As low temperatures settle in, work kicks off on Romania's famous Ice Hotel

Work recently started at the famous Ice Hotel at Balea Lake in Romania, where seven workers have begun work on the hotel. The number of workers will increase over the coming days, when they will start to cut over 10,000 blocks of ice that will build the hotel. The hotel, with 12 double rooms - similar to last year - is already booked for the Christmas and New Year's Eve. Most of the clients are foreigners, coming mainly from the UK. The first reservations for the hotel started coming as early as last summer. The only Ice Hotel in Southeast Europe will mark its eighth season in the winter 2012/13. “The hotel is built like in previous years, near the cable car station. Apart from the actual hotel, we will again raise a so-called satellite, consisting of three separate igloos connected with a central entrance,” according to the developers. Check work status via this webcam.

A double room at the hotel will cost RON 300 (or some EUR 66) per night. In January, the hotel will be accompanied by an ice church which will be built in the meantime, and where religious ceremonies are usually performed. Balea lake is located at an altitude of 2,034 meters, in the Fagaras mountains, and is accessible by car via the famous mountain road Transfagarasan. The ice hotel itself can only be accessed via cable car. The lake is known for the chalet on its banks, mirrored during summer on its clear waters. Each winter, once the Balea Lake freezes over, the locals cut and drag blocks of the icy lake to the location of the hotel. Temperatures in the Ice Hotel are typically between -2 and +2°C. The hotel staff offer bedding, extra furs, and specialist sleeping bags, to keep guests snug and warm. editor@romania-insider.com (photo source: Hotel of Ice official website)