Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon is the most comfortable base in the Öræfi area of Southeast Iceland, set on the Ring Road between Skaftafell National Park and the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. For a honeymoon on the south coast, it solves the region's biggest problem: good hotels are few and far between here and this one puts you within easy reach of the icebergs, Diamond Beach and the glacier hikes of Skaftafell.
The hotel has 125 rooms with high ceilings and mountain or ocean views. It sits directly beneath Hvannadalshnúkur, Iceland's highest peak at 2,110 meters, with an outlet glacier spilling down behind. Outside are hot tubs and a sauna, free for guests, which make a fine end to a cold day and a natural place to watch for the aurora in winter.
It is a large, modern hotel rather than an intimate boutique and it fills with tour groups and road trippers in peak season. Even so, the setting is dramatic, the restaurant is well regarded and the location is hard to beat. Two nights here let you see the lagoon at quiet hours and walk to Svartifoss without rushing. It suits couples who want comfort and convenience in one of Iceland's most spectacular landscapes.
Highlights at a glance
- Between Skaftafell and Jökulsárlón
- Beneath Iceland's highest peak
- Free hot tubs and sauna
- Restaurant known for langoustine
- 125 modern rooms with mountain or ocean views
Why Couples Love It
Location is everything in Southeast Iceland and this hotel's is excellent. Skaftafell is a short drive west, with trails to the basalt-framed waterfall Svartifoss and guided walks on the glacier tongue of Falljökull. Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach are a short drive east. Staying here means you can visit both early in the morning or late in the evening, when day-trippers have gone.
The setting is dramatic. On a clear day you can see glaciers spilling off the Öræfajökull ice cap behind the hotel and the lowland stretches flat to the ocean in front. In winter, the dark sky away from towns makes for good aurora watching.
After a long day outside, the hot tubs and sauna help. So does a good dinner without having to drive.
Rooms to Book
The 125 rooms are modern and comfortable, with high ceilings and big windows. The main choice is the view.
- Mountain-view rooms face the glaciers and Iceland's highest peak, the more dramatic outlook for most couples.
- Ocean View Double rooms look across the plain toward the sea, with long horizons and sunrise or sunset light.
- Suites offer more space and are worth considering for a longer stay or a special night.
Ask for a room on an upper floor and away from the main entrance, since the hotel is busy with groups in peak season. Mention your honeymoon when you book. In winter, ask whether an aurora wake-up call is available, a service many Icelandic hotels offer.
Food, Drink and Wellness
The restaurant seats up to 180 and serves Icelandic fusion cooking, with dishes such as langoustine soup, smoked lamb carpaccio and cured salmon. Langoustine is a specialty of Southeast Iceland, centered on the fishing town of Höfn, so order it at least once. Book a table in peak season, since there are very few other places to eat nearby.
Breakfast is served each morning, useful before an early start to the lagoon.
Outdoors, hot tubs and a sauna are free for guests, on a first-come, first-served basis, with a midday break in opening hours. There is also a gym. Visit the tubs late in the evening when most guests are at dinner, or after dark in winter for a chance of northern lights.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
- Take a boat or amphibious tour among the icebergs on Jökulsárlón. Zodiac boats get closer to the ice.
- Walk Diamond Beach, where chunks of glacier ice wash up on black sand, ideally at sunrise.
- Hike to Svartifoss in Skaftafell, a moderate walk to a waterfall framed by black basalt columns.
- Join a guided glacier walk on one of the outlet glaciers, with crampons and an ice axe provided.
- In winter, book a guided blue ice cave tour, which runs roughly from November to March depending on conditions.
- Drive to Fjallsárlón, a smaller and quieter glacier lagoon, just east of the hotel.
Never walk on glaciers or into ice caves without a certified guide. Conditions change quickly and crevasses can be invisible.
Getting There
From Keflavík International (KEF), the drive along the south coast takes about five hours without stops, though most couples spread it over two or three days, stopping at Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss and Vík. An alternative is a domestic flight from Reykjavík to Hornafjörður (HFN), then a drive of about an hour and a quarter west.
A rental car is essential. In winter, choose a four-wheel drive with good tires and check road and weather conditions every morning, since storms can close the Ring Road at short notice. Fuel stations are few, so fill up when you can.
The hotel is a popular stop, so book well ahead for summer and the winter holiday weeks.
Is It Worth It?
For a honeymoon in Southeast Iceland, Fosshotel Glacier Lagoon is one of the best-located hotels available. Rooms usually start in the low to mid-hundreds of dollars a night, often with breakfast, rising in summer. These figures are approximate.
It is a large hotel with a busy restaurant and a mix of tour groups and independent travelers. Couples looking for an intimate boutique or a private hot tub should look at cabins or farm stays in the area instead.
If you want a warm, comfortable room, a good dinner and free hot tubs between Skaftafell and the glacier lagoon, it is hard to do better. Book two nights so you can see the lagoon at its quietest.
Insider tips
- Visit Jökulsárlón and Diamond Beach at sunrise.
- Use the hot tubs during dinner hours to have them nearly to yourselves.
- Book dinner early; there are few other options nearby.
- Stay two nights so you are not racing between sights.
