There are experiences that go beyond being just future-oriented, personalized, or exclusive. While these categories exist, I wanted to propose something different: a new way to describe those unforgettable moments that people actively add to their wish list. I decided to call them “Bucket List Experiences.” These are not just options, but aspirational goals that people dream of achieving, and that have the power to raise a place into the surface economy, making it more than just a destination but something people actively desire.
And the Icehotel in Sweden is, for me, the perfect example of this new category.
WHAT IT IS?
The Icehotel in Sweden is what I call a “Bucket List Experience“. Located in the small village of Jukkasjärvi, Sweden, it is considered according to Lush Collective a “seasonal work of art.”
This hotel is rebuilt from scratch every winter using ice blocks from the nearby Torne River, and then it melts away each spring, only to return with a brand-new design. Each year, international artists create around 40 to 50 rooms, from simpler Ice Rooms to breathtaking Art Suites, where every wall, sculpture, and bed is hand-carved and unique.
Staying here is about more than sleeping. Guests rest on beds of ice covered with reindeer hides, wrapped in thermal sleeping bags, while the room stays at –5°C. You can sip cocktails at the Ice Bar, get married in the Ice Chapel, or even chase the Northern Lights.
WHY IT´S COOL?
- It turns sleeping into a dream: The Icehotel transforms something as common as “a place to sleep” into an extraordinary Bucket List Experience.
- It’s different every year: New artists redesign the rooms each winter, so every visit feels fresh and unique.
- It blends nature and art: From the frozen Torne River to hand-carved sculptures, the whole place feels like stepping into a living artwork.
WHY IT HAS FUTURE GROWTH POTENTIAL?
The Icehotel has strong growth potential because it’s not just accommodation, it’s a concept that reinvents itself every year. New artists redesign the rooms each season, encouraging guests to return and live a different version of the dream. Meanwhile, the demand for aspirational travel keeps rising. Today’s travelers don’t just want a hotel; they want a story to tell. The Icehotel offers exactly that: a mix of uniqueness, sustainability, and imagination that makes it timeless and desirable.
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Links:
https://lushcollective.com/icehotel-sweden-a-frozen-masterpiece-in-the-heart-of-jukkasjarvi
José Bonich Castaño
Sara Koethemann
Science of the Time