What is an ice hotel?

 

An ice hotel is a temporary hotel made up entirely of snow and sculpted blocks of ice. They are promoted by their sponsors and have special features for travelers who are interested in novelties and unusual environments, and thus are in the class of destination hotels. Their lobbies are often filled with ice sculptures, and food and beverages are specially chosen for the circumstances.

All of the ice hotels are reconstructed every year, and are dependent upon constant sub-freezing temperatures during construction and operation. The walls, fixtures, and fittings are made entirely of ice, and are held together using a substance known assnice, which takes the place of mortar in a traditional brick-built hotel.

 

The Ice Hotel at Balea Lake - Fagaras Mountains

Starting 2006, every winter, a special hotel is built at Balea Lac, in Romania . What’s so special about it? It is built entirely from ice: walls, corridors, pillars, decorations, everything is made of ice, including the beds. Yet, the temperature inside is about -4 degrees Celsius (you can’t expect to get to sleep in your pajamas, but as the beds are covered with sheep furs, it can be quite cozy for one night experience). The hotel includes also a bar, where you can have a drink (or more) served in glasses made of ice (of course). From the colored lights playing around, to ambiental music, from marvelous translucent ice sculptures (imitations of the works of Constantin Brancusi, the famous Romanian sculptor) to the bar counter and tables, everything is thought and planned in detail, giving the visitors a strange “North Pole” sensation. Although there are no toilets inside, all facilities are available from the challets nearby.

The ice is extracted from the nearby lake, by a team of workers from villages within the area. Last year, the construction took about two months, so the hotel opened in Ianuary. This winter’s project includes also an ice church to be build nearby the hotel.

The access in Balea Lake area can be done by car only from July to October. For the rest of the year, the final part of the road is closed (at that altitude – 2034 meters, winter starts in October-November and ends in June), the access being possible only by cable car from Balea Cascade.

Balea Lake , one of the glacial lakes in Romania , is situated at an altitude of 2034 meters. It has an aria of 0.46 square kilometers and it has a maximum depth of 11 meters. Surrounding the lake a reservation was settled. The Transfagarasan road is located in the vicinity of Balea Lake. The Balea Lake Challet is situated on the lakeside and it offers a warm atmosphere for the tourists, people working there are extremely nice and helpful and the food is great.

If you ever plan a visit to Transylvanian Mountains , a stop at Balea Lake is a must, even if you don’t want to try the cool sensations of the Ice Hotel!

Tour price : 200 EUR per person, for groups between 4-12 persons  
2 person minimum, 230 EUR per person
Period: december - april
Duration: 2 days .
Minimums: Age 8 years
Tour price contains : transport by car and cable car, 1 night accomodation ( in Ice Hotel or Balea Lake Challet), welcome cocktail, dinner-party with traditional Transylvanian specialities, wines + second day hikking tour to the main ridge of Fagaras Mountains ( only if the snow conditiones are not dangerous).  
You Bring: Your personal pack, snow gear, warm fleece clothing.

Contact: office@transylvanian-adventures.com or call now 0040-740-432385

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