Iceland: Hotels

An early flight out of Keflavík International Airport? You could stay at a basic hotel at the airport. Or you could stay less than 10 minutes away at a boutique hotel. Hotel Berg is in the town of Keflavík. It has modern rooms, a small restaurant, and an airport shuttle. The real reason to stay here, though, is the rooftop pool. It’s heated and has views of the harbor. Sounds like the perfect location for one last attempt at spotting the northern lights.

A warm gas fireplace. Leather chairs and couches. Wooden tables littered with coffee-table books. Tree stumps on which to set your beverage. Local paintings and sculptures. This is how 101 Hotel welcomes its guests. The design hotel, featuring only 38 rooms, is small. They feature black-and-white color schemes, rainfall showers, and incredibly comfortable beds. There's a gym and a small spa--including a sauna and a jacuzzi--downstairs. The bar/lounge is a popular spot for locals. While celebrities are known to take over the top-floor suites when they're in town. A possible issue: The hotel is next door to Gamla Bíó, whose loud concerts might bother light sleepers.

Ion City Hotel is a design hotel in the center of Reykjavík. It's on Laugavegur, the city's main shopping street. It's above Sumac Grill + Drinks, a creative Middle Eastern restaurant. Plus it's the sister property of Ion Adventure Hotel near Thingvellir National Park. The hotel's small lobby is decorated with Icelandic birch, a light fixture that looks like a bird's nest, and a sofa that was custom made into a window seat. The staff at the front desk even wears Icelandic-made clothing and jewelry. They'll happily call you if your room is ready before check-in time. When you go upstairs, you'll find that the hallway lights are controlled by motion--and there are only 18 rooms. The cozy spaces have more window seats, Bluetooth speakers, and complimentary minibars. The bathrooms are decorated with a glass-walled shower and Icelandic stones. Their Sóley Organics products are heavenly. Note: The hotel's minimal vibe extends to its service. Though the front desk is always manned, it's just one person. They're helpful and willing to answer any questions, but if you prefer more concierge-style assistance, you may want to consider other hotels.

Sand Hotel is a boutique hotel in the center of Reykjavík. It's on Laugavegur, the city's main shopping street. It's attached to Sandholt (a fourth-generation bakery that's become one of the hottest brunch spots) and Verslun Guðsteins Eyjólfssonar (a gentleman's store). Plus its white building stands where Halldór Laxness, an Icelandic writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature, was born. The hotel's interior is just as charming. The first floor features a modern lounge, a breakfast room that turns into a bar, and a small gym. There are 66 rooms and suites. They're modern, but not minimal, with Swedish duvets, rainfall showers, and Bluetooth speakers. The generous breakfast buffet (until 10 am) includes local specialities, including skyr and cod liver oil (yes, shots of it), and delicious pastries from Sandholt. Happy hour is from 4-6 pm at the Sand Bar. Plus the front desk is quite flexible regarding check-in and -out times. Note: Light sleepers should request a room that doesn't face the street.

A trip to the Snæfellsnes peninsula sounds pretty epic. You're thinking about hikes, a snowcat ride, a cave tour, horseback riding, and whale watching. But you'll need a couple of days, and you aren't willing to rough it. Enter Hótel Búðir. Hótel Búðir is pretty epic itself. The small hotels sits on the south coast of the Snæfellsnes peninsula in the tiny hamlet of Búðir. It has views of both Snæfellsjökull (the glacier-capped volcano) and the frigid Atlantic Ocean. A guesthouse first opened here in 1947. It expanded into a luxury hotel with a gourmet restaurant in the decades that followed. Then a fire destroyed it in 2001. Less than three years later, Hótel Búðir reopened better than ever. It now has 28 simply furnished double rooms (I love the ones with window seats), a restaurant featuring local seafood and lamb dishes, and a small bar with a fireplace and leather seats. It's the perfect spot to wait for the northern lights to appear after a day full of adventures. Notes: 1) It's about a three-hour drive from Reykjavík. 2) The hotel is currently constructing a new addition. This will nearly double the number of rooms and enlarge the restaurant.

There's only one hotel on Flatey. When the Ferry Baldur docks in Flatey, a tractor with a flatbed is awaiting your arrival. It's for your luggage. You'll meet up with it after a five-minute walk up the small island's only--and car-free--road. A bright red building (a converted warehouse from 1890) is your destination. You can't miss it. Welcome to Hótel Flatey. Hótel Flatey is the heart of the island. It has fourteen rooms, with wooden floors and furniture, for guests. Bathrooms are shared (nothing is perfect!). Breakfast (included in the room rate), lunch, and dinner are served in the traditional restaurant. Coffee, drinks, and cake are available the rest of the day. The food (seafood, eggs, herbs) is as local and seasonal as possible. The surprisingly lively bar hosts live music some nights. Its crowd, including many locals, spills onto the lawn when the weather cooperates. While the views of Breidafjördur are endless and spectacular. This is truly a unique place to stay. Note: The hotel is only open from the end of May until the end of August.

As you drive into Siglufjörður, you can't miss a large, olive-colored building that sits right on the water. It's Sigló Hótel. When the boutique hotel opened in 2017, it finally gave both the town and the entire Troll Peninsula a great place to stay. The first thing you'll notice are the views. The hotel overlooks the mountains, the fjord, and the boat-filled harbor. The classically decorated rooms have wood floors, window seats or balconies, and modern bathrooms. The lobby has a cozy lounge (velvet furniture and a gas fireplace), help-yourself coffee, and a small bar. The elegant restaurant, Sunna, focuses on seafood (a lovely breakfast is also served here in the morning). While outside, there's a geothermally heated pool and sauna that are open all year. It's the perfect place to decompress after a long hike or a day of skiing. Sigló Hótel has made Siglufjörður a true destination instead of a quick stopover.

