This place feels like an IceBox - because it is
By Tania Fuentez, Associated Press
SAINTE-CATHERINE-DE-LA-JACQUES-CARTIER, Quebec _ A night at the Ice
Hotel isn't for everyone. Who's willing to sleep on a block of ice in
subfreezing conditions?
Actually, hundreds like myself endured wicked temperatures last year to
stay at a 32-room crystalline facility made entirely of ice.
Now in its fourth season, the Hotel de Glace is an expansive winter
wonderland in the Canadian province of Quebec. It's also the only one in
North America. The look on the face of first-time visitors says it all.
``I never thought it would be so big,'' said Jean Hanna, 59, of
Val-Morin, Quebec.
More precisely, we approach a 30,000-square-foot hotel made of 12,000
tons of snow and 400 tons of ice. The glacial palace has guest rooms and
themed suites, a chapel, a spa, movie theater, the Absolut Ice
Barnightclub, functioning fireplaces and hot tubs. And the entire thing
is made from ice.
A tour guide tells my group that a couple from Hawaii exchanged their
wedding vows here because ``they wanted to get married somewhere exotic.''
``We have all ages stay _ little children and their parents,
everybody,'' Ice Hotel guide Louise Vidal said.
Open to the public, tours are available in French or English, seven days
a week. Backed by Quebec's tourism department, it's located steps away
from the ecotourism resort Duchesnay in the picturesque borough of
Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier.
Or, if you're game, you can stay overnight.
Situated near Lac Saint-Joseph and Riviere Jacques-Cartier, the hotel,
which will be open through April 4, can accommodate 86 guests nightly.
``Oh, it's so cold,'' says Xia Hua, originally from Shenzhen, China. Her
trip was adventure enough.
Bundled in full-length fur coats or bulky ski wear, everyone faces the
elements as best they can. During my stay, outside temperatures fell
well below freezing.
Fortunately, an upbeat, bilingual staff reassures you at the hotel's
nearby Pavillon l'Aigle where you actually check in for overnight stays.
I slept on a bed of ice shaped like a fire-breathing dragon in a suite
with exquisite decor _ a pristine pagoda and sacred temple motif carved
in snow.
Earlier that night, an orientation session was held in the pavilion
(open 24 hours in case of emergencies). We were told what to wear to
stay warm and how to use insulated sleeping bags provided by the hotel.
As night fell, some of us plotted to stay up as long as we could. Others
dipped into the outdoor hot tub, danced into the wee hours at the
nightclub or downed a few shots of vodka.
As it turned out, I was warm _ almost too warm in my makeshift cocoon.
When I got my wake-up call, the crisp morning air was invigorating as I
wrestled to put on ski boots.
Michigan couple Scott Sullivan and Sue L. Johnson celebrated their 10th
anniversary together at the arctic accommodations _ for a night. ``I was
a little nervous at first, but then I was too tired to care,'' Sullivan
said of his overnight stay. ``It was fine.''
In the lobby, a massive ice chandelier glistens overhead, and towering
columns point to an 18-foot-tall ceiling of tightly packed snow. Rooms
are filled with elaborate snow sculptures and small details, like real
newspapers and flowers, albeit frozen.
Each winter, construction begins in December and lasts five to seven
weeks. Local and international artists design room decor with chain
saws. It takes about 35 workers to complete the project. Builders tear
it down by season's end to discourage theft or unsupervised tours as the
hotel melts.
More than 5,000 guests have slept at Canada's ice hotel since its debut
in 2000.
Snow blowers help form the hotel's self-supporting arches by blasting
snow over stainless steel sections and wooden walls used as its
foundation. The metal frames are removed once everything freezes solid,
which can take 10 hours or up to three days.
Huge blocks of ice are transformed into pews for the wedding chapel,
lamps and other furniture. Four-foot-thick walls buffer guests from
chilling winds _ day and night.
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IF YOU GO
„The Ice Hotel will be open through April 4. Temperatures inside are in
the 20s. Beds are made entirely of ice but a wood panel separates you
from the surface. The panel is fitted with a foam mattress covered by
fleece and deerskins. Insulated sleeping bags are also provided. Rates
from about $225 U.S., double occupancy. (877) 505-0423;
www.icehotel-canada.com.
--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>
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