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Alaskan Ice Hotel 's Year Round Dreams Melt Away

Go To The Hotel's Web 
  Site Where: P.O.Box 58740 [map], Fairbanks, AK, United States, 99711
June 8, 2004 at 8:08 AM | by markj | 0 Comments

Looks like the plans to keep the Aurora Ice Hotel open turned out to be all wet.  Last week workers removed the foam panels from the hotels ice wall, which were designed to protect the ice, and capitulated to the relentless Alaskan sun.  The Aurora has been puddled, at least until next winter.

When the hotel opened in December of 2003 ownership promised the Aurora would become the first year round ice hotel, but after chandeliers, martini glasses, and even the walls started melting away Aurora ownership was left with no choice but to shut down the hotel for the summer. "With any luck, we'll be able to start over again next year, we learned a lot" said spokeswoman Brenda Hewitt, according to SFGate.

Here is more from the SFGate article:

Two couples recently drove up from the Lower 48 to visit the hotel, only to learn that rooms were not available. It was a setback for a building that carried high hopes and survived initial concerns about structural safety from the state fire marshal. "At least the place never burned down," Hewitt said with a laugh.

Looks like it is time for Hewitt to find a magic hat, put the Aurora on a train to the North Pole, and wait for the hotel to return year after year.

Related Stories:
·Ice Hotels: The Price of Cold [HotelChatter]

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