Road Trip to Iceland: Choosing the Right Place to Stay
If you also decided to spend some time in this amazing country, then the first questions that you may have are how to move around the island and where to stay.
Regarding transport, car rental will be the most suitable solution, since in this case you will get the chance to reach the most secret, and therefore the most interesting and beautiful places. Geysir rental in Iceland will always provide you with an excellent selection of cars according to your needs.
However, regarding to housing, the traveler has many options, both budget and prestigious ones - it all depends on your desires and financial capabilities. Premium-class hotels or summer houses, money-saving hostels or cozy farmhouses - let's try to find the right accommodation to suit your needs!
Hotels in Iceland
In the amazing country of volcanoes you will find hotels to satisfy any taste and budget. They are presented with the most chic, as well as simple and cheap options. Sometimes, airlines or travel companies provide special offers that can only be bought outside Iceland, so even before arriving in the country it’s worth checking out such options.
VAKINN quality system will help to choose the most suitable option. This is the official criteria of quality and environmental protection in Icelandic tourism. If the place where you decided to stay is recognized by the VAKINN association, you can be sure of the highest level of services provided.
You probably know the best hotel search engine Booking.com. By visiting the website you will have the opportunity to receive a small bonus for booking hotels.
Unfortunately, there are still no some cottages and guesthouses on Booking.com, so you should use other websites for finding housing outside the cities. For example - Guide to Iceland offers an excellent choice of lodging options with the ability to choose what type of accommodation you prefer.
Description of hotels with VAKINN classification is available on the official website for travelers to Iceland.
Camping in Iceland
In total, Iceland has over 180 official campsites. In different locations, they are commonly open from early June till late August or even mid-September. However, there are campsites that open much earlier and close later. Local campsites can be categorized by the VAKINN quality system.
Many travelers spend vacations in Iceland because their aim is to enjoy the local virgin nature and breathe fresh air. Responsible campsites allow you to enjoy Iceland in its original natural beauty. Of course, every campsite is highly dependent on responsible and nature-loving visitors.
Icelandic laws determine the places to camp in Iceland for the cases when you are away from official campsites. Since the campsites are open from early June to mid-September, it’s worth checking in advance whether they will be open in the area at the time you need.
Guesthouses, Summer houses and Mountain huts
In Iceland, you can find some more unique places to stay: guesthouses, summer houses and mountain huts are among them. They are slightly different and suitable for different types of travel.
Guesthouse is a type of lodging that is also classified according to the Icelandic quality system VAKINN. More often in Iceland these houses look like small family hotels, which means you will find a homely and cozy atmosphere in them.
Mountain huts are located in many areas of Highland and provide an opportunity to stay overnight for a tired traveler. Very often, these mountain huts are presented with very simple shelters situated along the most of the hiking routes. The number of beds in such huts is usually very limited, so you need to make a booking in advance. It’s also worth remembering that sometimes sleeping bag is required to spend the night in most mountain huts.
Summer house is another excellent option for those holidaymakers who are used to calm and quiet rest, as well as want to explore a specific territory of Iceland. Summer house is the most budget solution for money-saving travelers. By the way, most summer houses are already provided with sufficient cooking facilities and free access to the local thermal springs.
Housing by locals on Airbnb
It’s always nice to stay not just in a hotel or guest house, but in an apartment or even a house. As almost everywhere in the world, in Iceland the Airbnb service makes it possible to temporarily rent a room or the whole house owned by a local.
Often, for the same price you can find much better conditions than in hotels.
Hostels
For those money-saving tourists who want to find the most budget housing, Iceland and in particular, its capital Reykjavik offers a huge selection of both family-friendly and youth hostels.
You will be offered cheap rooms along with a homely atmosphere and all the necessary facilities.
