The Five Best Sleeps In The Snow

2. Woljeongsa Temple, South Korea
Serenity is the order of the day at this beautiful Buddhist monastery near Mount Odaesan – until 3.30am, that is, when a monk wanders through the grounds chanting and tapping an instrument to awaken everyone for the pre-dawn ceremonial service. Afterwards, guests and monks sweep snow from the paths, do the washing-up and meditate. As the sun appears over the mountains, a breakfast of rice, vegetables and soup is served. Guests not already exhausted by 8am can take a bus to the excellent Yongpyong ski resort, 45 minutes away, to be first on the slopes. Alternatively, they can practise meditation, learn lantern-making, or enjoy a tea ceremony. Rooms are multibed and single-sex, except for five family rooms. Bathrooms are shared.
Woljeongsa Temple, 63 Dongsan-ri, Jinbu-myeon, Phyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do, South Korea (00 82 33 332 6664; www.templestaykorea.com).
From 40,000 won (£22) per person in dormitories, half-board. Guests help with basic chores.

3. The Ice Lodge, Norway
Constructed this winter, this ice hotel is in the middle of a national park. Step outside into the thick snow, and you might spot reindeer frolicking, moose foraging or golden eagles hovering. Light sleepers should bring earplugs to block out the creaking of ice and howling of wolverines. The ice suites, all part of the main ice hotel, have their own sculptures and lighting effects, giving them an orange, pink or yellow hue. There’s a circular hut with a roaring fire nearby, and a traditional hotel, The Bjorligard, just a stone’s throw away.
The Ice Lodge, Bjorli, Norway (0845 072 0090; www.ice-lodge.co.uk).
Packages start at £695 per person, including one night in the Ice Lodge and two at the Bjorligard Hotel; SAS flights from Heathrow or Manchester to Molde via Oslo; transfers, and breakfast.

4. Haus Gmatchi, Switzerland
After an exhausting day swishing down the slopes, rest your head in a former cow shed in the middle of glamorous Zermatt’s old town. Behind the slightly wonky, dark-wood exterior lies a chic, inviting abode. Built in 1753, Haus Gmatchi evolved from its humble origins to become an artist’s studio, a family home, and nowa chalet for six. It has all that any luxurious chalet today should have: stylish furniture, en-suite bathrooms with spa baths or steam shower, and a contemporary wood-burning stove. But the architects have kept some original features, including beams and roughly laid stone walls, giving it an authentic and cosy Swiss-cottage charm.
Haus Gmatchi, Zermatt, Switzerland (book through VIP Chalets: 0844 557 3119; www. vip-chalets.com).
Seven-night stays start at £489 per person, based on six people sharing the chalet, including breakfast, tea and dinner.

5. Kakslauttanen Igloo, Village Finland
When you are 250km north of the Arctic Circle, why stand out in the cold to enjoy the magical night skies of Finnish Lapland? The special thermal-glass domes keep the igloos at Kakslauttanen deliciously toasty and the view crystal-clear, as the Northern Lights swirl and the stars twinkle above the beds. As far as igloos go, these are pretty luxurious, with proper beds, private loos, runningwater and drawers for clothes. After a day of crosscountry skiing, ice-sculpting or tobogganing, dinner is served in one of the ice village’s unusual restaurants – including one attached to a traditional Finnish smoke sauna, and a snowrestaurant with tables made fromice.
Kakslauttanen Igloo Village, Saariselka, Lapland, Finland (00 358 16 667 100; www.kakslauttanen.fi).
Doubles start at €370 (£264), including breakfast.