Valentine's Day Ice Romance: 4 Winter Wonderland Hotels [SLIDESHOW]

By Stephen Smith | February 13 2012 3:57 PM

Photo: lucrousseau.com

Hôtel de Glace

The Hôtel de Glace, or Glass Hotel, on the outskirts of Québec City, was first built in 2001, opening on New Year's Day.

Photo: xdachez.com

Hôtel de Glace

It takes sixty workers a month and a half to build, and in 2001, it cost $350,000 to construct.

Photo: lucrousseau.com

Hôtel de Glace

Vacationers can get a room in the hotel for $199 per person (for a double occupancy room) until Feb. 29.

Photo: lucrousseau.com

Hôtel de Glace

The average temperature in the rooms is only 28 degrees Fahrenheit, although the bathrooms—located in a different buildings—are heated, thankfully.

Photo: xdachez.com

Hôtel de Glace

The Ice Hotel celebrated its first same-sex wedding in Feb. 2005, after they were legalized in Québec the April before.

Photo: xdachez.com

Hôtel de Glace

The hotel is built in time for a January opening, and then is dismantled in April when the temperature heats up.

Photo: Iglu-Village

Iglu Village

Iglu Village is located in Kühtai, an Austrian village in the state of Tyrol, not far from the resort city of Innsbruck.

Photo: Iglu-Village

Iglu Village

There are fourteen individual igloos for guests to choose from.

Photo: Iglu-Village

Iglu Village

The Iglu Village is 2020 meters, or 6627 feet—over a mile—high.

Photo: Iglu-Village

Iglu Village

The Iglu Village also does weddings, and has a romantic outdoor Jacuzzi and ice bar.

Photo: Ice Camp

Ice Camp

The Ice Camp hotel on Kitzsteinhorn mountain in Zell am See, Austria, caters more to the skiing and snowboarding set.

Photo: Ice Camp

Ice Camp

You can take in a movie in the ice theater, with ice thrones covered in animal skins to keep you and your loved one warm.

Photo: Ice Camp

Ice Camp

As usual, there is a separate heated outhouse, which is powered by a solar panel on its thatched roof.

Photo: Iglu Lodge

Iglu Lodge

The Iglu Lodge, on Nebelhorn mountain in Germany's Allgäu Alps, has been open since Dec. 2009, and this year there are ten igloos available for guests to rent for a night.

Photo: Iglu Lodge

Iglu Lodge

This year's theme is "enchanted forest."

Photo: Iglu Lodge

Iglu Lodge

Per-person prices this year start at €109/night.

Photo: Iglu Lodge

Iglu Lodge

And of course, the requisite ice bar, replete with what looks like a dragon carved into the snow.

With North America's mild winter, you may be craving a snowy Valentine's Day getaway. Some people are content to just snuggle together inside of a regular hotel, watching the snow come down outside, but for those who can't get cozy enough, here are a few hotels from around the world where, for a few months out of the year, you can sleep inside walls of ice--literally. Modeled after the igloos of Greenland and Canada's Central Arctic, these hotels offer all of the charm of an igloo, without any of the hassle of building your own.