Pluribus episode 3: Can you actually stay at that ice hotel?
In the third episode of Vince Gilligan’s intriguing series *Pluribus*, viewers are treated to a visually stunning flashback that transports us to a whimsical ice hotel in Norway. The episode follows author Carol Sturka, played by Rhea Seehorn, and her partner Helen, portrayed by Miriam Shor, as they celebrate the launch of a new book in the *Winds of Wycaro* series. Their experience at the ice hotel, where the room is crafted from 300 tons of ice and over 10,000 tons of snow, raises a curious question: can you actually stay at such a cool establishment? While the fictional hotel in *Pluribus* is not a real location, it draws inspiration from actual ice hotels that exist in Norway, making the episode both enchanting and informative.
The ice hotel featured in *Pluribus* is a product of creative design rather than a real-life destination. Production designer Denise Pizzini crafted the set using plastics and styrofoam, ensuring it resembled the ethereal beauty of an ice hotel without the need for freezing temperatures. The meticulously designed room includes an ice bed and breathtaking sculptures, all while offering a view of the Northern Lights through a large skylight. Pizzini explained the design process, highlighting the collaboration with sculptors to create a space that reflects the seasonal nature of ice hotels, which are rebuilt each year. Although the hotel in the show is fictional, it captures the essence of real ice hotels, such as the Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, which is known for its stunning ice sculptures and seasonal melting.
For those intrigued by the idea of staying in an ice hotel, the good news is that options do exist in Norway. The Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel, located in the northern part of the country, offers a similar experience to that depicted in *Pluribus*. Guests can enjoy a unique stay surrounded by intricate ice carvings and the magic of winter, making it a perfect getaway for those seeking adventure and a touch of whimsy. As *Pluribus* continues to air new episodes on Apple TV every Friday, it not only entertains but also invites viewers to explore the real-world inspirations behind its fantastical settings.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pez1Rz8aNCU
Vince Gilligan’s
Pluribus
is a show that raises many ethical dilemmas — but in episode 3, there’s a question that’s far easier to answer.
Can you actually stay at that cool ice hotel?
We’ve done some digging to find out.
What happens with the ice hotel in
Pluribus
episode 3?
Credit: Apple TV
Episode 3 of the
Apple TV
series opens with a flashback to around seven years before
the virus
spreads across Earth. Celebrating the launch of a new book in
The Winds of Wycaro
series, author Carol Sturka (Rhea Seehorn) and her partner Helen (Miriam Shor) arrive for their stay at an ice hotel in Norway. Their guide, Bjorn, tells them the hotel was built using 300 tons of ice and over 10,000 tons of snow. He says it melts every summer and is rebuilt every year. Their room, which is a few degrees below zero and features an ice bed, is filled with sculptures and a window that gives the perfect view of the Northern Lights.
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Helen loves it, while Carol is clearly a bit less keen — but if you wanted to, could you actually go and stay there yourself?
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Can you actually stay at that ice hotel?
The first point to make is that the ice hotel in
Pluribus
isn’t actually named in the episode — because it’s not a real hotel.
In the show, we learn the fictional hotel is in Norway and the room was sculpted by a winner of the Harbin Ice Sculpting Competition (which is real, even if the sculptor themself isn’t). “Do we absolutely have to go to every wacky place Rick Steves recommends?” asks Carol at one point, referring to the American travel writer — but a quick search doesn’t seem to bring up any specific recommendations from Steves.
The hotel in
Pluribus
was actually designed by production designer Denise Pizzini, who told
Apple TV’s official
Pluribus
podcast
the set was made out of plastics and styrofoam, carved by sculptors.
“These ice hotels are seasonal, so they have different artists that come in and design these hotels. So we took that role on. It’s like, well, if we were asked to design an ice hotel, what would we do?” she said.
“The way it read, [Carol and Helen] had to walk down a hall, so we had to have other hotel rooms. Our room was in the round, and it had to have a big skylight so they could see the Northern Lights. So we did a lot of research, first, with different plastics and stuff that would look like ice, because, again, we didn’t want it to look like a set. We ended up getting these plastic cubes from Germany that looked the best.
“Then we hired some sculptors to come in, and our theme for that particular room, I thought having waves and Japanese koi would be kind of interesting, because it was round and the movement of the waves, and these guys, they sculpted it so beautifully.”
So while you can’t stay where Carol and Helen do in the show, you can definitely go and stay somewhere pretty close to that.
Ice hotels in Norway
do
exist. Of these, the
Sorrisniva Igloo Hotel
— the country’s northernmost igloo hotel — seems like a fairly close match, given it’s also filled with ice sculptures and also melts away each Spring.
Pluribus
is streaming on Apple TV, with a new episode every Friday.
