There’s something magical about sitting inside your own private igloo and watching the snow fall outside as you catch up with your partner, friends or family over seasonal drinks and bites. If you’re looking for this cozy experience this winter, the Lake Geneva area has plenty of restaurants offering private igloos. The spaces range in size, so depending on your plans, you can enjoy an intimate dinner for two or bring the whole family. Advanced reservations are highly recommended, as the igloo experiences tend to be very popular, especially around the busy holiday season. Most of the igloo experiences charge a fee for the reservation, in addition to the price of food and drink. Some menus are small bites only, while other offer a full restaurant menu. To help you choose the perfect igloo for you, we’ve included all of the relevant details.

Igloo Experience at Grand Geneva

Through March 16, these classic dining igloos are situated on the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa’s outdoor terrace and arranged around the fire pit overlooking the (hopefully) snowy landscape of the golf course. The heated igloos seat up to six people comfortably, and are open daily serving food and drinks. Hours are 4-8:45 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, 4-10 p.m. on Fridays and noon to 10 p.m. on Saturdays and holidays. Igloo reservations are $75 per igloo on weekdays and $100 per igloo on Saturdays and holidays, and the price is nonrefundable. The igloo dining menu consists of small bites only, including a charcuterie board, a hummus trio, mini lobster rolls and a fancy s’mores board. A variety of seasonal drinks like hot cider and hot chocolate are available, as well as artisan-crafted cocktails, wine, beer and bubbly.

Snow Globe Experience at The Ridge

The Ridge has taken the concept of igloo dining to the next level with their dining snow globes on the The Ridge Hotel’s outdoor patio, overlooking the resort grounds and Lake Como in the distance. The Ridge describes the snow globes as “part stargazing observatory, part gondola carriage, part secluded conclave for making memories with friends and family.” These substantial structures seat up to 8 people comfortably and feature an overhead infrared heater and an under-bench, forced-air heating system. The Snow Globes are available daily from 4-9 p.m. Reservations are $75 per igloo Sundays through Thursdays and $150 per igloo on Fridays and Saturdays, securing a 90-minute stay in the Snow Globe. The reservation fee is nonrefundable. The Ridge’s main restaurant, Crafted Italia, provides its regular menu to the snow globes Sundays through Thursdays; on Fridays and Saturdays a special family-style, snow-globe-only menu is offered which includes appetizers, salads, pizzas, pastas, entrees and seasonal cocktails.

Igloo Dining at Mars Resort

One of the Lake Geneva area’s favorite supper clubs, Mars Resort offers private igloo dining overlooking Lake Como. Mars Resort’s igloos seat up to 6 people, and they are available starting at 4 p.m. for dinner reservations on Fridays through Sundays only. Reservations secure a 90-minute stay in the igloo, and a minimum spend of at least $100 per igloo is required. A special igloo menu is offered, with “igloo platters” served family-style. (Mars’ Famous Barbecue Ribs are one of the options on the igloo menu.) Igloo reservations are limited and the experience is very popular, so Mars recommends you book your reservation well in advance of your planned dining date. No deposit is required, but a $50 fee is charged to any reservations cancelled less than 48 hours prior to dining.

Pier 290’s Lakeside Igloos

Williams Bay’s Pier 290 is a popular spot to sip a cocktail and admire the beauty of the lake during the summer, and thanks to their Lakeside Igloos, that experience can continue year-round! Lakeside Igloos seat up to 6 people. The restaurant provides a small space heater and some blankets but guests are encouraged to bundle up and bring additional blankets. Reservations are $45 per igloo for lunch and $75 per igloo for dinner, and secure a 1 hour, 45 minute stay. No deposit is required but Pier 290 requests that cancelations be made more than 24 hours in advance. Reservation time slots are available from noon to 8:15 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. The full Pier 290 menu is available in the Lakeside Igloos.

Lake Lawn Resort’s Lakeside Dining Igloo Experience

Delavan’s Lake Lawn Resort is offering two locations on its property to enjoy lakeside igloo dining: The Lookout Bar & Eatery Igloo Experience or the new 1878 on the Lake Igloo Dining Experience. Both igloo experiences charge a $75 reservation fee and secure a 90-minute stay. The Lookout Bar and Eatery igloos are available from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and feature a special igloo menu that includes shareable appetizers, a handful of entrées and desserts as well as cocktails, wine and beer. The 1878 on the Lake igloos are available from 11:15 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, and serve the full 1878 on the Lake menus for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Maxwell Mansion Igloos

This vintage-themed boutique hotel in Lake Geneva offers igloo dining in one of its two terrace igloos. These are a great option for larger groups, as they seat up to 15 people each. Igloo reservations are available daily from 2-8 p.m. and cost $150 for Sunday-Thursday reservations and $250 for Friday, Saturday and holiday reservations, securing a 90-minute stay. All reservations include a $50 credit at the bar. New this year, the Maxwell Mansion igloos also offer a food menu, so outside food is prohibited. Contact Maxwell Mansion for menu details. (Note that the cancelation policies at Maxwell Mansion are stricter than many other igloo rentals: For igloo bookings made at least two days in advance, you may cancel within the first 24 hours of making the reservations without penalty. If you cancel more than 14 days prior to your igloo reservation, you may either pay a $50 cancellation fee or receive a credit for your full deposit for a future Igloo booking within the same season. If you cancel within 14 days of your igloo reservation, your deposit is non-refundable.)
This article was originally published in December 2023 on our sister publication, At The Lake Magazine. Find more things to do in the Lake Geneva area on their website atthelakemagazine.com.
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