Hotel Glymur

A wonderfully tranquil hotel, set above a rugged fjord with to-die-for views from its geothermal hot tubs

If sitting in a geothermal hot tub watching the Northern Lights sounds heavenly, check yourselves into the Hotel Glymur. Just 45 minutes outside Reykjavik, it's perched on a hillside in Hvalfjordur - and it's gloriously remote.

Inside it's both a hotel and art gallery, crammed with gorgeous knick-knacks - brightly woven rugs, painted ceramics, wooden carvings - from across the world, as well as local artists' paintings. Though maybe not cutting-edge chic, it's colourful and homely, quite a relief in this wild and elemental landscape. And the artistry extends to the 22 split-level rooms, 3 suites and 6 private cottages, each decorated with their own theme.

If you're looking for a chilled-out contrast to Reykjavik, this is a wonderful place to retreat with a friend or lover. The staff are welcoming, the atmosphere laid-back, and whether you want to go hiking, whale-watching, midnight-golfing or just to bask in the awesome landscape, it's deservedly one of Iceland's most popular hotels.

Highs

• The unspoilt, rugged scenery - each suite has a wall-to-wall window with panoramic views
• Deliciously fresh Icelandic food, served in generous portions
• Watching the Aurora Borealis from the geothermal hot tubs is an almost magical experience
• Extremely friendly and helpful staff who can arrange excursions
• Owners Jon and Hansina live in the hotel and love to chat about Iceland's history and the fairytale myths that fill the area

Lows

• The split-level design of the rooms is not suitable for less agile guests; one of the suites is specially equipped for the less mobile
• As the hotel is pretty remote, you'll need to hire a car to explore
• The showers have geothermal hot water, so as is common in Iceland, you bathe in faintly sulphurous-smelling water