Here’s what it’s like to stay in an ice hotel in Quebec City
There are two types of people in the world: those who think a stay in an ice hotel sounds romantic and magical, and those who think it just sounds really cold. No matter which side you fall on, there’s no doubt a hotel made entirely of ice is fascinating and definitely worth checking out!
Curious to see for yourself? There’s only one annual ice hotel anywhere in North America, and that’s the Hôtel de Glace just outside Quebec City. Following our recent overnight stay, we’re firmly convinced everyone should try this very cool experience at least once. Here’s a look at everything you need to know about how to get to the Hôtel de Glace, what it’s like, and how to prepare if you’d like to try staying overnight for yourself.
For this road trip from Toronto to Quebec City, we drove a 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. Our experiences in Quebec City, the Hôtel de Glace, and Village Vacances Valcartier were hosted by Mitsubishi Motors Canada. Have questions about staying overnight in an ice hotel? Join our Facebook community!
Where is the ice hotel located in Canada?
Canada’s only ice hotel is the Hôtel de Glace. It’s built every year at the Village Vacances Valcartier, a vacation resort located roughly 30 minutes north of Quebec City.
The Hôtel de Glace opens annually between mid-January and mid-March. Each year, it’s designed and built with a completely new layout and theme. 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Hôtel de Glace, and they’ve honoured the occasion by building their largest ice hotel yet. At 53,000 square feet, this year’s hotel may even set a world record!
The theme for the 2025 ice hotel is Back to Origins. It pays homage not only to the fundamental elements of fire, water, earth, and air, but also to the hotel’s past and to this area’s original inhabitants, the nearby Huron-Wendat Nation. Their traditions are reflected in the artwork seen through the Great Hall in this year’s hotel.
A quick winter visit to Quebec City
To make the most of our time at the Hôtel de Glace and Village Vacances Valcartier, we chose to arrive in Quebec City a day early. This gave us some time to explore historic Old Quebec, which is bursting with beauty and activity during the winter months. We packed our morning with a trip down the funicular railway to explore Petit-Champlain, a ride on the historic Au 1884 toboggan slide on Dufferin Terrace, and delicious crepes at Le Billig.
Discover more things to do in Quebec City in winter >
Packing in the fun at Village Vacances Valcartier
Village Vacances Valcartier is home to the Hôtel de Glace each winter, and it also offers much more! This resort is billed as North America’s largest winter playground and has more than 20 exhilarating snow tubing and rafting runs, ice skating, the Bora Parc indoor water park, Aroma Spa, a games room, and on-site restaurants and snack bars.
Many guests at the Hôtel de Glace choose to add extra resort activities as part of their experience. We arrived early on the day of our stay to get some snow tubing in, and we lingered a little longer on the following morning in the pools at Aroma Spa before returning home.
Can you take a Quebec City ice hotel tour?
The Hôtel de Glace is an amazing and ever-changing work of art that’s worth visiting each year. Self-guided tours of the ice hotel are available during the day. If you choose not to stay at the Hôtel de Glace overnight, a tour makes a fantastic day trip from Quebec City. If you do stay overnight at the ice hotel, it’s still worth taking the time to tour it during the day. Since you’ll only be able to access your own room in the evening, this will allow you to see more of the artwork in the other rooms throughout the hotel.
As you tour this fascinating structure, consider this: it takes 50 people, including 15 ice sculptors and 30 workers, roughly six weeks to build the Hôtel de Glace each year. Construction starts as soon as temperatures in the area stay consistently below freezing for a week straight, which typically happens in mid-November. The walls are constructed with specialized moulds using more than 35,000 tons of snow, 3,000 blocks of ice, and 10 kilometres of electrical cabling. Apart from the chandelier in the Great Hall, the entire structure is completely free-standing.
Of the 30 hotel rooms, 20 have themes in 2025. This year marks the first time all room types, including standard rooms, have artwork carved into the walls. Many continue this year’s idea of playing on the elements, but some have standalone themes. We especially love the Quebec City themed room with a wall carving of the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac and a bed tucked into the Saint-Jean Gate. One room even features carvings of the carvers themselves working on this year’s ice hotel!
Take a peek inside the exclusive Hôtel de Glace Restaurant
In addition to touring the rooms, daytime visitors can also enjoy a drink at the ice bar, let kids play on the ice slide, check out the ice wedding chapel and auditorium for live concerts and DJ nights, and take a peek inside the exclusive Hôtel de Glace Restaurant.
In this first-ever partnership between the hotel and Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, guests of the Hôtel de Glace Restaurant can board a shuttle in Old Quebec and be transported to the ice hotel. Diners are served a welcome cocktail and then enjoy a Nordic-inspired meal created by the Château Frontenac’s chefs, served on chairs and tables made of ice!
