Frozen Innovations
X
Northern Lights Village Saariselkä
How Frozen Warriors successfully created a world-class
How Frozen Warriors successfully created a world-class
We are very grateful to have had the honor of working with Northern Lights Village Saariselkä for two years in a row. The idea of the frozen ice bar and restaurant came when Markku Inkilä, the owner of a glass-roofed resort in Saariselkä, Finland found their inside restaurant too small to fit all of the incoming customers.
Instead of just extending the current restaurant, why not build something totally different, something spectacular?
Our warriors were happy to get into work. By taking advance of the Lapland’s local rivers, we harvested tons of ice to create an ice bar and restaurant to Northern Lights Village. “The customers have simply loved it”, Markku says. There is no doubt that the ice restaurant provides an extraordinary setting for an unforgettable dinner. The frozen experience has been a fantastic addition to the whole Northern Lights Village adventure with its’ glass-roofed cabins, husky safaris, reindeer encountering
Most of the village’s customers come from countries where it is impossible even to see snow, so dining in the story-like frozen restaurant, set in the middle of a snowy forest is definitely a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many. Nor is it unusual to spot global celebrities having drinks in the restaurant and enjoying the Nordic magic.
In season 2017-2018 we started with creating the ice restaurant. Then in season 2018-2019 we also designed and built two high-class frozen suites which, just like the ice restaurant, became a success story. Both unique frozen suites have been fully booked throughout the season. “If I only would’ve known, I would’ve built ten suites right away”, Markku says.
Building golden history to life
The whole Saariselkä area was overwhelmed by Lapland’s Gold Rush in the late 1800s. The city was then flooded by people trying to find their shiny piece of glory. Not long ago, Markku heard that there is actually still an underground river full of gold running under the village. Hence the idea of a Gold Rush -themed frozen restaurant was born. No such thing has ever been built anywhere in the world.
“The customers have been so amazed just by stepping into the frozen restaurant. Then they hear the story behind these sculptures and that there is so much gold running under their feet that you could actually live the rest of your life with it. That story adds perfectly up with the fairytale-like atmosphere in the restaurant.”
Every single one of us wanted the whole experience to be unforgettable for the village’s customers. Out of this world really. That’s why our warriors were ready to work until the result was flawless. “I highly appreciate the flexibility of these men. Even during the construction phase, in the middle of
“An average guy would’ve given up”
In addition to a flexible attitude, Markku describes Frozen Warriors as “extraordinary and persistent, hard-working men.”
“The job was highly dependent on the weather, but these men remained patient no matter what. Sometimes they had to wait for 72 hours before being able to build, but then after getting into it, they just kept the work flowing.”
In season 2018-2019 there were indeed setbacks caused by the weather, but our warriors managed to get both the ice restaurant and the suites ready on time. “An average guy would’ve given up many times in these conditions but definitely not these men. Not even if it was raining. Good co-operation is simply a good co-operation, and with Frozen Innovations, the business has always been extremely easy from start to finish”.
Since the village’s workers didn’t have previous experience in working in frozen conditions, the advice workers got from our Frozen Warriors were found highly valuable. Because of the thought-through instructions, it was easy for them to focus on creating the whole arctic experience for the customers.
Not only we solved the problem of the village’s extra dining space; our warriors created a frozen experience that the village’s customers will talk many years from now!
