Since 2001 the Hôtel de Glace has wowed over half a million visitors. Open from the begining of January to the end of March, every year the hotel is redesigned and rebuilt in its entirety (which takes approximately five weeks). From the moment you enter the hotel, you'll be blown away by the amazing decor made entirely of ice and snow. Chandeliers (made of ice of course!) hang from 18 foot ceilings, artwork emerges from the walls of snow, and all the furniture is made of sheer ice.
There are 36 rooms and theme suites for guests to spend the night - yes, your bed is a block of ice but a wood boxspring and matress lie on top. There's an interior courtyard, an Ice Cafe, hot tubs, saunas, functional fireplaces, an ice slide (9 feet high and 53 feet long) and a reception room known as the Ice Bar - the perfect place to enjoy a little live entertainment and a cocktail or two.
And for those of you planning your wedding, there's the Chapel (pictured below) - a unique and simply beautiful place where couples exchange their vows each year. There are three wedding packages to choose from - The Romantic from $2199, the Exotic from $3899, and the Magical from $6199. Arrival in a horse drawn carriage, fireworks and open bar are all optional add-ons to help personalize your day.
The Hôtel de Glace is at Station touristique Duchesnay on the shores of Lac St-Joseph, just 30 minutes from Québec City.