Hótel Gullfoss

Arrival is by car, ninety minutes east from Reykjavik along the Golden Circle route, ending at a farm called Brattholt. Hótel Gullfoss is a family-run hotel here, open since 1988 and still under the same ownership. The Gullfoss waterfall lies three minutes down the road; Geysir, where Strokkur erupts every five to eight minutes, is ten minutes further. Rooms come in three grades: standard, superior and a handful of extra-large rooms with wheelchair access and larger bathrooms. Every room has a fridge and a private bathroom with a shower, and none allow smoking. Breakfast is included each morning. In the evening the restaurant serves a la carte, with a bar lounge attached for a drink before or after. Between late August and mid-April, the flat land around the hotel gives an open view for the northern lights. It is a compact, practical base. The hotel's setting on working farmland, rather than in a town, keeps the immediate surroundings quiet, even with the Golden Circle's crowds passing close by.