The Ice Hotel Jukkasjärvi is located in the village of Jukkasjärvi a little east of Kiruna, about 20 miles above the Arctic Circle. Ishotellet, or Ice Hotel as it is also known, was founded in 1989. The Ice Hotel came to be because of local entrepreneur Yngve Bergqvist who was looking for a way to offer winter experiences in Northern Sweden where visitors could experience the midnight sun, the northern lights and the unique culture of the Sami people.

The original concept of the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjärvi was actually inspired by the Japanese tradition of creating art out of ice. Two Japanese artists visited Jukkasjärvi in 1989 and built an igloo in a workshop. The small igloo was first called ARTic hall and was intended as an art gallery. The Igloo quickly grew into a bar, and then into a hotel when Bergqvist wanted to give visitors a chance to stay the night. That's how the little igloo grew into what we know today as the Ice Hotel. Today, the hotel is approximately 5,500 square meters and is also known as the world's largest hotel built of ice and snow. All ice is taken from the nearby Torne River. It takes an incredible amount of ice, about 1,000 tons, to build the hotel every year.

Previously, the hotel only existed during the winter season. But in 2016/2017 a new concept was started, an ice hotel open all year round which means that you can stay in the Ice Hotel even in the summer.