What it's REALLY like to sleep in the world's coldest hotel

Within seconds, my eyelashes freeze. Shortly followed by the hairs inside my nose. It's minus 30C; a punishing Multicolor Printed Pony Compacta 100mm cold and tonight I'll be sleeping in a room made entirely of ice. I'm not allowed to take any personal belongings with me because they'll freeze.

The Ice hotel, in Jukkasjrvi in Swedish Lapland, 120 miles into the arctic circle, celebrates its 25th birthday this year.

Its presence is cyclical: every March, huge blocks of ice are harvested from the town's lifeblood, the River Torne; stored in a freezing warehouse over summer and carved, mounted up and smoothed into 55 ethereal rooms, an ice bar and a chapel. Come April, the sun is strong, everything melts and the river rolls on again.

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Aurora Borealis through the skies above the Ice Hotel; where sightings of the impressive ionisation of atmospheric particles are common

HOW TO DRESS FOR EXTREME COLD 'Don't underestimate how cold it can be. Dressing correctly in the Arctic environment, where temperatures can easily dip below 30C, enables visitors to enjoy the pristine wilderness without exposing themselves to very real danger,' says Simply Sweden's Chris Graham. 'We offer the following advice to all customers who book a winter holiday to this region and most of our holidays include a loan of high grade warm outer clothing for activities.'

'Layer up. The first should by thin, made from synthetic fabric or wool (not cotton) and designed to wick moisture away from the body. There are some Black Suede Compacta 100mm excellent technical fabrics on the market. Next, a thick middle layer, or several thin layers (make sure they fit over each other, allowing free movement) base layers, fleeces or wool jumpers work well. Bring thermal leggings, too.

'Although we arrange for loans of clothing such as wool fleece bottoms and snowmobile suits, it's a good idea to bring a large down wind and waterproof jacket and protective trousers. If you get hot, you can always take a layer off.

'Watch the extremities. Wear thin liner gloves, then a pair of mittens, which keep hands warmer than finger gloves. Liner socks (silk are good), then one or two pairs of wool, not cotton, socks will keep feet warm and dry, as will a pair of specialist boots (try them on with all your socks). Again, guests are provided with appropriate boots, thick leather mittens and protective deerstalker hats for outdoor activities.

'Don't wash or shave just before going out into the cold the natural oils in the skin protect against the extreme elements. And don't use water based cosmetics or soaps because they will freeze.'

Extreme weather: Temperatures in Northern Sweden can drop down to as low as minus 40 degrees in the winter months

On checking in, guests are armed with an enormous padded boiler suit, snow boots, fleece and leather mittens and a balaclava. Over the four days of my stay, temperatures drop to 37C, so despite looking like a cross between Robocop and a yeti, these warm items become my allies.

It's not all freezing though. The hotel has two warm receptions and a warm restaurant dishing out reindeer meat and hot chocolate, as well as plenty of warm suites and chalets. Also, once you've been outside, the interior seems quite toasty. 'Snice' the combination of snow and ice used to build the hotel, is insulating, keeping the temperature at 5C.

Cold rooms come in tiers: from bread and butter ice bed and four walls to super deluxe suites complete with a warm section with a sauna and toilet built in. But the art suites are king. Each year, the hotel pumps around 900,000 into gathering ideas from graphic designers, wood sculptors, street artists, architects even musicians (over 50 per cent have never worked with ice before).

A jury decides the best 15 and the artist then travels to Lapland to construct their design.'We're not looking for another swan or dolphin, we want original ideas,' says Jens, one of the hotel's top designers. 'We don't want the rooms to look like ice cream and slush.'

My room, Ways of Vision, designed by Swedish sculptors Lena Kristrom and Nina Hedman, entitled Rays of Vision. Inspired by the corbels of Uppsala Cathedral, statues on pillars surrounding the bed, symbolise the different ways of seeing which exist in our world.

THE ICE HOTEL IN NUMBERS 61 cold rooms at the Ice Hotel

72 warm rooms at the Ice hotel

50,000 annual visitors to the Ice Hotel

80 weddings take place each year at The Ice Hotel

900 tonnes of ice used in its construction

Each year, the hotel gathers ideas from artists across the globe: Ro, designed by Anja Kilan and Wolfgang A.

Its three night Traditional Icehotel break costs from 995 per person, including b accommodation (one night in a cold room, two nights in a warm room), flights, transfers and a guided tour of Icehotel.

Activities cost extra, but often Black Leather Boudubou 160mm include lunch or dinner and start at 124 per person for a four hour Northern Lights Snowmobile Excursion with evening meal. The idea is to layer, but only using the correct fabrics, if you get too warm, you'll sweat, and when the moisture freezes, so will you.

Several fellow visitors don't appear to have received the memo; I see one motley lot wondering around in onesies, a woman carrying an aeroplane travel pillow and one lunatic even wearing flip flops.

The cold weather clearly Red Suede Belle Zeppa 100mm gets to people. 'Children often try and lick the ice,' says Paula, the guide. 'Last year a 24 year old student try to kiss the ice and staff had to unstick him using hot water and chisels'. I'm told another member of staff walked in on a couple making the most of the double sleeping bag, too. But mostly, people just don't wear the right clothes and suffer as a consequence.

I sleep surprisingly well. It takes a while to shift the 'I'm cold' voice in my head, and I manage to lose a crucial glove and my hat during the night, but I wake up feeling remarkably refreshed.