11 MAGICAL ICELAND NORTHERN LIGHTS HOTELS TO STAY THIS WINTER! (UPDATED 2026/27)
SO, YOU’RE SEARCHING FOR THE BEST ICELAND NORTHERN LIGHTS HOTELS TO SEE THE AURORA? 🛏🌌
OUR QUICK TOP PICKS
| Category | Top Pick(s) |
|---|---|
| 💎 Luxury glass-roofed lodge | Tiny Glass Lodge ↓ near Reykholt, Golden Circle. |
| 🍙 For an iconic “igloo dome” stay | Aurora Igloo South ↓ in Hella, South Iceland. |
| 🌌 The best Aurora-friendly extras | Hotel Rangá ↓ near Hella, South Iceland. |
11 BEST ICELAND NORTHERN LIGHTS HOTELS
(IN DETAIL)
FIRST, THE HOTELS WITH GLASS ROOFS:
1. TINY GLASS LODGE
⭐ Rating:
9.5 / 10 Exceptional
📍 Location:
Between Selfoss and Reykholt, near Golden Circle. 1 hour 40 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in Tiny Glass Lodge?
Here’s more info –
A series of 4 luxury glass lodges set in the open countryside just off the Golden Circle route. We have recently stayed here for 1 night with our young son, and honestly, it was the highlight of our entire trip!!
Check availability for Tiny Glass Lodge ↗
Inside your lodge: Private hot tub, bathroom (WC, shower, washer/dryer), compact kitchenette, and a bedroom under a fully transparent glass ceiling.
On-site perks: Each lodge has its own gravel driveway for parking, plus free use of a shared barrel sauna and ice bath (with a set schedule to avoid overlap).
Getting there: Tiny Glass Lodge is a 1hr 40min drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport connection.
Psst! 👋🏼 Want more insight?
We’ve recently stayed at Tiny Glass Lodge, read our full review here ↗
2. AURORA IGLOO SOUTH
⭐ Rating:
8.7 / 10 Fabulous
📍 Location:
Hella, South Iceland. 2 hour drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in Aurora Igloo South?
Here’s more info –
A collection of 28 transparent dome igloos set on the edge of Hella, South Iceland. Choose between premium standard igloos (shared bathroom) or the NEWER private bathroom igloos for added convenience and comfort.
Check availability for Aurora Igloo South ↗
Inside your igloo: Double bed under a fully transparent dome, seating area with foot heaters. In the private bathroom domes – Refreshment station (mini fridge, Nespresso machine), WC, sink and rainfall shower.
On-site perks: Free parking, large wooden privacy screens between igloos, and thoughtful design with wrap-around curtains for extra privacy.
Getting to Aurora Igloo Hella: 2 hour drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, no public transport routes direct to the igloos.
Psst! 👋🏼 Want more insight?
We’ve recently stayed at Aurora Igloo in Hella, read our full review here ↗
3. BUUBBLE HOTEL ÖLVISHOLT
⭐ Rating:
8.8 / 10 Fabulous
📍 Location:
Selfoss, South West Iceland. 1 hour 45 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in Buubble Hotel Ölvisholt?
Here’s more info –
Nicknamed The 5 Million Star Hotel, Buubble Hotel Ölvisholt offers transparent domes set deep within private woodland, giving uninterrupted 360° views of the night sky.
At this Ölvisholt site (near Selfoss), you’ll find peaceful forest surroundings and easy access to the South Coast.
Check availability for Buubble Hotel Ölvisholt ↗
Inside your bubble: Cosy double bed, heating, electric blanket and tea-making facilities. Nearby shared facilities include toilets, hot showers, towels and toiletries.
On-site perks: Complimentary hot drinks, electric blankets, and thoughtful small touches to keep you warm.
Getting there: Buubble Ölvisholt is a 1 hour 45 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport.
4. BUUBBLE HOTEL HROSSHAGI
⭐ Rating:
8.4 / 10 Very Good
📍 Location:
Reykholt, South West Iceland. 1 hour 45 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in Buubble Hotel Hrosshagi?
Here’s more info –
Nicknamed The 5 Million Star Hotel, Buubble Hotel Hrosshagi offers transparent domes set deep within private woodland, giving uninterrupted 360° views of the night sky.
