Hotel Rangá
“I’m back! To me, hotel Rangá in Iceland is a special place. It’s more than just a hotel. It’s the place where I spotted the magical Northern Lights for the very first time: check the last picture! When I traveled back (fourth time, it’s an addiction!) to Iceland, I just had to go back and stay here again. No Northern Lights this time as it was summer, but the stay was as memorable as back then. The food was delicious, the room as comfortable and the hot tub as warm as I could remember and the surroundings: unbeatable! A fav in Iceland.”
Hotel Rangá is a countryside hotel perfectly located to explore all the wonders of South Iceland. As I make my way to the hotel again, I drive through fields filled with wild flowers. Last time, I was surrounded by snow-covered glaciers in winter! Oh, brings back memories. Our stay was as enjoyable as the first time. We are traveling with our five months old baby this time so even for families it is the perfect place! Hotel Rangá is the ideal destination to stay and drive around on daytrips to enjoy Iceland’s wild and powerful beauty. It’s like an oasis in the midst of the wild and beautiful Icelandic landscape. There are so many highlights nearby, it’s easy to access popular destinations like the Golden Circle, the waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss and Vík´s famous black sand beaches. Don’t forget to drive inlands, the highlands are beautiful and you can even visit my favorite and quite undiscovered waterfall in Iceland; Haífoss.
For over twenty years, Hotel Rangá has been at the forefront of the hotel industry in Iceland. Their focus has always been on classic Icelandic hospitality, gourmet dining and personal service. They offer everything from cozy Standard rooms to large and spacious Master Suites. All rooms are decorated with unique art and comfortable furnishings. We had such a lovely stay once again!
Iceland is a country filled with natural beauty and traveling to a new country is always better when you have recommendations and insight from locals. The hotel is there to guide and support you to experience the very best of their beautiful country and make memories that will last a lifetime. How do you think I knew about Haífoss? With knowledge of all the hidden gems in South Iceland, their staff is delighted to help you plan fantastic adventures. After a day of wonders I truly enjoyed gourmet dining in their Rangá Restaurant and end my day by soaking in the outdoor hot tub with gorgeous views of the Rangá River!
About that food: Hotel Rangá prides itself on serving some of the best food in South Iceland – each day I enjoyed a menu grounded in Nordic cuisine that celebrates predominantly local ingredients of the highest quality and freshness. The Rangá Bar is cozy too (especially when they light up the fireplace upstairs!) and well-stocked, with one of the most extensive whisky collections in Iceland and you all know I love a good whisky!
The hotel has always been committed to green hotel policies to help protect and sustain the environment: a big plus for me. They operate with renewable energy and use as much locally grown produce and locally-sourced meat, fish, and dairy products as possible. They give back to their community and donate all tips to their local Search and Rescue teams. And, if it wasn’t clear enough yet, Hotel Rangá is more than just a hotel – it is a space to share Iceland’s history and culture with you too. The whole hotel is packed with Icelandic art and pieces made by local artists.
And… don’t forget about their observatory! The Northern Lights are a beautiful sight to see, but one cannot forget about the twinkling stars and far-off planets that glow softly in the Icelandic night. To assist guests in getting a better view of our fascinating solar system, the hotel worked together with the expert astronomer Sævar Helgi Bragason to build an on-site observatory in 2014. The observatory houses two high-quality telescopes and features a roll-off roof that provides access to the night sky. This is the only public observatory in Iceland offering guided tours of the night sky by experts!
Fun fact: in 2005, Hotel Rangá was one of the first Icelandic hotels to start offering a Northern Lights wake-up call! They added this service to make sure that our guests would never miss a chance to view the Northern Lights. If the aurora should appear – even in the middle of the night – they will call your room so you can go outside and catch the magic in action! Luckily I was sitting in the hot tub when it appeared: such a magical moment.
Fun fact: in 2005, Hotel Rangá was one of the first Icelandic hotels to start offering a Northern Lights wake-up call! They added this service to make sure that our guests would never miss a chance to view the Northern Lights. If the aurora should appear – even in the middle of the night – they will call your room so you can go outside and catch the magic in action! Luckily I was sitting in the hot tub when it appeared: such a magical moment.
Go go go – you have to stay here once in your lifetime. If you go during winter time, I will hold my fingers crossed for the Northern Lights to show up too!
Pssst: did you spot Hrammur the polar bear in the pictures? I do miss him!
