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South Iceland · Iceland

Hotel Rangá

A riverside log lodge on the south coast, with its own observatory for aurora nights

Boutique Hotel ★★★★ Hella, South Iceland
The setting of Hotel Rangá
Location image, not the property. Jakub Hałun / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0)

Hotel Rangá is a long timber lodge on the bank of the East Rangá river, out on the flat farmland of the south coast with Hekla and the Eyjafjallajökull icecap on the horizon. It has built its reputation almost entirely on northern lights, with an on-site observatory, telescopes, and a wake-up service that rings the room when the aurora appears.

The suites are themed by continent and the standard rooms are plainer, but the draw is outdoors: three geothermal hot tubs on the riverbank, dark skies and a good kitchen working with local lamb and langoustine.

Seljalandsfoss, Skógafoss, the black sand at Reynisfjara and the Þórsmörk valley are all within reach, which makes Rangá the standard base for the south coast.

At a glance

What to expect

  • On-site observatory
  • Northern lights wake-up call
  • Riverside geothermal hot tubs
  • Nordic restaurant
  • Sauna
  • River fishing
  • Glacier and volcano tours
  • Dark sky location