Stunning views (Mývatn and Vindbelgjarfjall). A modern building (concrete and wood). A restaurant with locally sourced food (lamb and trout). Wake-up calls when the northern lights make an appearance (seasonally, of course). Hótel Laxá is currently the best place to stay around Mývatn. Hótel Laxá is perfectly positioned on a hill on the southwestern shore of Mývatn. The hotel has 80 rooms. Though they're basic and small, the lake-view ones have unbeatable views. Eldey, the huge restaurant, serves a breakfast buffet in the morning. While the bar has big windows and a daily happy hour. Overall, the hotel has a ski lodge, minus the slopes, vibe. A lot of tour groups stay here, as well. As long as you plan to spend your time exploring Mývatn, not hanging out at the hotel, Hótel Laxá works just fine.

Fosshotel Húsavík is the only true hotel in Húsavík (there are mostly guesthouses here). It works just fine for a night or two, as you explore the northern part of the Diamond Circle, though. The modern hotel sits a few blocks inland from the harbor and Húsavíkurkirkja (the wooden church); both are within walking distance. The rooms are small, but upgrades add views of Skjálfandi (the bay) with the snow-capped mountains in the distance. The lively restaurant has a whale theme and lots of local seafood. Happy hour at the bar is 4-6 pm. While the staff is friendly and happy to provide an early check-in if your room is available.

A table mountain that doubles as a not-quite-dormant volcano. A geothermal area with steam spurting through the ground. The largest natural lake in the country. Easy access to the country's first national park. Sounds like a spectacular setting for a hotel. The mountain is Hengill. The geothermal area is Nesjavellir, home to the second-largest geothermal power station in Iceland. The lake is Þingvallavatn. The national park is Þingvellir. As of a few years ago, the hotel is ION Adventure Hotel. And, yes, it's pretty spectacular. ION Adventure Hotel took over an abandoned inn and gave it an amazing facelift. The stilted, modernist building now features black cladding, lots of raw concrete, and floor-to-ceiling windows. Minimal rooms feature wood floors and oversized photos of horses. The restaurant serves fresh, local ingredients. The bar offers Icelandic beer and spirits. Plus there's an indoor-outdoor spa with treatment rooms, saunas, and a year-round pool that's geothermally heated (of course). Be sure to request a wake-up call if the northern lights make an appearance.

The Greenhouse Hotel is a modern, new hotel in Hveragerði, just 45 minutes outside of Reykjavík. The sustainable, eco-friendly hotel is part of Gróðurhúsið (the Greenhouse), which includes a food hall and shops on the ground floor with the hotel spread across the top two floors. Checkin is contactless. You'll receive your room number and key code before your arrival. Rooms feature recycled materials, mini fridges, walk-in showers, and window seats. While an art museum, hiking trails, and hot springs are just a short walk away. Expect a chill vibe and a young crowd.

You're driving down a long dirt road on the south coast of Iceland. It's somewhere in between Hvolsvöllur and Skógar (or Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss, if you're chasing waterfalls). Eyjafjallajökull (the pesky volcano) looms behind you. A black-sand beach, the ocean, and the Westman Islands spread out in front of you. While, just coming into view, is a striking boutique hotel. Umi Hotel was built on an abandoned farm. The concrete building was thoughtfully designed with large windows, wooden floors, leather furniture, and soft fabrics. It has 28 cozy rooms with either mountain or ocean views. The bathrooms--with sloping floors in the rainfall showers and the Sóley Organics (an Icelandic company) products--were particularly well designed. The hotel also has an ambitious Nordic restaurant (the Icelandic scallop appetizer is stunning). A breakfast buffet (included) is served in the morning. Happy hour at the bar is from 4-6 pm. Plus a sauna--with floor-to-ceiling windows facing the sea--was recently added (extra fee). Whether it's your first night outside of Reykjavík or you're beginning your drive back to the capital, Umi Hotel is a perfect detour along the Ring Road.

Hótel Kría is a modern hotel in Vík that sits right along the Ring Road. Drangar, its restaurant, is a stunning space with two walls of two-story windows that overlook the mountains to the north. It's an ideal spot to be if the northern lights make an early-in-the-evening appearance. Oh, it serves modern Icelandic food, as well. The smoked Arctic char appetizer is the dish of the menu. A buffet breakfast (included) is also served here in the morning. Plus a cozy cocktail bar is attached to the restaurant. It has leather seats and happy hour from 4-7 pm. The hotel's 72 rooms are divided between standard (facing the road) and mountain view. There's nothing fancy about them, but they're clean and minimal with large windows (and doors on the first floor). Besides, with so much to see and do in Vík and the surrounding area, you shouldn't be hanging out in a hotel room too much anyway. A good night's sleep is all you need!

For a long time, the further you traveled from Reykjavík, the worse your hotel options would get. Thankfully, that's not true anymore--or you would have been in trouble way out in Klaustur. Hótel Klaustur is a modern, eco-friendly hotel in Southeast Iceland. The two-story hotel has 57 rooms with mountain or river views. Its light-filled restaurant serves a breakfast buffet (included) in the morning and a seasonal, locally inspired menu at night. The bar has cozy nooks, a gas fireplace, and happy hour from 4-6 pm each night. Charging stations outside are ready for your electric rental car. Everyone who works here seems happy to help with suggestions and tips. While, best of all, the hotel is just a few miles from Fjaðrárglúfur (a massive canyon) and an easy day trip from Jökulsárlón (the famous glacial lagoon). This hotel is a great home base.