Before I knew I was staying in an igloo... all I was told was:…read morea) "I booked a night for us up in the mountains... but we're not staying a hotel."
b) "Make sure you bring all your WARMEST clothes... and a bikini."
HUH? I was surprised with a trip to the Iglu-Dorf in Engelberg! Not knowing exactly what to expect was definitely part of the fun so I won't give it all away in my review, but here are some HIGHLIGHTS:
1) Friendly, knowledgable, helpful guides that are fluent in English and German.
2) HUGE igloo. It's much bigger than it looks from the outside complete with a bar and dining room!
3) Beautifully decorated inside with detailed ice sculptures in every room. Every year the sculptures focus around a different theme; this year's theme was "Comics & Cartoons." Characters from The Lion King, South Park, Snoopy, and many others were all carved in ice. We had the Batman room!
4) Delicious dinner with charcuterie & cheese, mushroom soup, fondue, and prosecco! For dessert we had chocolate cupcakes and coffee gelato! They definitely feed you well. It's very rich and FILLING, but much needed to survive the night.
5) Lovely guided moonlit night-hike around the Lake at Engelberg. They provide the snow shoes and trekking poles (as well as a little nip of Jägermeister half way through!)
6) There is a jacuzzi/hot tub IN the igloo! (So that's what I needed the bikini for...) Take full advantage of this-- it's SO nice after the hour hike in the snow, and it'll really warm you up before you go to bed.
7) TOASTY sleeping bags! Arctic-rated sleeping bags are no joke, and staying the night in the igloo much warmer than I would have ever expected...
I would totally recommend it to anyone who's looking for a new experience! It's an exceptional and truly memorable once in a lifetime adventure!