Woman's body found on ice in US hotel

Police have discovered the body of a woman packed in dry ice in a Californian hotel room during a drug raid.

Detectives found the fully clothed and "well preserved" body after arresting a guest at the Fairmont Newport Beach for selling cocaine on the hotel grounds.

They found the body inside a container filled with dry ice while searching Stephen David Royds' room.

"It's definitely weird", police Sergeant Evan Sailor said.

An autopsy was "inconclusive" because there was no sign of trauma, and her death did not appear to be a homicide, said Orange County deputy coroner Dan Akin.

Police identified the woman as 33-year-old Monique Trepp. It wasn't clear how long she had been dead, Sailor said.

Police were investigating whether Royds was involved in the death. He was held on $US30,000 ($A32,500) bail.