Húsadalur – Volcano Huts Þórsmörk
The South
Busy Volcano Huts Þórsmörk fills the Húsadalur area with basic dorm-style huts, private rooms, five-person cottages (sleeping-bag accommodation with…
Must-see hotels in Iceland
East Iceland
On the north side of Mjóifjörður, Sólbrekka is the only place to stay. There’s a schoolhouse near the sea, offering camping (per person 1200kr) and no…
Southeast Iceland
The name is misleading: this large new four-star hotel sits halfway between Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón at Hnappavellir, about 3km east of the departure…
Southeast Iceland
Formerly an HI-affiliated hostel, this well-run guesthouse (also known as Road 201) is on the edge of Skeiðarársandur (3.5km south off the Ring Road via a…
Reykjanes Peninsula
Forty-two spacious, stylish rooms line the lava field at this bungalow hotel. There’s a sunny sitting room, honesty bar, free afternoon waffles and the…
Iceland
The Old Hut sleeps about 30 in dorm beds (linen available for 2000kr) with cooking facilities. The New Hut has private rooms (28,500kr) with shared…
Southeast Iceland
Snowmobiles litter this Ring Road property, HQ of Glacier Jeeps. There's a small, bunk-heavy hostel with a sunny enclosed dining area, plus additional six…
Borgarbyggð
This family-friendly spot has a guesthouse, hotel, full cottage and camping huts next to a beautiful roaring waterfall. The spacious on-site restaurant …
East Iceland
Álfheimar has 32 motel-style units in long annexes (the only rooms in town with private bathrooms!). The timber-lined rooms have more atmosphere than the…
North Iceland
Just south of Hvítserkur, or 30km north of the Ring Road on gravel, is Ósar, one of Iceland’s most serene farm hostels thanks to friendly owner Knútur,…
Tröllaskagi
Heiða and Bjarni, the friendly owners of the town's excellent hostel, also offer three wooden cabins and Gamli Bærinn (the ‘Old Farmhouse’), a gorgeously…
Iceland
Has three well-appointed huts on or just off Kjölur route, for drivers, hikers and horse riders. From south to north: Fremstaver, on the south slopes of…
Tröllaskagi
Wonderfully blustery Lónkot is a gourmet pit stop along the rugged coast, 13km north of Hofsós. Billed as a ‘rural resort’ it has boutique accommodation …
The South
Básar is the choice base for Icelanders, largely due to its beautiful position in the trees. There’s hut (mattress only) accommodation for 83 people…
Southeast Iceland
Most visitors bring a tent (or campervan) to this large, gravelly, panoramic campsite (with laundry facilities, and hot showers for 500kr). It gets very…
The South
Sixteen kilometres west of Vík and 1.5km north of the Ring Road on a dirt track, sweet Guesthouse Steig is a simple farm building filled with 12…
The Westfjords
It's worth detouring 11km off Rte 61 to hunt out Heydalur, tucked away at the head of Mjóifjörður. Here cabins cluster around a converted barn, the…
Inland
A welcome addition to the local scene, the Teahouse has six bunk-filled rooms – the spaces are tight, but the price is reasonable (rooms can be booked as…
North Iceland
Horse-lovers will be in heaven at Gauksmýri, a highly regarded horse farm with tours and a lodge on the Ring Road 3.5km east of the turn-off to…
Southeast Iceland
The original guesthouse at Hoffell has bright, fresh rooms with a shared bathroom. In mid-2014 a new building opened, housing hotel-style en suite rooms …
North Iceland
For Langanes exploration, base yourself at excellent Ytra Lón, 14km northeast of Þórshöfn and just off Rte 869. It’s part of a working sheep farm run by a…
The South
Two huts here hold 72 people in total; both have drinking water and mattresses. Kitchen facilities have gas stoves. Showers cost 500kr. Opening coincides…
The South
Emstrur has 60 beds divided across three huts. There are two showers (500kr for five minutes of hot water), toilets and a gas stove. There are no garbage…
East Iceland
Multilingual Marlín (Belgian, but resident in Iceland for more than 20 years) is a warm host at this expanding spot. The primary house has en-suite rooms…
The South
A wonderful place if you have the kids in tow, Vatnsholt is located about 16km southeast of Selfoss, just 8km off the Ring Road. Here you’ll find over 30…
East Iceland
Located in the centre of ‘town’ (we use that term lightly), Hótel Bláfell has smart monochrome rooms (some timber-lined), a sauna and a superb guest…
North Iceland
Highland farm Grímsstaðir lies 28km south of Dettifoss near the junction with the Ring Road. An old farmhouse contains sleeping-bag accommodation (per…
The South
This simple hotel-restaurant complex is the last outpost (and last petrol) before heading into the Highlands. Rooms are austere for the high prices, but…
Seyðisfjörður
Cosy, view-enriched dining and lounge areas are the standout feature of Harbour Hostel, found a little out of town past the Bláa Kirkjan. The thin-walled…
Gistihúsið – Lake Hotel Egilsstaðir
Inland
The town was named after this farm and splendid heritage guesthouse (now big enough to warrant the 'hotel' label) on the banks of Lagarfljót, 300m west of…
The South
The 20-bed hut at Fimmvörðuskáli, sitting at an altitude of 1000m on the pass between Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull, lies 600m west of the main trail…
Mývatn Region
This architecturally arresting, sustainably designed hotel opened in mid-2014 about 2km east of Skútustaðir. There are 80 modern, simple rooms – comfy,…
East Iceland
This friendly hotel is impressive for a village of this size. It’s been around awhile (the original building was brought in pieces from Copenhagen in 1906…
Arnarstapi Center Hotel & Cottages
Snæfellsnes Peninsula
This brand-new hotel and cluster of cottages sprawls in the centre of Arnarstapi. Modern rooms have sleek bathrooms, and cottages are equipped with a…
Laugavegur & Skólavörðustígur
The fabulously friendly family that runs this compact hostel is supremely proud of the heritage features dating back to the 1840s. Homey dorms have either…
The Westfjords
At the head of Önundarfjörður, a turn-off marked Kirkjuból (not to be confused with a nearby guesthouse of the same name) leads 5km down rough Rte 627 to…
The South
This stand of seven cosy wooden cottages sits within sight of Dyrhólaey in a pastoral area south of the Ring Road, with mountain and ocean views. Each…
Southeast Iceland
A perfect pit stop for families about 32km from Höfn, Hólmur offers very well-priced farmhouse accommodation (ask about sleeping-bag rates for extra…
North Iceland
A cluster of nine cookie-cutter cottages found by the campground. Each is petite but fully self-contained with bathroom, kitchenette and TV, and can sleep…
The South
This inn’s namesake, Anna, wrote books about her worldwide voyages – and her descendants’ country hotel upholds her passion for travel, with seven sweetly…
