bucket list. Probably because most of them only plan to do it once as a kind of survival thrill. But, if I believe my guide, Majolaine, who took us on a recent tour of the Hôtel de Glace, a night spent in a giant igloo might just result in the best sleep of my life. Why?
For starters, the silence. Located just 15 minutes outside of the vibrant atmosphere of Québec City’s bars, restaurants and nightlife, the Hôtel de Glace feels worlds away from the energetic city, especially once you enter its packed-snow rooms and passageways. Those 6-foot-thick snow walls insulate you from more than just noise, and once the lights go out, the darkness – like the silence – is complete. Majolaine tells us that even people who have woken up at 5am for decades find themselves sleeping in until their 8am wakeup ‘knock’, so deep is their slumber.
The problem is the humidity, not the cold
The reason for this deep, refreshing sleep appears to be the cold air; that is, provided you are able to avoid any humidity creeping into either your room or your sleeping bag/cocoon. At the Ice Hotel, humidity is your enemy when it comes to staying warm in the cold. Because once that moisture is trapped with you, it cools you off.
To prevent this, the staff at the Hôtel de Glace take specific measures to ensure guests are in a cold, DRY room: at 8pm, an hour before guests check into their room, heavy curtains at the entrance to the rooms and suites are closed, and a candle or two is lit in each room.
The candles serve to remove any humidity left by visitors who, just by breathing, exhale moisture into the room during the day. After about an hour, however, the candles have done their work and the room is now dry and ready for its overnight guests.But you can’t just hop into bed here at the Ice Hotel – specific procedures need to be observed. It’s extremely important that guests crawl into their insulated sleeping bags when they are completely dry themselves, making sure not to step on the snowy floor, in case they bring in snow that can melt inside their cocoon-like bag. Sleeping in too many layers is NOT encouraged, either, since being too hot means sweat, and again, humidity is the enemy here. So, if you like to sleep in your birthday suit, feel free, but if not, a light synthetic layer of clothing is recommended (not cotton, which holds dampness).
Sufficiently moisture-free, go ahead and zip up your toasty sleeping bag, pull the drawstring hood closed around your face, and shut off the light in your now 100% pitch black room (but don’t get any romantic ideas about zipping your sleeping bag together with your partner, because you’ll soon find that cold creeps in at the seams and your ‘couple cocoon’ is not feeling so cozy.) Instead, play by all the Ice Hotel’s rules and recommendations, and with any luck you’ll wake up more refreshed than you’ve felt in ages.
Not ready for a sleepover at Hôtel de Glace?
If you’re like Henk and I, and only flirting with the idea of ‘going all the way’ for an overnight stay at the Hôtel de Glace, there’s still plenty to enjoy as a day visitor. There’s a behind-the-scenes tour that shows you how the hotel is constructed, and regular guided tours that allow visitors to wander through the decorated corridors and elaborately themed suites that are on display throughout the day.
The Hotel’s regular double rooms are simple and spare but the themed suites run the gamut from whimsical to downright sexy with everything from underwater scenes to abstract designs, elaborate carved-ice headboards and even fireplaces (the Bachelor has nothing on these “Fantasy Suites”!)
Admire the dry-to-the-touch ice art
Some of the most spectacular details in the Hôtel de Glace are the art installations within the packed snow walls of the Great Hall and Ice Bar; including crystal-clear ice sculptures, lounges, tables, and even a stalactite/stalagmite chandelier – all made with distilled water that is gently shaken while freezing to prevent bubbles from forming in the blocks.
Even more remarkable than their transparency is the fact that these ice carvings are dry to the touch and don’t melt when you place your hand on them! (although I wouldn’t want to stick my tongue there for too long to test this fact!)
There’s even a giant ice-slide made from these transparent ice blocks that is a must-do for kids of all ages.
Of course, for grownups there’s a bar, too, or rather, 3 bars which serve frigid specialties like ‘Accident de Ski-Doo’ (self-explanatory) and ‘Lave-Glace’ (French for windshield washer fluid), no doubt named for its electric blue colour. Drinks are served in drilled-out giant ice-cube glasses – which surprisingly don’t stick to your lips, either, although cubic glasses can be tricky to drink from without dribbling – and remember, you don’t want to be splashing anything on you in these temperatures!
Ready to commit?
Even though Henk and I were only day-visitors at the Hôtel de Glace, other couples are clearly ready to commit to the cold in a big way, as witnessed by the fact that the hotel has an Ice Chapel and regularly hosts winter weddings here. Weekends book up fast, and especially Valentine’s Day, during which there were 3 weddings scheduled. (Although, given the no-zipping-sleeping-bags-together reco for staying overnight, I’m not sure that’s how I’d want to spend my wedding night – just sayin’.) The idea, however, is a romantic one, and the atmosphere is about as fairy-tale as it gets.
