Heydalur

Set along a river six kilometres in from the fjord, Heydalur occupies a valley of birch scrub and low hills in the Westfjords. The Standard Rooms sit in the old farm building, each with a private bathroom and heated floor, entered from outside rather than through a shared hall. Superior Rooms and Superior Room Deluxe stand in a newer building and take in wider views of the valley. A Studio Apartment adds a kitchenette and a second, windowless sleeping space for one. Beyond the main building, self-catering cottages sleep four to ten, with kitchens, bathrooms, and in one case a terrace two kilometres from the restaurant. The restaurant, set in a converted barn, serves food built on local ingredients: home-grown vegetables, wild mushrooms, and char and salmon from the area. A greenhouse holds a swimming pool and hot tub among cherry, apple, and pear trees; two outdoor tubs are built from beach stone and shell sand. Guests can ride out along the river on guided horse tours, or paddle a kayak from the coast nearby, weather permitting. It is quiet country. Walking routes run along the shore and up onto the hills, and staff ask hikers heading into the mountains to leave a route plan at reception.