Hotel Akureyri

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. And in Hotel Akureyri it’s got a boutique hotel whose style and atmosphere are anything but provincial.

The utilitarian exterior gives little hint of what you’ll find within. But once you’re inside, you’re treated to some characteristically Nordic clean lines and blonde wood, warmed by industrial touches and 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. And among the hotel’s buildings are a couple of more historical structures containing some more classic-style rooms and a handful of self-contained apartments.