Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
you don't intend to camp, it's worth bringing a
sleeping bag to Iceland.
It's worth picking up the Áning ( W heimur.is/world)
and Icelandic Farm Holiday ( W farmholidays.is)
booklets from tourist information outlets, which
between them cover the majority of accommodation
and campsite options across the country.
room in the farmhouse to hostel-style dormitories
or fully furnished, self-contained cabins. Many also
encourage guests to take part in the daily routine,
or offer horseriding, fishing, guided tours or even
four-wheel-drive safaris.
For the most part, farm prices are the same as for
guesthouses; cabins sleeping four or more can
work out a good deal for a group at around
20,000kr. Come prepared to cook for yourself,
though meals are usually available if booked
in advance.
ACCOMMODATION ORGANIZATIONS
Contact details for specific places to stay are given throughout the
guide, many of which are run by the following organizations:
Edda W hoteledda.is. Schools converted into hotel accommodation
during the summer holidays (see opposite).
Fosshótel W fosshotel.is. Ten hotels located at strategic points around
the country, including Reykjavík and Akureyri.
Hostelling International Iceland W hostel.is. HI youth hostels in
strategic locations around the country (see opposite).
Icelandair W icelandairhotels.com. Seven upmarket hotels, mostly in
southern Iceland.
Icelandic Farm Holidays W farmholidays.is. Agent for several
hundred farms offering accommodation around Iceland; the
English-language brochure doesn't include individual farms' contact
details, so try to pick up the Icelandic version as well.
Kea Hotels W keahotels.is. Five top-notch hotels in Akureyri, Mývatn
and Reykjavík.
Summer hotels and Edda
In Iceland, many country schools open up during
the summer holidays as summer hotels , fifteen of
which come under the Edda banner ( W hoteledda
.is). They're aimed at the mid-range end of things,
though a few also provide sleeping-bag accom-
modation with shared facilities. Most have a
thermally heated pool in the grounds and there's
always a restaurant.
Prices at summer hotels start at 18,000kr for a
double and, if available, 8000kr for a made-up bed
and 5000kr for sleeping bags.
Hotels and guesthouses
Hostels
Icelandic hotels are typically elderly and gloomy or
bland, modern, business-oriented blocks, though
rooms are comfortable and well furnished as a rule.
Bigger establishments might have their own pool,
gym or sauna, and there will always be a restaurant,
with breakfast included in the cost of a room.
Room rates average 30,000kr for an en-suite
double, or around 20,000kr for a single.
Guesthouses ( gistiheimilið ) tend to have more
character than hotels, and they're often family-
run. Rooms range from the barely furnished to the
very comfortable, though facilities are usually
shared, and you'll often find some budget accom-
modation available too. A breakfast of cereal,
toast, cheese and coffee is included, or offered for
an extra 1500kr; some places can provide all
meals with advance notice. Doubles cost about
18,000kr; made-up beds are around 8000kr per
person and sleeping-bag accommodation will be
about 5600kr.
Hostelling International Iceland ( W hostel.is)
runs 36 hostels, ranging from big affairs in
Reykjavík to old farmhouses sleeping four out in
the country. All are owner-operated, have self-
catering kitchens and either offer bookings for
local tours or organize them themselves. Some
provide meals with advance notice and have
laundry facilities. Many open all year too, though
you'd be hard-pushed to reach remoter ones
until winter is well and truly over - turn up out
of season, however, and you'll often receive a
warm welcome.
Dormitory sleeping-bag accommodation is
the norm (at around 3600kr), though doubles are
sometimes offered (around 8000kr).
Youth hostel associations
Holders of a Hostelling International card get a 25
percent discount - you can buy cards at Icelandic
hostels or from hostelling associations in your
own country.
Farms
You'll find plenty of farms in Iceland (some with
histories going back to saga times) which offer
accommodation of some kind, ranging from a
US AND CANADA
Hostelling International-American Youth Hostels
W hiusa.org.
Hostelling International Canada W hihostels.ca.
 
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