Hôtel de Glace Quebec: North America’s Only Ice Hotel

There are tons of ice and snow hotels scattered across Europe, but as of this writing, there is only one in all of North America: Hôtel de Glace. This hotel in Quebec, Canada, is built by master artists and sculptors who carve the hotel out of ice and snow. And not just the exterior. The chandeliers, headboards, a chapel, and more are all rebuilt each winter, and it all melts away each spring. We have all the information on what it’s like to stay here, what’s included, how cold it actually gets, and all of the other details you’ll want to know before spending the night in a room made of ice!

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Getting to Hôtel de Glace Quebec

We recommend basing yourself in Quebec City and doing a two-day, one-night trip to Hôtel de Glace. It’s about a 30-minute drive north, and there’s free parking on-site. If you want to visit but don’t have a car, you can book a shuttle through a local Quebec City tour operator, or take a taxi for about $50-70 each way.

Sleeping in the Ice Hotel

Each year the snow and ice rooms change in theme and design. Past seasons have been built around everything from a popular animated film to a Nordic star theme. Despite the fact that you’re sleeping surrounded by ice with temperatures around 37-41°F, you’ll stay pretty warm by sleeping in insulated arctic-grade sleeping bags.

Overnight packages typically include a room at the neighboring Hotel Valcartier, where you can shower, warm up, and store your luggage before going to sleep in your ice room. You can also opt to just stay at Hotel Valcartier if you want to explore the ice hotel but don’t want to spend the night there.

What’s Included

An overnight stay comes with access to the Nordic relaxation area, which includes outdoor hot tubs and a sauna for warming up before bed, plus a welcome cocktail served in a hand-carved ice glass at the property’s ice bar. Meals aren’t included in an overnight stay at the ice hotel, so it’s worth planning dinner and breakfast separately from your room. Most guests eat at one of the Valcartier restaurants scattered across the resort, or head into Quebec City for the evening. For something more memorable, Hôtel de Glace also partnered with Fairmont Le Château Frontenac to open the only restaurant in North America built entirely of snow and ice.

Things to Do at Hôtel de Glace

This isn’t just a unique place to sleep. The hotel also has sculpted ice galleries, an ice chapel, and an ice bar. There’s also tons of winter activities like snow tubing.

What to Know Before Booking Hôtel de Glace

Hôtel de Glace Price

Overnight rates vary widely by room type and date, running from roughly $479 for a standard room up toward $979 for a private suite, with midweek stays generally priced lower than weekends. Day-visit tickets for non-overnight guests run in the $29–35 range and cover all the public galleries and the ice bar.

Before You Book

Rooms sell out well ahead of the season, especially around Winter Carnival dates and weekends, so booking three to six months out is the safer play. Early January tends to have both better availability and colder, cleaner ice than the busier February stretch. Because this ice hotel Quebec is rebuilt annually with a new design, room photos from a previous season won’t necessarily match what you’ll see on your stay. It’s worth checking listings for the current year before booking.

Is Hôtel de Glace Worth It?

Since we’re based in the U.S., it’s much easier to reach this hotel than it is to reach some of the other ice hotels we’ve covered, like Snowhotel Kirkenes and Icehotel Sweden. We definitely plan to hop on a short flight to Quebec to spend the night in one of the uniquely designed ice rooms at Hôtel de Glace Canada.

Looking for more unusual hotels and activities? Check out our Explore and Book page for more memorable finds around the world.