Personally, I was intrigued by everything about the Hôtel de Glace, from its construction, to its ice decor, to the ‘science of cold’ that allows people to sleep comfortably in below zero temperatures. But regardless of whether you’re planning an overnight visit, or just day-tripping to see this icy marvel, the Hôtel de Glace embraces winter like no other hotel possibly can.
TIP: Rooms at the Hôtel de Glace start at $199 per person for regular rooms and go up from there for suites. Guided tours cost $18.25 for adults with special prices for students, seniors and families. For complete details, visit their website.
Special thanks to our Hôtel de Glace guide, Majolaine, whose signature purple hat and warm personality made our tour even more fun, and to the team at City of Québec Tourism and the Carnaval de Québec who hosted our stay and introduced me to some of the region’s attractions.
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Well written! I agree with the thoughts you have expressed here, though it’s not easy for me to see washing my dishes as a spiritual event since they are always a daily chore as I have no dish washer! =-\\But I do see a clean sink as divine outcome
Oh good heavens – I am COMPLETELY ready for a night in one of these! Who knew it was so scientific – the dry vs humid cold? It’s good to know and if I don’t make it to an ice hotel in Canada, I hope I can get the experience in Scandinavia one day.
I’m with you – I’d like to see the one in Sweden, too, to see how different it is than the Hotel de Glace in Quebec.
I’d like to see the Ice Hotel. The themed suites and art are beautiful. I don’t think I’d like to spend the night, but it was interesting to read about how the room is prepared and what you do to stay warm.
Definitely worth the visit Donna, and every year, although the shape of the hotel stays the same because they use wooden molds to create the structure, the interior decor is always different. I’d go back again just to see what next year’s theme would be.
I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who thought that maybe an overnight stay is not for me! I would definitely return for another ‘Accident de ski-doo’ at the bar, however!
If only for the cocktail names, I’m with you. Glad to see that although they take the sleeping precautions seriously, the Hotel de Glace folks also have a great sense of humour!
Gorgeous! These photos alone are enough to have me checking into the Hôtel de Glace, ready to tuck into a toasty cocoon for a snooze.
Thank you so much – we tried to capture its unique beauty, which is always a little trick with an entire hotel made of ice!
We’ve always thought that a stay at an ice hotel might be fun. This one looks beautiful. Didn’t know sleeping took so much preparation. We went to an ice bar in Norway so we’ve had a little taste of what it’s like. While your post gave us plenty to think about, I guess it hasn’t scared us off of the idea.
It was quite an education for me, too, learning all the procedures and the importance of staying dry to stay warm in the cold. (Not sure how that would work with the whole hot flashes thing at night, though!) 😉
I went to the Quebec winter carnival last year and hesitated about going to the Ice Hotel, but changed my mind and went. And I was SO happy I did. Your post really showed how beautiful it is…and fun. I loved the ice slide and sipping a maple syrup liqueur in an ice glass. As for sleeping over, not for me!
That seems to be the common sentiment that the Ice Hotel is a ‘nice place to visit but I wouldn’t want to sleep there!’ 🙂
I survived my own overnight stay in the Quebec Ice Hotel very nicely. For my story, http://berkeleyandbeyond.com/Way-Beyond/Travel-Articles/Abroad/Ice-Hotel/ice-hotel.html
I was happy enough to survive the -27C days, Carole!
Not sure I’d quite ready to commit to a night at the Hotel Du Glace, but all the procedures sound fascinating. I’d love to know if it really is rejuvenating and good for the system and I’d imagine so. I feel much better if I sleep in a cold room with the window open at home 😉
I’m with you, Jo. But if I look at how healthy some of the Swedes are, for example, there is something to this whole ‘cold’ thing! (and they built the first Ice Hotel, so they should know!)
Québec’s Hôtel de Glace certainly sounds intriguing and while I’d love to take the day tour, like you I’m not quite so sure about signing up tor an overnight stay. It’s fascinating though to find out the research that’s gone into cold and a good night’s sleep. The ice sculptures are beautiful and it would be fun to see the themed suites too. Beautiful photos!
Thank you! I can’t say I was ready to commit, either, given that the temperatures outside were already so cold, but a tour is a must-do!
Great article…I will be at a snow hotel in Lapland Finland later this week!! Hôtel de Glace is so beautiful!!
Wow, Finland is killing it these days with their unique accommodations. Enjoy!