The snow hotel is built on the territory of mountain-skiing complex “Malinovka”, approximately 400 kilometers south of the city of Arkhangelsk, and the hotel has been financed by the owners of this complex. The hotel covers an area of 60x60 meters and consists of 9 living rooms, exhibition hall, cinema hall, conference room and ice-bar. A special room is provided for wedding ceremonies and this explains why the snow building has a form of the human heart.
The project was realized by the Creative Workshop of Kirill Bair and the Union of Designers of Russia, and was actively supported by the municipal and regional authorities. This new attraction is one of the steps in promotion this picturesque area of Arkhangelsk oblast, and also to promote the Arkhangelsk region as a whole for winter tourism.
The snow hotel has been an inspiration for the enthusiasts of snow and ice art and business structures in the city of Arkhangelsk. Next winter they plan to construct a snow hotel in the city. The initiators of this idea are discussing also the possibility of cooperation with the international experienced Norwegians at the Snow Hotel in Kirkenes, situated next to the Norwegian-Russian border.
In Arkhangelsk oblast tourism is proclaimed as one of the five main priorities of this region. According to the regional committee of international relations and tourism development, the number of tourists visiting the region has grown from 180.000 in 2006 to over 280.000 visitors in 2008. The overall turnover of the regional tourists market reached a total of 40 million EUR this year. However, the results of 2009 was not so optimistic and the number of tourists dropped by 30 percent.
See slide show of photos from the snow hotel.
Photos by: Andrey Tomashkevich, Anfim Khanykov, Anton Sergeev
