Description: My husband and I were very keen to try the IceBar. We weren't too sure what to expect, but the thought of drinking in a room completely made of ice, out of ice gasses sounded very neat, so we decided to give it a go. The IceBar experience was a novelty - not one I'd repeat again, but I'm glad we tried it once.

Once you arrive at the Absolute IceBar - in the Nordic Sea Hotel - you sign in and wait in a small waiting area in open view of the lobby. Only a certain number of guests can access the IceBar at any one time, so you go in groups with a designated entry time, so be sure you make your time slot as you may miss your chance to go in. We didn't have to wait too long before we were asked to help ourselves to various bits of equipment from the bins and hangers in the waiting area, including a giant faux-fur lined cape and massive gloves. A member of staff was on hand to help make sure you were kited out correctly.

I think that's when we started to have some fun. The capes are metallic blue and mixed with the futuristic, fluorescent lighting it made us feel like we were walking into some space age/ James Bond film. The IceBar itself is very neat, with plasma screens embedded into the ice, ice sculptures (including ones you could pose with), and ice furniture. The lightening was low, but it had this blue tinge to it, enhancing the colours of the ice. The room is quite small, but they've designed it to have nooks and crannies, so we never feel too crowded.

The bar was quite busy to start. You get one free cocktail/mocktail with entry, so most people were crowding round the bar (also made of ice) to get their first drink. There were only two bartenders, so service was quite slow, but we were taking pictures for ages so didn't mind too much. When we did get to the bar the choice of cocktails was pretty interesting, though all vodka based (it being the Absolute Vodka IceBar that was to be expected). We started with a snowflake (coconut, peach and pineapple) and a nordic light (raspberry and lime) - which came in cube-shaped ice glasses. We found a quite corner and enjoyed our drinks.

The cocktails were small, and additional drinks cost SEK 95 so it started to thin out as people finished their complementary cocktail/mocktail. We were enjoying ourselves and keen to try out some more so we had another round of drinks - a reindeer (lime) and a husky sledge (vanilla, cinnamon, apple). We took some more pictures and enjoyed our drinks at a quite table. A few other groups decided to go for a second round, so it was quieter and more atmospheric, though to be honest, if we hadn't had a second round we probably would have left. There's not much to keep you at the IceBar - it's a novelty bar, and once you've been there for 20 - 30 minutes there's not much else to keep you, unless you were buying another drink. After about 45 minutes it was time for us to leave and let the next group through and we all left back the way we came.

Drinking at the IceBar on a cold March evening was definitely an experience, one that I'm glad we had. The drinks were delicious and the whole experience of drinking in a room completely made of ice was a real novelty. At the same time, If we were counting our pennies I'm not sure I would go. It felt like a bit of a tourist ride at Disney - waiting with a group, shuffling in together. I would be interested in going at 9:45 pm when 'drop-in' begins. I get the impression that this is when the IceBar becomes more of a regular bar with people coming in and out when they please. It looks more expensive at this time, but it would be worth it.

If you are keen to go in as we did, for a certain slot (which guarantees you get to go in), booking early is essential. We were in Stockholm one random weekend in March (hardly peak travel season) and many of the later slots were all booked out. Luckily, we had booked the day before via our hotel (the Nordic Lights Hotel) and had no problems. It's also worth noting that prices vary considerable depending on how you book. Booking online will cost you SEK 180, onsite or phone bookings cost SEK 190, while walking in from the street costs SEK 195. The cheapest option is for those staying at the Nordic Sea or Nordic Lights Hotels - guests at these hotels only pay SEK 150. Close