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Hotel de Glace
Category: Hotels & Travel Hotels & Travel [Edit]
Unit 9530Rue de La Faune
Quebec, QC G2N 1N2
(418) 875-4522
10 reviews for Hotel de Glace
10 reviews in English
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Review from Caterina M.
2/29/2012
I just got back form the Ice Hotel (Hotel De Glace) and it was an incredible experience, as everyone already wrote, yes, everything is made of ice. We slept there and I cant describe how exhilarating it was to wake up with fresh air yet feel snug as a bug in your sleeping bag.
The hotel is a work of art- we were four couples (8 ple) and are all very different people and we all felt blown away by the extraordinary talent that builds this ice hotel every year. Words can hardly begin to describe just how "cool" this hotel really is.
It is a once-in-a-lifetime experience- highly recommend. -
Review from Jamie G.
3/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
I am a crazy woman and I love adventures and trying new things... so as soon as I heard about this place, I immediately decided to reserve a room here. And it was an absolutely amazing experience.
Pros:
It's beautiful, and such a unique experience- when you first walk in, you see an ice lobby, with desk and telephone and seating and chandelier... all made out of ice
Free tours for guests so you can see all the rooms before 8pm- beautiful ice sculptures and carvings on the room walls, and bed headboards and bedside tables
Ice bar - free drink for guests, served in an ice glass, open till midnight. drink was small but delicious, glass was very cool and did not stick to your lips while drinking
Ice chapel- GORGEOUS!
Ice slide- inside the hotel is an ice slide- very fun
Great orientation- a very friendly staff member walks you through the whole process of how to sleep in the ice hotel- with the nordic sleeping bags
Great hot tubs and saunas for pre-sleeping
I actually slept very comfortably here- not too cold, not too hot, comfortable bed.
Amazingly quite and serene inside- snow apparently blocks out all sound- unlike more hotels with crazy thin walls
Nice indoor lodge area with lockers, bathrooms, showers, cafe, and breakfast in the morning
Breakfast food was very good- buffet style- eggs, homefries, toast, sausage, bacon, cereal, fruit salad, bagels, and tons more
Cons:
Insanely expensive- $200 CAD per person per night for the basic room (small with no sculptures or ice carvings or anything extra special)
Needs a roof/covering/umbrella over the hot tub area- it was raining/snowing when we were there and it made the hot tub experience pretty miserable
The shower area inside did not have bathrooms.. they were on the opposite end of the building which was very inconvienent
It's far from downtown Quebec
This is definitely a once (or maybe twice) in a life-time experience. The hotel changes every year with different themes... so I would maybe even be tempted to go back a few more times in my lifetime to see how it changes. I'm so glad I went and would recommend this to everyone to at least try once! -
Review from Ida C.
2/22/2012 3 photos
This hotel is carved completely from ice and it is breathtakingly beautiful, especially at night! Hotel de Glace was the primary reason I wanted to visit Quebec City in the first place and it exceeded my expectations! We were hesitant about actually staying in the hotel, so we opted to take a tour for $17.50, which gives you access to all the uniquely decorated rooms, ice slide and ice bar.
The bar was pretty cool as you could order drinks served out of ice shot glasses! We sampled the signature drink, which was a mix of vodka and ice cider! That and some boogy-ing to the DJ beats really helped us warm up!
PARTING THOUGHT: Everything is carved from ice including the gorgeous chandelier! Be sure to wear some snow pants if you are planning to try the slide!Listed in: Quebec City wknd (from NYC!)
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Review from Steeven L.
Etobicoke, ON
Words cannot describe the beauty of this place.This impressive work of art/architecture is a must see!
I recently went to the Ice Hotel for my birthday. Although I didn't stay over night, I did get a few hours to walk through the hotel, have a few drinks and dance a bit in the club.
On a freezing Saturday night during the carnaval, the admission was $20, which included a drink ticket ($8.50 value). It's totally worth it.
If you are in Quebec City when the hotel is open, GO SEE IT! -
Review from TruthSpeaker I.
3/5/2012
It was on my bucket list. We stayed there one night. I'm glad we had the experience, but I wouldn't do it again. The staff is very nice; the hotel is very impressive. I just don't like being that cold all the time and I didn't sleep very well as a result. It's also VERY expensive. The breakfast is disappointing, too.
You can tour the hotel without staying overnight. I definitely would recommend that you take the tour either way. It is very informative and interesting.
If you do stay overnight, there are things you should know beforehand that they don't tell you. For example, if you plan to wear long underwear or socks while you sleep, do NOT put them on until JUST before you get into bed. You can't wear anything to bed that you've worn during the day or you will be seriously sorry... they'll explain it to you. Also, you have to attend a debriefing, so check in earlier in the day so you know when to come back for the debrief.
When they say on the website that you should bring a bathing suit and sandals, they mean it. They suggest using the hot tub before bed to raise your body temperature and warm up the sleeping bag more quickly. They told us that if you don't use either the sauna or the hot tub before going to bed, you can go into thermal shock when you get into your sleeping bag since the bags have been waiting for you in your room for hours in the freezing cold.
