“Game of Thrones” fans who have long dreamed of visiting its mythical Seven Kingdoms can now get the ultimate Westeros experience thanks to a new hotel in Lapland, Finland.
HBO Nordic (which, along with CNN, is owned by Time Warner) has teamed up with Lapland Hotels SnowVillage to construct a “Game of Thrones” themed hotel made just of snow and ice.
Located in the resort of Kittilä, which is 200 kilometers (almost 125 miles) above the Arctic Circle and around 90 minutes from Helsinki, the destination is made up of 24 rooms – 10 of which are suites for guests staying overnight.
Winter is coming
Designed by professional ice sculptors from around the world, each room features an ice figure related to the popular TV show based on George R.R. Martin’s book series “A Song of Ice and Fire,” including a recreation of Braavos’ Hall of Faces and a replica of the Iron Throne, guarded by Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane.
A villainous White Walker, complete with blue lit-up eyes, is one of the stand-out sculptures, although a rather menacing sight to wake up to, as is the dragon-shaped ice slide.
Temperatures reach - 5 C (23 F) inside, so high-quality thermal sleeping bags are on hand to keep guests warm, as well as a hot berry juice in the morning.
Although it’s recommended that guests stay at the hotel for a maximum of one night due to the icy conditions, there are warm log cabins available should they wish to extend their stay in the SnowVillage.
Ultimate Westeros experience
Guests also receive a guided tour inside the SnowVillage, a buffet breakfast in the log restaurant, and a diploma to commemorate their stay.
Travelers can book an overnight visit at the snow hotel or simply take a day trip to the SnowVillage, which covers an area of about 20,000 square meters.
The village is open for visitors daily and has a cinema, a chapel, an arctic bar that serves drinks in glasses carved from ice, and a restaurant with frozen dining furniture and a menu featuring reindeer steak.
While it’s been constructed yearly since 2000, this is the first time the SnowVillage has included a “Game of Thrones” themed section.
Kittilä is also a great location to view the Northern Lights, and SnowVillage offers snowmobile safaris where guests can try to catch a glimpse of Greenland’s natural phenomena, as well as activities like reindeer-sledding and ice-sculpting classes.
Entry costs $18, while a guided tour is around $78 for a group of up to 30 people.
Lapland Hotels Snow Village, Lainiotie 566, 99120 Kittilä, +358 40 416 7227. The SnowVillage, which launched in December, is open until April 30, 2018, with rooms at the snow hotel starting at $200.
