Preparations for the 18th season of the Ice Hotel at Balea Lake are close to completion with the first guests expected on Friday evening.
The official inauguration of the unique hotel is scheduled for January 3.
Britain’s Ambassador to Romania, Giles Portman, will take part in the event at the glacial cauldron of Lake Bâlea, at an altitude of over 2,000 meters.
The final touches of the construction of the well-known hotel have been in full swing this week, according to a press release on Monday.
The hotel is rebuilt every year using four-feet long ‘bricks’ made from ice and compressed snow from the nearby Balea Lake. Every year the hotel features a new design.
On Monday the rooms were almost completed, as well as the bar and the dining area.
“The team led by sculptor Eugen Petri is now working on the interior decoration, each room being embellished with sculptures and bas-relief paintings inspired by this season’s theme of the project: Classical Music,” the release said.
According to the builders, the weather conditions were helpful and they managed to complete the Ice Hotel faster than in past seasons.
“We are ready to welcome guests and ready to offer them unique experiences in a unique place in this part of Europe,” says Arnold Gunter Klingeis, who initiated the project.
This season, the hotel is offering double rooms and family rooms. The beds have an ice structure, over which is placed a wooden grill, classic mattress and linen with blankets, sleeping bags and sheep furs, which ensure thermal comfort.
Each room is named after a famous composer or conductor, in keeping with this season’s theme.
“To honor the presence of His Excellency Giles Matthew Portman, maestro Eugen Petri will create ice and snow sculptures featuring composer Benjamin Britten and conductor Simon Rattle. The bar inside the Ice Hotel will offer both cold drinks, served in ice glasses, and hot drinks, such as different coffee specialties, a variety of teas and mulled wine,” the project creators said.
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