At this Hrosshagi site, you’re incredibly close to Thingvellir (Þingvellir) National Park, right off the Golden Circle route.
Check availability for Buubble Hotel Hrosshagi ↗
Inside your bubble: Cosy double bed, heating, electric blanket and tea-making facilities. Nearby shared facilities include toilets, hot showers, towels and toiletries.
On-site perks: Complimentary hot drinks, electric blankets, and thoughtful small touches to keep you warm.
Getting there: Buubble Hotel Hrosshagi is a 1 hour 45 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport.
5. GOLDEN CIRCLE DOMES (LAKE VIEW)
⭐ Rating:
8.6 / 10 Fabulous
📍 Location:
Selfoss, South Iceland. 1 hour 30 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in Golden Circle Domes (Lake View)?
Here’s more info –
A small collection of luxury domes with panoramic lake and mountain views, located just off the Golden Circle route.
Check availability for Golden Circle Domes (Lake View) ↗
Inside your dome: 1x floor level double bed and 1x “loft” double bed beneath a clear geodesic roof, private bathroom with shower, kitchenette with fridge and coffee machine and a cosy sitting area with fireplace. Up to x4 people.
On-site perks: Guests can unwind in the shared outdoor sauna and hot tub, both positioned for lake views. Every dome has private parking directly beside it for easy access.
Getting there: Golden Circle Domes (Lake View) are a 1 hour 30 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport.
6. CAMP BOUTIQUE – BLACK BEACH AURORA DOME
⭐ Rating:
9.5 / 10 Exceptional
📍 Location:
Gaulverjabær, South West Iceland. 1 hour 35 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in Camp Boutique’s Black Beach Aurora Dome?
Here’s more info –
Camp Boutique is a very unique “tent hotel”, set on a private black sand beachfront. Alongside bell tents, they have 10 premium sea-view “Black Sand Aurora Domes”.
Check availability for Camp Boutique’s Black Beach Aurora Dome ↗
Inside your dome: Spacious 205 ft², comfortable double bed, seating / dining area, outdoor furniture, BBQ, air conditioning, and electrical bed sockets.
On-site facilities: Modern facilities in service building, free private parking, 24-hour front desk, concierge service.
Getting there: Camp Boutique is a 1 hour 35 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport.
Book your stay at Camp Boutique’s Black Beach Aurora Dome ↗
7. PANORAMA GLASS LODGE® SOUTH
⭐ Rating:
10 / 10 Exceptional
📍 Location:
22 minutes inland from Hella, South Iceland. 2 hour 20 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🛀🏻 Private hot tub included:
Interested in Panorama Glass Lodge® (South)?
Here’s more info –
While this property is shown as “new” on Booking.com, it certainly isn’t! In fact, Panorama Glass Lodge® is a worldwide trademarked design, with its first two luxury lodges originating in Iceland back in 2017.
The 4 premium lodges at this South Iceland site (a 22 minute / 26km drive away from the closest town of Hella) this time are set inland – surrounded by raw, rugged Icelandic green countryside and distant mountains.
Still donning all the luxurious comforts you could need for a premium stay, the lodges are set under the darkest skies with minimal light pollution – ideal for northern lights spotting.
Check availability for Panorama Glass Lodge® South ↗
Inside your lodge: A premium, generously sized lodge set in Iceland’s open countryside, surrounded by highland and river views, with your own private outdoor hot tub and hammock net on the balcony.
Inside, there’s a sleek private bathroom (WC and shower), a well-equipped kitchenette (hob, fridge with small freezer, microwave, kettle and coffee machine), and a show-stopping bedroom beneath a fully transparent glass roof, framed by full-height windows for epic uninterrupted landscape views.
Around the lodge: Again, there’s just 4 lodges on-site here to maximise privacy and exclusivity between lodges. Each lodge has a private outdoor “hotpot” next to it with epic views of volanco Hekla, the Icelandic highlands and river.
Getting there: This southerly location of Panorama Glass Lodge® is a 2 hour 20 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport connection or airport shuttle option.
There’s not much around and no catering options are available here, so make sure you stock up on all the food / drink that you’ll see for your stay.
The closest town is Hella, directly on South Coast Highway 1, although it doesn’t have the best supermarket option, it’s more of a convenience store.