You don't need to bring a sleeping bag liner; they provide them. If you like multiple pillows or supportive pillows, you should bring your own. The pillow provided with the sleeping bag is so small that I had to keep asking my husband whether it was still under my head because it felt like a hard surface (I couldn't check with my own hands because I was mummified by the sleeping bag).
Don't bring anything of value. You'll have a locker with a key, but that's it. There are no doors on the rooms, only curtains.
Drinks at the bar are small and expensive.
If you like to have a bottle of water with you at night, bring a plastic grocery bag so you can keep it in the bag and put it at your feet inside the sleeping bag. You can't keep it next to you because the table next to the bed is ice, the floor is ice and the bed surround is ice, so it will freeze to everything but your sleeping bag.
They have computers available for you to check your email, so you don't need to bother bringing your own.
Wear snowpants or an extra set of long underwear for hanging-out. It gets VERY cold.
Dinner tip: We ate at the Hotel-Musée Premieres Nations. I highly recommend it. -
Review from Hector M.
6/6/2011 36 photos
This famous hotel is a short drive away from Old Quebec. It is a hotel made completely out of ice for a brief time each year. Everything from the beds, chairs, chandeliers, and glasses (at the bar) are made of ice.
Each room/suite has its own theme (with different animals, lighting, and fireplaces). People spend the night on fur covered beds and sleep in sleeping bags (they also have a chapel and an Arctic Spa with outdoor jacuzzis and sauna). It is definitely a place you have to see to believe. You can also take a day tour (admission is $17, but if you go during Winter Carnival, look for the $2 off coupons with the admission there). -
Review from Pam O.
2/23/2011
You've got to see this place, it's impressive. I think it's about 15 minutes from downtown Quebec City and it's worth the drive.
I didn't stay here, but I took the tour. It's $17, which upon arrival, I thought was a little steep to look at some ice sculpture, but I was wrong. This hotel is amazing. It's a work of art.
The suites were beautiful, I wish I could see them in the dark. They are sculpted from ice with colored lights to enhance their beauty. The ice bar looked awesome and so did the ice glasses. There's a disco here too.
If getting married in an ice chapel is your thing, you can do that here too. The chapel is pretty beautiful, ice altar, ice decorations, and ice benches. It was amazing. The bridal suite was pretty neat, it has a hot tub in the back and a nice ice bed. It will cost you a pretty penny to stay here, but if you're looking for a unique experience, I'm sure it would be unforgettable.
If you don't like being cold, this may not be the place for you to stay, but I recommend you take the tour! Personally, I'm not sure I'd enjoy staying here, since my feet were frozen after exploring it for an hour, but we'll see.. -
Review from Mark M.
2/6/2010 3 photos
Truly a unique experience. Spend the night in a hotel made primarily of ice.
The Ice Hotel is part of the Station Touristique Duchesnay, located about a half-hour drive outside Quebec City. This is a year-round resort, with all sorts of activities, including, in winter, dogsledding, snowmobiling, snowshoeing, cross-country skiiing, a spa, and, of course, the Ice Hotel. There are several chalets, a number of villas, and a newer Auberge, which has about sixty rooms, and a large dining area, where you take your meals (an overnight stay includes dinner and a buffet breakfast at the Auberge the next morning).
You can book packages at the hotel to include resort activities, including time at the spa. We chose dogsledding, and here I have to say a word about the staff: our flight was delayed several hours due to weather. As a result, we arrived at the hotel 10 minutes after our dogsledding adventure, which is offsite, was supposed to start. The hotel staff said, no problem, we'll finish your check in later, called over to have them hold the dogs, and gave us directions to the pickup point. The folks there helped us get into gear, and we were off on the bus for our dogsledding. Everyone was very helpful, and as this was a 25th anniversary surprise for my wife, I was very grateful.
The dogsledding was terrific- we were out for nearly two hours, driving a sled behind the lead sled of our guide, Danny. My wife also got to pat the puppies afterwards, and we got to warm up in the warmup hut with some hot chocolate before heading back.
Note the hotel pavilion building has ample-sized lockers (with locks), showers, toilets, the check-in desk, and even a fireplace, so you have a place to stash your stuff, or you can book a package that includes a room at the Auberge the same night as your hotel stay.
You get a coupon for dinner at the Auberge the night of your stay; this covers some things on the menu, while there are extra charges for others. Our dinner was very nice, although I thought the wine prices were out of sight. Have to learn to stick with beer.
The pavilion is also where you get your orientation on how to spend the night in the hotel. It was about 29F inside the hotel and -3F outside the night we were there.
In each room for your overnight stay, you are provided with a sleeping bag, liner, and pillow- your orientation will explain how to deploy these for maximum warmth.
The hotel also has a sauna and several hot tubs that are open all night. Note these facilities are OUTSIDE, under the stars, in a little courtyard attached to the hotel. The area also has a bathroom and changing room, which are, of course, heated. This does mean, however, that nighttime trips to the bathroom should be avoided. The hotel has robes and towels for you to use with the sauna and hot tubs.
