Iceland Northern Lights Hotel: 10 cozy hideaways to watch the skies from

Looking for an Iceland Northern Lights hotel on your winter adventure? Choosing your activities while you’re here is one thing, but what about where you’re staying?

From the northernmost reaches of the island to transparent dome accommodations, there’s a whole spectrum of choice for those that have auroras on the brain.

We’ve done some of the legwork for you, and collected 10 of our favorites, in no particular order, other than clockwise around the country. Let us know which ones you’ve tried!

Nothing maximizes your chances of catching a rogue aurora quite like staying in a northern lights igloo.

These “Bubbles” are completely transparent dome structures, outfitted with heating and luxurious downy beds.

Sequestered in two forests, one in the South Coast and one in the Golden Circle– one can be collected in Reykjavik and treated to a private tour before being chauffeured to your private forest grove.

You can’t get much closer to nature, and you certainly won’t be warmer than this on an aurora hunt.

Located close to the Blue Lagoon and the airport, this is a great spot for those on a short stopover, or with an early flight the next day.

Tucked away in the lava fields of the Reykjanes peninsula, this cozy getaway has a great restaurant (named after the owner’s golden retriever, Max), and an observation deck for aurora viewing.

And like many of these hotels, there’s a northern lights wake up service!

Heading down the southern coast, is Hotel Rangá. A favorite for skygazers due to its on site observatory and telescope room, you will certainly find yourself thoroughly entertained while staying here.

Whether you’re watching from your themed bedroom, or a geothermal hot pot, the log cabin walls of Rangá are a special treat to experience.

If you’ve made it to the western wilds of Iceland, you’ll appreciate a stay at the boutique Hótel Búðir.

With views of the famous black church (of the same name), this is a gorgeous destination.

You may have a hard time only focusing on the lights here- in between the carefully decorated hotel, the towering glacier, and the vast countryside at your doorstep.

Many brave the ring road, but few make it to Iceland’s hidden gem, the Westfjords.

The Holt Inn is both family-run and built in an old school house. A visit here is an experience not to be missed.

Nearby to some of Iceland’s only colored beaches, from here you can set out to see white and even red sand.

The light pollution in this area is nearly unmatchable, as the Westfjords are not heavily populated.

Tucked away in the dramatic mountains of north Iceland, Deplar Farm is a destination for those who crave adventure and solitude.

This converted sheep farm is outfitted with helipads, geothermal pools and an outfitted band loft for live music.

If you can pull yourself away from the activities and the spa, you might find that you’re in a great spot to aurora watch.

Just 3.5 km outside of the “capital of the North”, Hótel Kjarnalundur is an oasis in a sea of trees.

For those that seek some proximity to bustling town life while still enjoying the peace of the northern countryside, this is a great spot to watch from.

And it doesn’t hurt that they’re surrounded by lush forest hiking trails! This area promises a myriad of places to set up your camera and wait undisturbed.

Nearby to the northernmost point in Iceland is the Hótel Norðurljós. This spot is a bit out of the way for the typical traveler, but it is worth the trek.

This hotel is located in the same area as the Arctic Henge, a colossal stone monument reminiscent of Stonehenge.

A trip out this way is worth it just to see the Henge, but this area is also known for Arctic deep-sea fishing, bird watching, and even Arctic Foxes.

A great stop in the summer as well (as the Henge is a giant sundial of sorts), a northern lights photo in front of this landmark is not to be passed up.

With mountain views and a grill for each cabin, you can’t argue with a stop at the Aurora Cabins in Höfn.

One of the largest towns in the southeast, Höfn is well known for its lobster dishes and dramatic mountains.

There are some great photos to be had out this way, and some great restaurants as well. On a ring road trip, it can be a nice change to have a whole cabin to yourself.

(Especially when there’s a BBQ on the front porch!)

Just down the road from some of Iceland’s most famous glacier lagoons and the Diamond Beach, is this luxe hideaway.

Fosshótel is a known institution throughout the country and has now put up a location along one of the quietest stretches of the route 1.

This is a peaceful area alongside the towering glacier and the black sand deserts. And as you will be out here nearly all alone, you can bet that the skies will be plenty dark when the aurora shows up.