Hotels & accommodation

Hotel Rangá

Hotel Rangá · Family-run luxury lodge on the East Rangá River near Hella, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World

Hotel Rangá stands on the banks of the East Rangá River in open country east of Hella, in the heart of South Iceland. The low, log-built lodge looks towards the volcano Hekla and the Eyjafjallajökull and Mýrdalsjökull glaciers, far from town lights — a position chosen as much for the night sky as for the river.

Inside are 51 rooms and suites, including junior suites, deluxe rooms with river or mountain views, and a set of master suites themed on the seven continents, each fitted out with furniture and artwork sourced from the continent it represents. Almost every room carries a mural by an Icelandic artist, and the hotel runs a northern-lights wake-up service so guests can register for an aurora call rather than watching the sky all night.

The Rangá Restaurant serves a Nordic menu built on locally sourced Icelandic ingredients, with the dining room overlooking the river, and there is a bar with an extensive whisky collection. Outside are three geothermal hot tubs, and the hotel's own Rangá Observatory — Iceland's only public observatory — houses two telescopes under a roll-off roof, staffed by astronomers on clear nights.

As a scouting base the lodge sits between the Golden Circle and the South Coast's waterfalls, black-sand beaches and glacier lagoons, with Hella's services a short drive west. It works both as a splurge at the start of a research trip and as a practical base for exploring the south before deciding where to settle.

• Family-run lodge, member of Small Luxury Hotels of the World
• Suðurlandsvegur, 851 Hella — on the East Rangá River
• 51 rooms and suites, including seven continent-themed master suites
• Rangá Observatory: two telescopes under a roll-off roof
• Three outdoor geothermal hot tubs and a northern-lights wake-up service

Visit the property — Hotel Rangá hotelranga.is

This featured showcase is an editorial selection by our editors. We have not stayed at this property and it is not a paid placement; no rating is implied. Paid placements never influence the Iceland liveability score, safety rating or warnings.