The Best Hotels in Akureyri

Akureyri Hotels

Akureyri is a welcoming port town set on the northern coast of Iceland. The town boasts a rich and diverse heritage, showcased in the many museums that hide among the quaint stone streets and winding white-washed walkways. Akureyri acts as a gateway to the surrounding Icelandic countryside, where many hiking and biking trails criss-cross through the flower meadows and rocky outcrops, meandering back past the wide harbour into the centre, where you can cosy-up in a traditional fire-lit tavern.

Things to see

Begin your Akureyri morning by wandering up to the Akureyrarkirkja Church that sits atop a grassy bank, overlooking the town. Completed in 1940, this church displays a unique example of mid-20th century architecture. Stone steps lead to the cliff-like facade, which is capped by 2 bauhaus-style stacked spires. Inside, multi-coloured stained glass windows create an ethereal glow as the sun beams through. After, spend an afternoon exploring the Akureyri museums. Begin at the central museum, which tells of the town’s Viking heritage. For something more playful and bizarre, visit the quirky Old Toy Museum, which showcases rooms of vintage dollhouses and toy cars. Cap off your cultural Akureyri afternoon at the Art Museum, which concentrates on vibrant, awe-inspiring visual art. Before you settle down for an evening of relaxation, there’s time for a quick amble around the peaceful paths and sweet-smelling flowers of the botanical gardens.

Hotels in Akureyri

For a relaxed and refined getaway, stay in one of the luxury Akureyri hotels that sit at the base of the Akureyrarkirkja Church. The white-walled interiors and sleek black furniture perfectly compliment the detailed service, fine-dining restaurants and sophisticated bar lounges. For a more affordable stay, central 3-star hotels provide large en-suite rooms with picture-perfect views across the surrounding Icelandic hills, and offer complimentary breakfasts of warm honeyed porridge and sweet milky coffee. If you’re looking for more traditional accommodation, stay in one of the family-run guesthouses which are speckled throughout the surrounding Akureyri countryside.

Where to stay

Stay in central Akureyri and enjoy immediate access to the town’s wealth of museums, stylish restaurants, and quaint cobbled streets lined with independent boutiques. With a small-town vibe and welcoming local population, this area is ideal for a tranquil family holiday or romantic getaway. For immediate access to the Akureyrarkirkja Church, and to benefit from unbeatable views across the bustling deep blue port, stay east of the centre. For a holiday immersed in Iceland’s unblemished natural beauty, stay north of the centre, where the port becomes a sparkling estuary, its far banks being capped with snow-crowned mountains.

How to get to Akureyri

Take a short year-round flight to Keflavik International Airport, just outside of Iceland’s capital Reykjavik. From there, catch a shuttle transfer bus to Reykjavik’s domestic airport and take a 45 minute flight to Akureyri Airport. Alternatively, you can take an affordable twice-daily coach from Reykjavik to Akureyri. Although this takes over 5 hours, watching the Icelandic landscape shift from white to green as you meander along the roads is a magical experience. Once there, the town is easily explored on foot or by bike.