About the Hôtel de Glace (ice hotel)

10TH EDITION OF THE HÔTEL DE GLACE AT VILLAGE VACANCES VALCARTIER

THEME

The Hôtel de Glace (ice hotel) is celebrating its 26th winter and its 10th construction at Village Vacances Valcartier. Since the Hôtel de Glace melts, a new one is built every year. In fact, each winter, a brand-new Hôtel de Glace is erected, a new architectural plan is designed, and a new theme inspires the decor.

This year, the Hôtel de Glace comes to life. It beats, it breathes, it tells a story. Before your eyes, the sculpted walls awaken and the lights dance across the frosted crystals...

A GASTRONOMIC EXPERIENCE BY FAIRMONT LE CHÂTEAU FRONTENAC

The Hôtel de Glace Restaurant stands out as a one-of-a-kind culinary destination, where dishes, lighting, and textures harmonize with the transparency of ice. This signature experience reaches new heights through a collaboration with Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, whose culinary expertise and hospitality excellence elevate the dining experience to an unprecedented level.

A LIVING PARTNERSHIP WITH THE FIRST PEOPLES

This year, the Hôtel de Glace deepens its connection to the land it inhabits through a collaboration with Tourisme Wendake. Three exclusive cultural days will be offered, highlighting the traditions, art, and stories of the Wendat Nation. Through immersive activities, visitors will be invited to discover a rich, living heritage at the heart of the icy wonder. A section of the Grand Hall will be entirely edicated to Wendat culture.

January 31 — Myths and Legends

Sharing of ancestral stories rooted in Indigenous oral tradition. An activity open to all, offered in French and English.

February 21 and March 7 — Artisan Market and Demonstrations

Discover Wendat artisans’ creations and ancestral craftsmanship demonstrations,followed by an immersive version of Myths and Legends.

In collaboration with Tourisme Autochtone Québec, a 20 x 60-foot Shaputuan—a large traditional tent used by several Indigenous Nations in Québec—will be installed outside the Hôtel de Glace. This space will provide warmth and a place to rest, while allowing visitors to discover Québec’s 11 Indigenous Nations and experience a moment of sharing and transmission, where traditions come to life atthe heart of winter.

BY THE NUMBERS

• 45 artisans and sculptors each winter
• 30 workers
• 15 sculptors
• 6 weeks of construction
• 3,000 blocks of ice
• 35,000 tons of snow used for construction
• 6 meters high
• 53,000 ft² of surface area
• Interior temperature consistently between -4 and -5 °C

HISTORY

1996: Jacques Desbois, an entrepreneur passionate about winter, comes across a magazine article featuring the Icehotel in Sweden. It’s love at first sight! “If the Swedes can do it, we can definitely make it happen here in Quebec, the snow capital!” he exclaimed.

After a trip to Sweden to study and understand the Icehotel’s construction techniques, Jacques Desbois and his partners adapted this innovative recreational tourism concept to the Quebec context. It took them four years of imagination and ingenuity to create a truly unique product.

2001: In 2001, Quebec, Canada, and all of North America discovered this incredible tourist attraction, now recognized around the world.

2011: Built for the first time at Montmorency Falls, the Hôtel de Glace was then constructed at Station touristique Duchesnay for nine years before moving to the site of the former Quebec City Zoo in 2011.

2016: The Hôtel de Glace (ice hotel) finally found its permanent home, becoming one of the crown jewels of Village Vacances Valcartier’s winter offerings. Truly one of a kind, the Hôtel de Glace has over the years become one of the most iconic postcards of the Quebec and Canadian winter. Fully embracing its role as a major tourism draw for the region and the province, the Hôtel de Glace welcomes thousands of visitors every year.

ACHIEVEMENT

Construction of the Hôtel de Glace can begin as early as November, once temperatures remain below zero for a week. Each year, around fifty people work on building the hotel over a period of approximately six weeks. About thirty workers handle production, while around fifteen sculptors focus on furnishing and decorating this magnificent work of art. Whether part of the snow team, ice team, machinery crew, or artists, everyone works intensively on-site day and night until mid-January.