Hotel Budir

This wonderful hotel in the countryside, two hours’ drive from Reykjavik, is the best place to stay for a true Icelandic wilderness experience.

From its rooms, you can look out onto ancient volcanoes, a mystical glacier and a lagoon where seals play; beyond it an empty sandy beach stretches out to the Atlantic, and soft-furred Icelandic horses huddle together in the wind.

The hotel’s country-style decor is idiosyncratic. Parts of the hotel date back to 1948 and the decor is traditional Icelandic. Images of whales, local flora and fauna and ancient legends hang on the walls.

The restaurant is pricey but the locally-inspired cuisine is excellent. There’s also a cosy, characterful bar – perfect for a relaxing drink after a long day of outdoor adventure.