Hotel Húsafell

Hotel Husafell is a modern hotel whose aim is to intergrate a comfortable stay into the mountainous landscape of which it is a part. About a two-hour drive from Reykjavík, Hotel Husafell is northwest of the capital city and inland from the more frequently traveled tourist destinations near the coastal areas. This gives the hotel an isolated charm, set in its own rich corner of West Iceland.

For its modern appearances, the Hotel Husafell doesn't immediately seem as if it would be immersed so tightly into the surrounding area. However, the hotel is sustainably operated, generating all of its own energy from hydro- and geothermal sources on the expansive property. Visitors can soak in the five geothermal spring pools, which range from warm to hot and are kept at their temperatures year-round, even during the winter. Several hiking and biking trails begin right at the hotel's back doorstep, including the Söguhringur Trail and Water Trail. Both are easy routes that take hikers to nearby features such as historical sites and waterfalls. More difficult trails traverse the area as well. Free trail maps are available at the hotel reception desk.

The hotel's location, distant from any sizeable cities or towns, provides for clear skies. During the winter months, the nearby Langjökull glacier improves atmosheric clarity, combining for some of the best viewing conditions for the Northern Lights. The hotel notes that Forbes Magazine has named it among one of the best locations in the world to see the Northern Lights, and National Geographic has ranked it among its list of Unique Lodges of the World. The hotel offers guests the choice to opt in for a nightly wake-up call if the aurora becomes visible. The hotel offers guests the chance to sign up for local tour packages, which include ice and lava cave tours, snowmobile tours, or playing a round on the nine-hole golf course adjacent to the geothermal pools.

The hotel offers a range of rooms, from standard and deluxe rooms to suites to standalone cabins and villas. The hotel features a fine-dining restaurant, along with a bistro and market, as well as a bar and lounge. Rooms feature amenities such as heated floors, modern bathrooms and furnishings, and unique original art from area artist, Páll Guðmundsson, who creates his own paints from local volcanic rock and ash.

Hotel Husafell mixes its proximity to a variety of waterfall, historical, geothermal, and volcanic features with a modern facility that was opened in 2015. Aiming to create a luxurious experience, this hotel should be noted by those looking to break away from the more heavily-trod tourist route and who may be seeking a rural escape. Additional information can be found at hotelhusafell.com