How does a stay in an ice hotel work?
On the night you stay at the Hôtel de Glace, you’ll have private access to your room inside the ice hotel after 9 PM. At 4 PM, you can check into your room at the hotel inside the Village Vacances Valcartier. You’ll have use of both rooms during your stay. The room in the resort is very important: it gives you a warm place to shower, change, charge your phone, and store your gear.
While you wait for the ice hotel to open for overnight guests, you can take a self-guided tour, use the facilities at the resort, and have a bite to eat at one of Valcartier’s on-site restaurants.
After 9 PM, the ice hotel closes to everyone but overnight guests. This is a great time to grab a more private wind-down beverage at the ice bar, which stays open until 11 PM.
The facilities in your room vary depending on the suite type. All rooms come with one or two beds with frames built of ice. A normal mattress is supported by a wooden base inserted into the ice frame, so your sleeping surface stays dry.
Standard rooms come with one, two, or three beds and integrated lighting. Themed suites have one or two beds and take this a step further with much more intricate artwork and lighting accents. Some themed suites also come with fireplaces. All overnight guests at the Hôtel de Glace have exclusive access to a group of outdoor hot tubs and a sauna just outside the main hallway.
A premium suite includes one bed plus a fireplace and a private hot tub, while a deluxe premium suite includes one bed plus a fireplace, a private hot tub, and a sauna.
Are there washrooms at the ice hotel?
You won’t have any issues finding a bathroom at the Hôtel de Glace. There are temporary washrooms on site near the hot tubs and sauna, just outside the hotel’s main hallway. (And yes, the washrooms at the Hôtel de Glace are heated!) If you need a shower or a longer bathroom visit, you can access your private room inside the resort next door at any time.
How do you stay warm in an ice hotel?
Guests at the ice hotel stay warm thanks to two important steps. First, you’ll warm yourself up in advance by sitting in a hot tub or sauna, which elevates your body’s core temperature. Then, you’ll dry off completely and sleep inside a winter-rated sleeping bag. This combination of proper preparation and sleeping gear keeps you warm and comfortable for the entire night.
Here’s how to prepare to stay in an ice hotel
At the Hôtel de Glace, access for overnight guests begins at 9 PM. When you’re ready, head to your resort room and change into your bathing suit and sandals. You can also use the provided robe and towels.
Next, visit the ice hotel’s hot tubs and sauna. Relax and gaze up at the stars as you raise your core temperature. (It sounds dreamy, but it’s also a very important step!)
Once you’re warmed through, go back to your resort room. Take a hot shower, then dry yourself off completely. (There are power outlets on the ice hotel beds for CPAP machines, but phone chargers are not recommended. You may wish to charge your phone while you’re getting ready.)
Change into your bed clothes. Your instinct will be to wear something very warm, but this is not advised. If you sweat, you’ll feel even colder! Wear thin layers of clothing made from synthetic fabric such as polyester that will wick moisture away from your skin. You’ll need to store loose objects such as your phone inside your sleeping bag, so bring as little with you as possible. (We wore our coats and laid them on the mattress underneath our sleeping bags.)
Unroll your sleeping bag and pillow, provided by the Hôtel de Glace. Zip yourself in as quickly as possible. These sleeping bags are rated for temperatures as low as -39 degrees Celsius. The hotel’s ambient temperature is usually between -3 and -5 C, so you’ll be surprised at how warm you feel! Snuggle in for a restful night’s sleep.
In the morning, wake up calls begin at 8 AM so the hotel can be cleaned and prepared for the day. Congratulations — you just slept in a hotel made entirely of ice!
Here’s what to pack to stay in an ice hotel
When you stay in an ice hotel, bring warm clothes, boots, a winter coat and snowpants, a toque, and gloves to wear during the day. (You may also wish to bring a second toque to wear in the hot tub.) For the hot tub and sauna, pack a bathing suit and water-resistant sandals or flip-flops. Choose bed clothes in multiple thin layers made from moisture-wicking synthetic fibres. Ski undergarments or yoga gear work very well.
How much does it cost to stay at the Hôtel de Glace?
For 2025, room rates at the Hôtel de Glace start at $449. This fee also includes a second hotel room inside the resort where you can shower, change, and securely store your belongings. A welcome cocktail at the ice bar, plus access to the hot tubs and sauna exclusive to hotel guests, are included as part of your package. Meals, any additional beverages, and activities at the Village Vacances Valcartier cost extra.
Is the Hôtel de Glace worth it?
We’ve toured the Hôtel de Glace several times and have always been mesmerized by it. An overnight stay here has long been on our bucket list. From top to bottom, our stay was everything we hoped it would be and more. This bucket-list experience is an investment, but a unique experience even the most cold-averse people should try at least once.
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