Hotel Akureyri, Akureyri

• The cozy, lobby bar is an inviting place to hang out with its deep leather couches, books, pool table, and assortment of games (especially clutch in bad weather).
• You're a quick 2-5 minute walk to downtown Akureyri, with shops, cafés, and the harbor all within easy reach.
• Great in-house food options, from a generous breakfast spread (fresh waffles included) to a memorable dinner tasting menu at NORTH.
• There's free parking in the lot out front.
• Spread across multiple buildings, rooms feel boutique, with plenty of personality and retro design touches that feel thoughtful and a bit different.
• Hotel Akureyri makes for a solid base for North Iceland adventures; it's an easy jumping-off point for whale watching in Eyjafjörður and exploring the region.

• Entry-level rooms are tiny—not suitable for people with a lot of luggage—and so are the bathrooms. They're functional, but definitely require one-person-at-a-time situations.
• Breakfast is in a separate building, only about a minute's walk away, but worth noting (especially in winter weather).
• Fjord views aren't guaranteed to last; construction across the street may affect some views.
• Fine dining at NORTH is available only on certain days and offers a set evening menu.

Authenticity

Hotel Akureyri is playful, spreading its rooms across four distinctive buildings in central Akureyri. The main building's warm lounge and bar—filled with leather sofas, books, games, and a pool table—feels more like a stylish Nordic living room. Rooms in the older building add personality with retro-inspired decor and charming touches, such as vintage-style speakers. Dining also anchors the stay, with the hotel's acclaimed NORTH restaurant focused on ingredients and culinary traditions from northern Iceland.

Location

The hotel, on Akureyri's main street, Hafnarstraeti, is well situated between the town center and its historic quarter, making it easy to explore on foot. Shops, cafés, the harbor, and central streets are a 2-5 minute walk away, especially helpful in winter when the weather can shift quickly. Travelers with a rental car will appreciate the free on-site parking, a valuable perk in a walkable downtown location. Meanwhile, the hotel's apartment-style rooms are in a building that's a 10-minute walk away, a stone's throw from the town center. Lake Mývatn is less than an hour's drive, and the Akureyri airport is just 6 minutes away.

Rooms & Bathrooms

Rooms in the main building run small compared to similar hotels, but every detail is well thought out to maximize space. Marble bathrooms in entry-level categories are also petite (best suited to one person at a time). Guests wanting more breathing room should consider Superior rooms or suites, which offer noticeably more space, or upgraded categories like the Glass Roof Suite and the Penthouse, which also offer beautiful Eyjafjörður views. A short walk away is another building that houses fully furnished 1- and 2-bedroom apartments, accommodating 3-4 guests, respectively. No matter the option, beds and pillows are praised for their comfort, and you'll find marble bathrooms, pops of saturated color in velvet, wood mixed with warm leather, modern art, and retro pieces like vintage-inspired speakers.

Amenities

The standout social hub here is the lobby bar, where you can settle in with a drink, read, play games (there's a pool table), or wait out rough Icelandic weather in stylish comfort. Happy Hour runs daily from late afternoon into the evening, serving Icelandic craft beers, cocktails, and wine. Breakfast is served buffet-style in a separate building and includes hot dishes, fresh waffles, pastries, skyr, cereals, fruit, and strong coffee. For a special meal, NORTH restaurant delivers a refined tasting-menu experience led by celebrated chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason (who brought Iceland's first Michelin star to the island with sister restaurant, Dill).

Family-Friendliness

Rooms in the main building are compact and don't offer much space to move about comfortably. Suites have a touch more space, but are suited to two guests, yet Hotel Akureyri's fully furnished 2-bedroom apartment (in a concrete 1930s building), an 11-minute walk away, can accommodate up to four guests. Cots are available upon request for the youngest family members, and the lounge area is a plus for families, with casual seating, games, and space to unwind together.