Now that you know what to pack for a winter trip to Iceland, it’s time to figure out where to stay. I’ll highlight four spectacular Icelandic hotels located from Reykjavik to the southern most part of Iceland.
Hotel 1
My flight arrived very early in the morning at Keflavik International airport, so I requested an early check-in at the Canopy Hilton in downtown Reykjavik. This is a trendy hotel sandwiched between cute streets with many fabulous stores. The neat part is that you can borrow a record-player and records from their LP library. There’s funky local artwork throughout the hotel and it was the perfect first place to stay in Iceland.
Hotel 2
The second day, I headed off to the area known as the Golden Circle in a souped up truck with the one and only, Ómar, a funny, storytelling guide. The main reason for visiting Iceland was because I wanted to see the Northern Lights. So, it was important to stay in a hotel that was located in the countryside with nothing to obstruct the view. I stayed at Hotel Rangá , which is a luxurious boutique hotel. The coolest part about this place was that it had an Aurora wake-up call button in each room. This was an alarm on the hotel phone to get you up in the middle of the night to witness the Northern Lights. The first evening staying at Hotel Rangá I was awoken by a beep, beep, beep and after I answered the loud ring, the front desk attendant basically screamed and said, “go outside now! It’s the Northern Lights!” I quickly jumped out of bed and put on these snowmobile coverups for warmth and opened up the door to a streaming green light show in the sky. It was the most incredible indescribable wispy light display that can only be truly understood by seeing it first hand. It was extraordinary and I was told that this showing was one of the best so far in 2019. The aurora borealis went on for almost 45 minutes changing from green bursts in the sky to a green stream of light, to glimpses of pink and orange peeking up into the vibrant sky. Hotel Rangá is the ultimate place to stay for adventures in the southern region of Iceland.
Fun fact: Regarding the Northern Lights, it would be quite common to hear an Icelander say, “it’s as beautiful as gold.”
Hotel 3
The third hotel I stayed at as I ventured along the south coast was the Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon. This hotel is perfect for all the hiking and outdoor explorations that await you. It’s also out in the countryside, which is another great viewing venue for the Northern Lights. The rooms are spacious with large windows that either face toward the mountains or the water. The hotel restaurant menu is quite tasty, too! Try the Arctic char.
Hotel 4
The last hotel I stayed at is one of the nicest hotels I’ve ever stayed at (which is hard to say!) with a spectacular spa called The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. And a retreat it was! I was welcomed with a glass of champagne upon check in and a warm and wonderful host explained all the amenities. The Retreat is fairly new and caters to those who like to splurge and be pampered. I was invited to a wine cave tasting and then took pleasure in participating in the Blue Lagoon Ritual. This is in the Retreat Lagoon where you have access day and night to facial scrubs, masks and oils. What a treat for my face and body! The best part of this hotel (I know, how can there be more?!) is the wonderful geothermal seawater right outside the door in the frosty air. Here I soaked in the tranquil warm waters of the iconic mineral geothermal spa while looking out at the stunning and beautiful views of the black basalt lava of this Icelandic terrain. After an enthusiastic and energetic week of hiking, glacier treking, snowmobiling, ice cave walking and sight seeing, this place was a complete lifesaver for relaxing and rejuvenating the mind, body and the soul. Don’t miss out on dining in The Moss Restaurant, which offers a gastronomical feast. If you’re not in the mood to be fancy, just eat up all the goodies in the room that are gratuite!
Stay tuned for sights, activities and attractions in Iceland— Part 3.
