I finally had the chance to stay in a snow hotel along the Arctic Circle this year. I didn't last the night.

• Every winter, Ulrike Lemmin-Woolfrey and her husband make it a point to travel somewhere cold.

• This year, they spent $600 for one night at a snow hotel along the Arctic Circle in Kirkenes, Norway.

• She didn't sleep through the night and ended up paying an extra $100 for a warm chalet instead.

Sleeping on a bed made from ice, surrounded by walls made from ice, within a building made from ice, had been on my bucket list for years. I'm what you might call a snow tourist, a habit that started while I was living in the Middle East, where it never snows — back then, the ski slopes inside shopping malls just didn't cut it.

Every winter, my husband and I travel somewhere cold. This February, it was finally time to tick an ice hotel stay off my list, so I planned a trip along the Arctic Circle.

Snowhotel Kirkenes was our first stop, followed by a drive from northern Norway to Finland where we went skiing in Lapland.

I was welcomed with a perfect, snowy setting.

We booked one night at the hotel in Kirkenes, Norway, 250 miles north of the Arctic Circle. While some ice hotels are reconstructed every winter after being left to melt in the spring, parts of this hotel stay open all year. The receptionist told me that in the summer, locals looking for a respite from the warmer temperatures tend to visit.

Ice hotels of the Nordic region can be found in the northern wilds of Finland, Sweden, and Norway. Icehotel, in Sweden, was the first and is rebuilt every year with blocks of frozen water from the Torne River. It was first built in 1989.

The Snowhotel is set alongside a lake and surrounded by hills. There are 10 wooden chalets, plus the actual snow hotel, which is hidden under a mound of snow. A small restaurant and main building are also connected to the hotel.

When we arrived, over 100 huskies welcomed us, running around and asking for affection. The hotel organizes husky sledding trips for guests.

The hotel was colder inside than out.

It was cold outside, which wasn't a surprise: It was winter, after all. But it was even colder inside the hotel. I could see my breath condensing immediately.

The entrance was decorated with ice sculptures, all looking a little dilapidated and clearly not carved afresh every year.

The 20 rooms — separated from the corridor by curtains and ranging in size from two beds to four or five for families — are individually themed. One had a gigantic Viking statue and a few were covered in Disney characters.

The beds were made of huge blocks of ice covered with reindeer skin.

The ice bar wasn't really a bar.

After arriving, we were served warm berry juice in a small cup from the ice bar as part of the welcome tour. I would have appreciated a shot of something alcoholic mixed in to warm me up.

We passed through an ice tunnel and into the main building, where guests' luggage was stored. That's also where the bathrooms, showers, and a cozy lounge could be found.

Notably, this part is not made of ice: It was a regular indoor space, replete with heating.

The lounge was fitted out with comfy chairs and tables, books and magazines, and a coffee and tea-making station. It was where you could relax until bedtime. The temperature here was comfortable, and it was a nice place to relax until bedtime.

Cured reindeer was on the dinner menu.

After we spent time lounging around, hugging those huskies, walking along the snow-covered lake, and enjoying the snowy surroundings, it was dinner time. Whether you stay in the chalets or the ice rooms, a three-course dinner and breakfast are both included in the price due to the remoteness of the resort. We booked our stay at Snowhotel Kirkenes for 8,000 Norwegian Krone, or $615.

There is one room in the main building where you have both meals, and can order snacks and hot chocolate during the day. Cozy, with wooden beams and a panoramic window that framed the lake outside, it was a relaxing place to rest between activities.

Our dinner included cured reindeer, Arctic char, and a chocolate dessert. A group of travelers staying in the chalets sat nearby, as well as another couple staying in the hotel. A few local residents were there just for dinner, too.

Getting ready for bed was hard work.

When bedtime arrived, we got kitted out with huge sleeping bags and clean inserts, plus warm boots. These were all provided by the hotel.

After changing into pajamas, we made our way to our room. It was decked out with Olaf the Snowman from "Frozen."

Trying to get into the sleeping bags at temperatures of 25 degrees Fahrenheit was a bit of a struggle. But before I knew it, I was snuggling down on a solid block of ice, trying to figure out how to keep my eyeballs warm. It was the first time in my life that my eyeballs had ever been cold, and it was an odd feeling. In the end, I put the sleeping bag over my face, and that did the trick.

Sleeping on a block of ice was surprisingly comfortable.

After we turned our small light off, the room was dark, with only a bit of the corridor lights shining through the curtain. It was very quiet, with no noise at all coming through the ice walls. I also discovered that an ice bed has the distinct advantage of the mattress not shifting or squeaking, while the reindeer skins were soft and insulating.

I dropped off to sleep quickly, and, for the first few hours, I slept well, surprisingly snugly. But then I needed to pee. The thought of getting out of the sleeping bag, running along the icy corridor into the main building, peeing, and then doing it all in reverse was simply too much.

I escaped to the cabin for a bathroom break and a restful sleep.

I put on my boots and warm jacket and ran out of the snow hotel and into the night, where it was snowing beautifully. I ran across the path into the chalet my husband — already aware of my nighttime habits — had booked at a discounted price.

My husband had spoken to reception late in the afternoon, when it was clear that no daytrippers or late arrivals were due that day, and after I had begun to fret about the bathroom situation.

On the hotel's website, one night in a one-bedroom chalet in February is listed at 8,000 Norwegian Krone, or $743. My husband was able to convince the hotel to add this on for an extra $100 instead, as no other guests would be joining that day.

So, I peed in our private bathroom, slid into a real bed, with a real blanket, no dead reindeer or sleeping bag to battle with, and slept contentedly. And, even better, in the morning, I had a coffee while sitting in the window seat of the tiny cabin — it was outfitted with only a bed and two chairs, a coffee-making tray, and a shower room — soaking in the snowy landscape before heading across for breakfast.

Would I do it again? Even at a cheaper price? No.

But that's simply because I need to get up to go to the toilet every night. Otherwise, yes, I would. The sleep was blissful while it lasted. But I'd only do it for one night, then off into the chalet for the next.

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