Accommodation
15 spacious and nicely decorated twin/double en-suite rooms with a TV. All rooms are on the 1st floor, with a private entrance and gorgeous views. Hairdryers, hair straighteners, bathrobes and slippers in all rooms, which are named after gods from Norse mythology and individually decorated.
Free Wifi in all rooms. Wheelchair access. Guests can also use the two hot tubs by a small stream close to the hotel, where you can relax and take in the mountain views. Check-in from 15 - 21.
Board
There’s a cosy restaurant at the hotel, where courses are prepared with locally sourced ingredients. The menu includes traditional Icelandic food, like skyr and lamb. Farmers at Hraunsnef grow their own vegetables and farm pigs, and all eggs are free-range. Liquor license. The restaurant is open every day from 12 to 9 pm.
Service and recreation
There’s a small farm shop by the restaurant, where farmers sell handicraft and produce from the region. Postcards for sale with drawings of nearby elf dwellings, that can be used for fun hikes in wonderful nature by the hotel. There are plenty of activities for children, such as a play area and friendly farm animals.
The nearest swimming pool is at Varmaland (20 km/12 mi), and a nine-hole golf course, Glanni, close to Bifröst (6 km/3.7 mi). The nearest town is Borgarnes (35 km/22 mi), where you will find shops, supermarkets, restaurants, diners, museums, a pool and various tourism services.
Craters, lava fields, a university and crystal-clear water
Hraunsnef is a good location if you intend to tour Borgarfjörður and Snæfellsnes. The crater Grábrók is only 3 km (1.8 mi) away, as well as the lava field it produced over 3,000 years ago. There’s a trail to the top of the crater, from where you can take in the panoramic view over the region. The University of Bifröst is right on the edge of the lava field, and from there you can walk to lake Hreðavatn and enjoy nature by the its banks, sheltered by bushy hills.
Waterfalls, hot springs and heritage sites
Waterfall Glanni is in river Norðurá, a famous salmon river that flows through the valley, and the hike to the waterfall is quite beautiful. Turn off the Ring Road 4 km (2.5) south of Hraunsnef and drive along a country road to reach the waterfall by car. Hraunfossar waterfalls (52 km/32 mi) are among the most beautiful in Iceland, where crystal clear spring water flows from underneath a lava field, between cliffs and strips of birch towards glacial river Hvítá. The most voluminous hot spring in Europe, Deildartunguhver, is 33 km (20.5 mi) away, and the cultural and medieval centre at Reykholt is also within easy reach.
Temptations for hikers and mountaineers
Those interested in endurance hikes shouldn’t miss the region’s most famous mountain, Baula. A cone-shaped rhyolite mountain west of Norðurárdalur valley, it’s a striking feature and quite a sight. Rising 934 metres, the easiest climb is on the southwest side. According to lore, there’s a pond at the top that holds a wishing stone. Húsafell and surrounding areas are also a good choice for hikers, and various tour operators offer caving tours to Iceland’s largest lava cave, Víðgelmir.
Hosts: Brynja and Jóhann