Ice Hotel Quebec 2025: Opening Dates and What to Expect

North America’s only ice hotel, the Hôtel de Glace near Quebec City, has announced its planned opening dates for the 2025–2026 season: day visits begin December 25, 2025, and overnight stays start January 4, 2026, weather permitting. This guide draws on official tourism data, verified reviews, and construction details to help first-time visitors decide when to go, what to expect, and how to prepare for a night in a building made entirely of snow and ice.

Last checked: 2026-06-11

Property name: Hôtel de Glace (Ice Hotel) · Location: Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier, Quebec · Opening date for visits (2025-2026 season): December 25, 2025 · Opening date for overnight stays (2025-2026 season): January 4, 2026 · Closing date (typical): March 2026 · Distance from Quebec City: 20 minutes

When does the Ice Hotel in Quebec open in 2025?

For the 2025–2026 winter season, the Hôtel de Glace plans to open its doors to day visitors on December 25, 2025, with overnight stays beginning January 4, 2026, according to Québec City Tourism. These dates are weather-dependent; if unseasonably warm conditions delay construction, the opening may shift.

Planned opening dates for visits and overnight stays

The hotel opens in phases. Day visitors can walk through the public areas, the ice bar, and the sculpted corridors from December 25. Overnight guests, however, cannot take possession of their rooms until after 21:00 on January 4, as noted in a Business Insider review of a prior season. Travel bloggers at Simply Wander report that early-January visitors may find some themed suites still under construction, with the full structure typically complete by mid-January.

2025–2026 season timeline

The hotel typically operates from January through mid-March, after which the structure is dismantled as temperatures rise. Québec City Tourism states the season runs “from January to mid-March, depending on weather.” A precise closing date for the 2025–2026 season has not yet been published.

How much does it cost to stay in the ice hotel in Quebec?

Pricing for the 2025–2026 season has not been officially released, but recent seasons provide a reliable benchmark. A review on Simply Wander reported paying about $678 USD for one night in a one-bed themed suite, which included a warm backup room at the adjacent Valcartier Hotel. Another reviewer on Hotel Scoop noted themed suite rates starting around $529 CAD, including a suite in the main Valcartier Hotel, an ice bar cocktail, skating trail access, and gratuities, with a 20% discount for a second consecutive night.

Ticket prices for visits

Day tours are more affordable. Simply Wander reports that tickets at the door were around $31.99 CAD, discounted to about $24.99 CAD when booked online in advance. Québec City Tourism lists general public visiting hours around 10:00 to 23:00 on most days during the season.

Overnight stay pricing

Overnight packages include a conventional room at the Valcartier Hotel in addition to the ice room, giving guests a warm place to store belongings and sleep if the cold becomes too intense. The Village Vacances Valcartier website promotes the package as a “two-room experience.”

Is the ice hotel in Quebec worth visiting?

Guest reviews consistently describe the experience as memorable but not for everyone. The hotel is located 20 minutes from Quebec City at Village Vacances Valcartier, a resort that also offers snow tubing, an indoor water park, ice skating, and spa facilities, according to Hotel Scoop.

What it’s like to stay in an ice hotel

The interior temperature hovers around −5°C (23°F), as noted in multiple Instagram travel reels. Guests sleep in special Arctic-grade sleeping bags on beds made of ice topped with mattresses and furs. A YouTube creator who stayed in 2023 described the night as manageable after proper preparation, emphasizing the importance of avoiding cotton clothing and using the provided gear correctly.

Guest experiences and reviews

On TripAdvisor, reviewers highlight the ice bar, themed suites, hot tubs, sauna, and an ice slide, emphasizing that the property is more than just a place to sleep. A Facebook travel discussion group post noted that even when the hotel was only partly complete early in the season, visitors found the experience “worth it,” with some remarking it was “even cooler in real life” than expected.

How do people stay warm inside the ice hotel?

The hotel provides specialized cold-weather gear and a structured routine to help guests sleep comfortably. Business Insider reports that guests receive a briefing on how to dress and use the sleeping system before retiring to their ice rooms.

How does it work – Ice Hotel

Each guest is given a thermal sleeping bag rated for extreme cold, a fleece liner, and a wool hat. The beds are constructed from ice blocks topped with a thick mattress pad and reindeer furs. Rooms have electricity and standard safety features like fire alarms, according to Business Insider.

Sleeping bags and thermal gear

Guests are advised to wear thermal base layers, wool socks, and a hat to bed. The YouTube reviewer emphasized that cotton clothing should be avoided because it retains moisture and accelerates heat loss. The hotel also provides access to warm washrooms and changing areas throughout the night.

How long does it take to build the ice hotel in Quebec?

Construction of the Hôtel de Glace is a multi-week process that begins when temperatures drop low enough for snow and ice to be harvested and shaped. Canadian Geographic reports that the hotel uses 2,400 blocks of ice and 35,000 tons of snow, with every room, hallway, and sculpture newly carved each season.

Construction timeline

Building typically starts in late November or early December, depending on weather. The structure is completed in phases: the main public areas are finished first, followed by the themed suites. Travel bloggers at Simply Wander note that the hotel is usually fully finished by mid-January, about six weeks after construction begins.

Materials used

The ice blocks are harvested from a nearby quarry and weigh approximately 300 kilograms each. Snow is produced using snow-making machines and compacted into forms. The entire structure is designed to be dismantled and melted in the spring, leaving no permanent footprint.

Frequently asked questions