Hotel Nordurljos

Iceland

Introduction

Overlooking the harbour in Raufarhofn (Iceland’s northernmost village), Hotel Nordurljos makes an ideal base for exploring the wild and forgotten peninsula of Melrakkasletta in the far northeast of the country. Originally built to house workers for the herring-fishing boom of the 1960s, the renovated hotel has just 15 double rooms, all with en suite facilities. The cosy restaurant offers delicious home cooking – including great seafood – with views across the harbour. Seabirds and seals are frequently spotted from the hotel, while arctic terns and golden plovers nest nearby.

It’s worth following one of the walking trails around the village to get a sense of this quiet but enigmatic sub-arctic outpost. Don’t miss a visit to the Arctic Henge – there’s a model of this ambitious stone circle in the hotel, but you can see the real thing on a hill just north of town. When complete, the 50m-wide structure will act as a giant sundial, finely tuned to the solstices and midnight sun.

Hotel Features