We highly suggest stopping at the Krónan supermarket in Selfoss (town before Hella). It’s larger, with more choice!
NEXT, HOTELS WITH AURORA-FRIENDLY EXTRAS:
8. HOTEL RANGÁ
⭐ Rating:
9 / 10 Superb
📍 Location:
Hella, South Iceland. 2 hour 5 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
9. ION ADVENTURE HOTEL
⭐ Rating:
8.7 / 10 Fabulous
📍 Location:
Golden Circle area, very close to Þingvellir. 1 hour 15 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
10. ÖÖD HEKLA HORIZON – MIRROR HOUSES
⭐ Rating:
9.6 / 10 Exceptional
📍 Location:
Hella, South Iceland. 2 hour 25 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
Interested in ÖÖD Hekla Horizon’s Mirror Houses?
Here’s more info –
These luxury mirrored apartments at ÖÖD Hekla Horizon come in standard, extended and family sizes. Panoramic countryside views through floor-to-ceiling windows spanning an entire side.
Check availability for ÖÖD Hekla Horizon ↗
Inside your mirror house: Double bed, fully equipped kitchenette, private bathroom with shower and spacious seating / dining area. Private patio area too!
Aurora-friendly extras: An exclusive “Northern Lights Lounge” for guests to relax and wait for them to appear.
Extra perks & quirks: Or, take in the show from the shared outdoor sauna and hot tub.
Getting there: ÖÖD Hekla Horizon are a 2 hour 10 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF), see route. Driving is essential, there’s no public transport.
The road from Hella to ÖÖD Hekla Horizon is gravelled, so a 4×4 is recommended, Winter tyres in colder months.
It’s a 20 minute drive from Hella, the closest town. There’s no food offer on-site, guests are recommended to get food and drink supplies before arriving. Hella doesn’t have the best supermarket option though, it’s more of a convenience store.
We highly suggest stopping at the Krónan supermarket in Selfoss (town before Hella). It’s larger, with more choice!
Book your stay at ÖÖD Hekla Horizon ↗
11. HOTEL HÚSAFELL
⭐ Rating:
9 / 10 Superb
📍 Location:
Húsafell, West Iceland. 2 hour 25 minute drive from Keflavik Airport (KEF). See distance on Maps.
🆓🏡 Free cancellation available:
CONCLUSION: ICELAND NORTHERN LIGHTS HOTELS
As mentioned before, any hotel in Iceland (outside Reykjavik’s blinding lights of course) could call themselves a “Northern Lights hotel”, but some are equipped better than others to give you the very best chance of seeing the Aurora.
To maximise your odds, you’re looking for two things:
✨ A remote location away from light pollution
✨Aurora-friendly features like glass roofs, panoramic windows or Northern Lights wake-up calls
After comparing them all, here are the standouts depending on what you’re actually looking for:
💎 Best for a luxury Northern Lights stay
If you’re after serious WOW factor, book Tiny Glass Lodge. Having recently stayed here ourselves, we can confidently say the panoramic countryside views, private hot tub and beautifully designed glass-fronted cabins make it one of Iceland’s most memorable stays! We honestly don’t stop talking about it, still.
🍙 Best for an iconic igloo experience
Aurora Igloo South is about as close as you’ll get to a traditional Arctic igloo in Iceland, and we loved our stay here! With its distinctive dome-shaped design and huge sky-facing windows, we can vouch it’s the perfect spot to see the Northern Lights from bed should they appear!
🌌 Best Aurora-friendly extras
Hotel Rangá takes Northern Lights hunting seriously. Alongside its remote location and dark skies, it offers Aurora wake-up calls, an on-site observatory and even free snowsuits and outdoor viewing beds to help you make the most of every sighting opportunity.
No matter which hotel you choose, we hope this guide helps make that dream of seeing the Northern Lights in Iceland come true.
If you end up staying at one of these hotels, we’d love to hear all about your experience. Feel free to get in touch at hello@theflainstravel.com 🤩
This blog post was written by Jordie Flain!
Founder of TheFlainsTravel.com
A travel-obsessed Sagittarius creating honest, easy-to-follow guides. Powered by tea, chocolate and a slightly concerning amount of tomato ketchup.
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