For most people, a hotel is a very small part of their travels. It’s a place to drop their bags and get a few hours of sleep. For me, the hotel can be an entire experience in itself; an item on a bucket list or a site to see. The Ion Adventure Hotel is just that. They have created an Icelandic oasis that creates an experience of its own.
The hotel is located an hour outside of Reykjavik and is only accessible my two unpaved roads. Along the journey, you’ll soon realize that you are out in the middle of nowhere. Legitimate nowhere. It’s the perfect way to take in some Icelandic scenery without a single other traveler in sight.
Nothing like a complimentary welcome cocktail!
The moment you lay eyes on the Ion Hotel, you suddenly understand the hype. Structured like an AT-AT Walker, the hotel stands out against the nature-filled backdrop. The decor plays up its surroundings with a sleek design draped in lots of furs and accented with Icelandic lava rock.
But if I’m in the middle of nowhere, what am I to do? The Ion has you covered. They offer exclusive tours from their hotel, including the famous Silfra Fissure snorkeling or exploring the countryside on horseback. The hotel has two restaurants — Silfra Restaurant and the Northern Lights Bar.
Upon arrival, we made reservations at Silfra . A little worried about the small menu, I didn’t have much of an opinion walking in for dinner. I was blown away. In fact, hands down my favorite meal in Iceland. With fresh ingredients and a nordic cuisine, the menu embodied the local flavor.
The Northern Lights bar is perfect for your morning coffee, afternoon lunch, or a few cocktails after dinner. They highlight surrounding microbreweries, as well as local liqueurs. A small and cozy space which never-ending views, we found ourselves making friends and talking with other travelers about their Icelandic adventures.
My favorite part? The geothermal swimming pool. Enjoying a few cocktails at the Northern Lights bar, we may have found ourselves swimming in the water *after hours* while it was snowing. An Icelandic dream fulfilled. The morning of our departure, I went for a quick dip again.
Although we had high hopes of watching the Northern Lights dance across the sky during our stay, the Ion Adventure Hotel managed to brighten our day and provide a great deal of relaxation.
Without a doubt, the Ion Adventure Hotel goes into my top 10 hotels. Trust me, you’ll want to add this to your Icelandic bucket list.
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