Icelandair Hotel Akureyri

The days of the airline hotel are mostly past — Arne Jacobsen’s SAS Royal Copenhagen, probably the most famous example, was originally owned by Denmark’s national carrier. Icelandair, however, still has a vested interest in keeping tourist traffic flowing, and ensuring passengers do more than just connect at Keflavík. And it works both ways — without Icelandair’s help, most of us would find Akureyri, a smallish town on the island’s north coast, a pretty unlikely place to stumble across.

It’d be our loss if we missed it. If a few days in and around Reykjavík aren’t enough to satisfy your Icelandic urges, the next logical step is the around-the-island road trip — in which case the so-called Capital of the North plays a central role. It’s also a fine spot from which to view the Northern Lights, if you’re here in winter.

As for the hotel itself, it’s clear from the exterior that it dates from a relatively undistinguished architectural period. But once you’re inside, you’ll find it in fine form indeed, all clean lines and blonde wood, with plenty of attention paid to contemporary design and to artworks that are a cut above the usual hotel fare. The rooms are attractive and thoughtfully laid out, in a number of configurations, from simple double rooms to family rooms with bunk beds and even suites, complete with full living rooms. As a home base for your northern Icelandic adventures, it’s far more than satisfactory.