Where to Stay in North Iceland
North Iceland has an accommodation scene that genuinely matches its landscape — varied, surprising, and suited to almost any kind of trip. You can sleep in a small guesthouse on a quiet fjord or check into a hotel with mountain views stretching as far as you can see. The choice is yours, and it’s a good one to have.
Akureyri, the largest town in the region, is the obvious starting point for most visitors. Hotels here tend to mix comfortable, modern rooms with a local feel that bigger cities often lose. The town is commonly called the “Capital of the North,” and it earns that reputation — it’s a solid base for day trips to Eyjafjörður fjord or a drive out to see Goðafoss waterfall, which has a way of stopping people in their tracks.
If you’d rather be somewhere quieter, Húsavík is worth serious consideration. It’s Iceland’s best-known whale-watching destination, and the guesthouses and small boutique hotels here have a warmth that suits the place. You’re close to the sea, the town is walkable, and the surrounding area keeps you busy without any effort.
Out by Lake Mývatn, lodges and cottages put you right in the middle of one of the strangest and most compelling landscapes in the country. Mud pots bubble, lava fields run in every direction, and the light does things you won’t see anywhere else. Staying close to the lake rather than driving in from further away makes a real difference to what you get out of a visit here.
North Iceland rewards the traveller who takes the time to pick the right base. Whether that’s a room in Akureyri with easy access to the region’s main roads or a cottage near Lake Mývatn that puts geothermal pools within walking distance, the accommodation shapes the whole experience. Get that part right and the rest tends to take care of itself.
