Hotel of Ice (Balea Lac, Romania)
The Hotel of Ice is located 7,000 feet above sea level in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. This may not ring a bell, but what if I told you that this location is part of the land of Dracula? The real-life Dracula may have lived a long distance away from here, but that hasn’t stopped folklore from spreading all over the mountain area.
Each year, the Ice Hotel is built entirely of snow and ice blocks on a frozen glacial lake at the bottom of the Balea Waterfall. The place has been managed by the neighboring Balea Lac Ski Lodge since 2005 and can be accessed by cable car.
There are 12 ice hotel rooms and 3 snow igloos available for rent, all centered around an amazing main hall. Even if you don’t have a room reservation, the Hotel of Ice’s restaurant and bar are always quite fun. They even host several public parties throughout the winter.
