Hôtel de Glace: Inside a Quebec Ice Hotel Tour

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Hôtel de Glace

Quebec’s Ice Hotel

Imagine an entire hotel built of sparkling ice and packed snow, like something you’ve only seen in Disney’s Frozen. Now, picture intricate carvings in various themes, furniture constructed of solid ice, toasty wood stoves and fur-lined benches. Could a place like this even exist? Just 20 minutes north of Quebec City, a place known to celebrate winter’s chill better than any other, sits the Hôtel de Glace; a beautiful establishment constructed year after year for the enjoyment of people from all over the world. And it’s made entirely of ice and snow.

Now, consider that you could spend the night here! Would you be up to that challenge? I’m Canadian, so ice basically runs through my veins, and the idea of attempting this even gives me pause. That said, if I really consider it, I think this would be an amazing experience that would certainly leave you with lasting memories.

Luckily, if you’re not up for sleeping here, you still have the option to visit during the day. We were lucky enough to take a Quebec Ice Hotel tour while visiting Quebec City for Winter Carnival this year and I was absolutely stunned by its beauty, and all of the work that clearly goes into creating this amazing project each year.

Follow along with me for a quick tour.

The Chapel

What an incredible place to get married! This year’s Hôtel de Glace Chapel has gorgeous fur-covered doors at its arched entrance and beautiful carvings at its altar.

Walking into the Hotel de Glace Chapel.

The church-pews, naturally, are ice benches covered in faux furs, making the entire chapel appear incredibly cozy, rather than cold. Ice carvings of pottery line archways in the walls on either side of the room.

Furs on benches inside the Hotel de Glace Chapel.

The Suites

Now let’s talk about the accommodations.

The hotel wing is filled with both standard rooms and suites. Each suite is decorated in an intricate and well-thought-out theme. This year’s designs include a circus, a Bonhomme-themed room (Quebec’s Winter Carnival mascot), and a truly Canadian room featuring a beaver with a chainsaw and a moose riding a snowmobile.

There are 42 rooms in the hotel, many of which are suites, and no two themes are alike.

Inside a suite, themed as Quebec Winter Carnival, with a large snow carving of Bonhomme, the Winter Carnival mascot.

Some suites even include a warm, glass fireplace.

A fireplace inside another suite in Hotel de Glace. A snow carving of a cat has glowing blue eyes.

Common Areas

The ice carving extends to the hallways and common areas, where some of the most amazing pieces of artwork can be seen. An underwater themed common room with intricately detailed marine life is topped with a jellyfish chandelier.

A jellyfish chandelier hanging in a common room.
An ice carving of coral in an underwater themed room inside the ice hotel.
A school of fish carved in the snow.

And a forest room, with maze-like tunnels and an ice slide is overlooked by a bright-eyed owl.

An owl with yellow eyes on the wall of the ice hotel with a maze of snowy trees.

The Ice Bar

We finished our tour, as one should, at the bar! I was thrilled by some of the adorable cocktail names. I highly recommend the Snowmobile Accident, complete with a sprig of spruce! Bonus: Most tour packages for the hotel include a welcome drink from the bar.

And of course, your drink is served to you in an ice glass!

A Skidoo accident cocktail at the ice bar in Hotel de Glace.
Drinking my skidoo accident at the ice bar.

This fabulous ice hotel is located at Valcartier Vacation Village, a popular vacation destination for more reasons than just its unique hotel (especially for those with little ones). It’s also an easy addition to any Quebec City weekend trip.

I always love a good excuse to spend time in Quebec City (see Quebec at Christmas and Quebec Summer Road Trip), so I am sure we will return. Maybe, if we are feeling adventurous (as we usually are), we’ll even attempt to stay the night. Let me know below in the comments if you would be brave enough try it as well.

I hope you’ve enjoyed following along on our Quebec Ice Hotel Tour.

Stay warm!

Hill XO

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