We had a themed suite, with an undersea motif on the walls- the room was about 12x10, and very quiet- sound does not carry very well at all inside the hotel, so the loud house and techno music from the bar was not disturbing.
I can't really describe the beautiful craftsmanship in the carving and lighting, both inside our room, and in the hotel itself. Practically everything inside is made of ice- the walls, supporting pillars, the bar, furniture, there's even an ice slide that the kids can have fun with. Even the glasses for your cocktails are made of ice, unless you want hot chocolate, which comes in the usual styrofoam cup.
You get your first drink free at the bar, and late at night there are a number of activities, including ice carving, that you can participate in.
Drinking alcoholic beverages and handling sharp and dangerous objects inside a building made of frozen water- what more can anyone ask for?
When you're ready for bed, you'll see that it, like everything else, is made of ice, though there is a wooden platform and mattress pad on top of this; it's pretty comfortable. I had called ahead a few days before to confirm our reservation, and reserved an extra- sized bag, since I am 6 foot 6. I actually ended up with a 2-person bag... let's just say it was very cozy.
In the morning the staff wakes you at 8 if you're not up already; we got a hot chocolate in a souvenir mug as part of our package. The breakfast buffet at the Auberge, which is perfectly adequate, begins at 7. Note that if you make an early start, and you have a room at the Auberge, you can head up there after breakfast for a little nap (checkout time at the Auberge is noon).
I recommend calling ahead a few days to confirm everything and reserve your dinner time (note you do not have access to your hotel room until 9pm, as there are tours going on, so a late dinner time fits perfectly). I also recommend a room at the Auberge the same night as the hotel- for privacy, and a crash spot during the night if it's too cold or after breakfast. The pavilion gets a bit crowded in the morning with everyone at their lockers, showering, etc.
Just an amazing place. -
Review from Alison D.
3/8/2010
This place is so unbelievable and so unreal that a written review hardly does justice to the phenomenon that is the Ice Hotel. Not only is the hotel itself made from ice but also the....
chairs! beds! lobby! chandelier! glasses! bar! slide! couch! nightstand! artwork! tables! candlestick holder!
There aren't too many (g rated) things you can do as an adult that make you giddy with excitement, but the wonder that you experience kind of makes you act the way little kids do when they see something for the first time. The place is fantastic and as yelp says, Woohoo! As good as it gets!
I stayed at the Ice Hotel on February 8th, 2010. I got it as a present for my husband's 35th birthday. He had been saying how he really wanted to go somewhere tropical and warm and we ended up sleeping on an ice bed! He said it was better than tropical though...
Although it is COLD inside (and outside) the hotel, the sleeping bag keeps you warm and the sauna and hot tubs that you use before you go to bed don't hurt either. They even give you a lesson on how to use it in such a way that maximizes your warmth.
I would recommend bringing a wicking shirt, scarf, and fleece pants for sleeping. Most people around Canada seem to wear ski pants everywhere. Once you spend a few hours (or minutes) outside, you can't believe you didn't think to bring yours from home. So, bring yours from home.
The place where you have dinner is at the Auberge next door, just up the hill. It's kind of a nice fancy restaurant and you must have a reservation. Instead we sat at a table in the bar area and had some apps instead. You can also order a full meal there too, in case you can't get a reservation.
After dinner we came back to have a drink at the Ice Bar. Whilst drinking from the ice glass we also carved our own ice sculptures. Then, someone organized a race around the ice hotel that included going down the ice slide as part of the course. I came in dead last.
We drove up to Quebec City for the weekend from Boston and drove to the Ice Hotel from Quebec City. I think it was an hour or so to get there.
The first reviewer of the Ice Hotel mentioned what was included in his package - but there are many kinds of packages. We got the most basic one that came only with the free drink at arrival. Any activities we wanted to do were separate and we didn't do any.
If you have ever thought about going - go! You will love every minute of it! We paid about $400 for a Monday night, so it's not cheap. If you sign up for travelzoo newsletters, once a year they have a discount that you can take advantage of.Listed in: Long Weekend in Quebec
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Review from Andrew W.
2/23/2010 13 photos
Nothing compares to this hotel experience. The Hotel de Glace was like no other.
I stayed February 18th 2010 as a birthday present from my girlfriend the week before my 30th birthday. This had to have been the most creative and impressive present I have ever received.
At first I was almost upset, "You bought me a night's stay in a 23 degree hotel? What were you thinking?" But, after staying I could not say thank you enough. I took over 200 pictures and didn't even notice my feet were frozen in my dress shoes as we toured before changing into our warm boots and clothes.
We checked in at 10pm Thursday night after driving from Montreal, about a 3 hour drive. We were given a complimentary drink and instruction on how to stay warm in the 20 below zero Fahrenheit North Face sleeping bags.
While inside the hotel, I could not stop looking around at all of the detail that was put into everything. Ice chairs, an ice slide, entire ice bars, ice tables, ice columns, ice sculptures, well...everything was created out of ice and snow in one form or another.
An incredible experience. If you do not like cold, a visit might do you good enough. I recommend a stay or a visit after dark to get the full experience.
