Snow and ice are, obviously, the best materials for building during winter — they are cheap and almost endless, so you just need to have the technology. These hotels and palaces, of course, would have a hard time enduring the summer heat, but who cares, when you can make fairy tales become real?
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L'Hotel of Ice in Quebec lives up to its name - the 36-room building is made of giant igloos, with animal fur covered benches and two connected bars. Thousands of people come here every year for the "ultimate Nordic experience".
© AFP 2023 / Anne Barot
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The Icehotel in Jukkasjärvi opened in 1990, claims to be first of its kind in history. The facility that works from December to April, has to be rebuilt each year.
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The suite "The Banished Dragon" also adopted a fantasy style, popular among the visitors to the Icehotel
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This igloo was built as part of the festivities for the 2018 Winter Olympics at the Pyeongchang Olympic Plaza.
© AP Photo / Charlie Riedel
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The Finnish Snow Hotel is dedicated to the Game of Thrones, so everyone can feel the atmosphere of the favourite fantasy saga - but without the wars and scheming.
© Photo : Snowvillagefinland/Instagram
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A small hotel was established in 2011 in Zwolle, which is famous for its ice sculpture festival. The temperature in the structure constantly hovers between six and eight degrees Celsius (42 and 46 degrees Fahrenheit).
© AFP 2023 / Anoek de Groot
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An ice hotel at Balea Lake, a popular ski resort in Romania, is located at an altitude of 2,034 metres, (6,700 feet). It is only accessible by cable car in winter.
© AP Photo / Vadim Ghirda
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Russia's Igloo-Hotel "Mountain Terrain" in Kamchatka is decorated with traditional sculptures by the indigenous Arctic people.
© Sputnik / Alexander Piragis
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A thriving ski resort in northern Italy suffered from the recent natural disasters, that hit the region in 2018. However, the igloos are being rebuilt in order to accommodate future tourists.
© AP Photo / Luca Bruno
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Built by volunteers, the large ice palace in Saranac Lake, New York, is dedicated to the annual Saranac Lake Winter Carnival.
© AP Photo / Mel Evans