Accommodation
43 double/twin rooms, 1 single room,2 rooms sleeping three and 4 superior rooms, all bright and well equipped with private bathrooms, free Wi-Fi, coffee and tea. The rooms are on the first and second floor and offer mountain or lake views. Most of the rooms are in the old style with antique furniture reflecting old times. Laundry facilities. There has been a guesthouse at farm Egilsstaðir since 1884 but the foundations of the current hotel building were built in two stages in the first decades of the 20th century, 1904 and 1914.
Board
Eldhúsið Restaurant on-site offers Icelandic as well as international cuisine. The service is personal, cooking ingredients are fresh, local and always of the very best quality for each season. On warm summer days, guests can dine on the outdoor veranda and enjoy the lake view. The restaurant seats up to 120 guests. An attractive golden-age meeting lounge in the basement provides seating for another thirty. There is also a cosy bar and lounge area with a fireplace.
Service and recreation
An intriguing spa, Baðhúsið – Spa, is situated on the hotels ground floor. It has a hot tub, sauna, cold pool and a inside and out doors resting areas. The view across Lagarfljót from the location of the spa is unique. The main emphasis is on quiet, relaxing and refreshing surroundings. Access to the spa needs to be booked in advance.
Cross-country ski rental onsite during winter, when weather permits.
The guesthouse is only about a 5-minute-walk from town Egilsstaðir, which has shops, restaurants, a good swimming pool and various general services. The East Iceland Tourist Information Centre offers a good hiking map of East Iceland. A horse rental at Skipalækur (3.5 km / 2.1 mi) and Útnyrðingsstaðir (7 km / 4.2 mi). A nine-hole golf course, par 35, at Ekkjufell (4.5 km / 2.8 mi). Scheduled domestic flight services (flight time: 1 hour) between Reykjavík and Egilsstaðir. Seyðisfjörður, where ferry Norræna stops, is 28 km / 17.3 mi away.
Northern Lights at your doorstep!
Iceland is one of the best places in the world to see the Northen Lights. On clear, crisp winter nights in Iceland, you can experience the Aurora dancing magically across the sky. Seeing the Northern Lights would be the cherry on top on top of your winter trip in Iceland. You can maximise your chances of seeing the Northern Lights by staying at a Northern Lights friendly accommodation. Being Northern Lights friendly means they offer some extra services in regards to the Northern Lights. We offer a special Northern Lights package with pick up in Reykjavík. All transport, accommodation, meals and activities included.
The beautiful and flourishing Fljótsdalshérað
Gistihúsið - Lake Hotel Egilsstaðir serves as an ideal base for exploring Fljótsdalshérað region, which is expansive, boasts diverse landscapes and has much to offer tourists. Multitude of options for walkers, hikers and nature enthusiasts, in particular Hallormsstaðaskógur forest, Hengifoss waterfall (second highest in Iceland) and the natural phenomenon Stórurð (The Great Boulders) that lie under Dyrfjöll mountains. Following a visit to Hallormsstaðaskógur, it is interesting to visit the Centre of Culture and History at Skriðuklaustur as well as Snæfellsstofa, the information centre for the east territory of Vatnajökull National Park.
Borgarfjörður eystri
It is ideal to take day trips to the fjords south of Fljótsdalshérað region. Borgarfjörður eystri (67 km / 41.6 mi) is renowned for its majestic ring of mountains and spectacular natural beauty. The road runs through the region to the north from Egilsstaðir and gradually the countryside changes its character as you approach the sea. The views from the Vatnsskarð pass over to Borgarfjörður eystri are beautiful. When coming through the pass to the south, the magical world of Njarðvík bay greets you and then Borgarfjörður eystri where the charming village Bakkagerði welcomes you.
Spectacular landscape and welcoming fishing villages
Visit the beautiful village Seyðisfjörður by the sea, embraced by tall mountains and only around 28 km / 17.4 mi from Egilsstaðir via Fjarðarheiði heath. Through Fagridalur, the route goes to Reyðarfjörður (33 km / 20.5 mi) and then to Eskifjörður (15 km / 9.3mi). Both villages have curious museums and other interesting activities to enjoy. From Eskifjörður there are 20 km / 12.4 mi to Neskaupsstaður, a traditional and prosperous Icelandic fishing village. From Reyðarfjörður the route goes through a tunnel to Fáskrúðsfjörður (17 km / 10.5 mi), a small village by a beautiful fjord with a unique museum and various memorabilia about the French sailors who were stationed there in the latter half of the 19th century and into the 20th century
Hosts: Gunnlaugur and Hulda