2_1_ScanMag_79_August_2015_Text.qxp_Scan Magazine 1 06/08/2015 17:07 Page 72
Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Iceland
Hotel of the Month, Iceland
Where nature speaks for itself As the oldest hotel in the Lake Mývatn area, Hotel Reynihlid knows exactly how to welcome travellers excited to witness the wonders of Northern Iceland. In this idyllic paradise, the nature does all the talking.
rises from the earth and the soil boils before your eyes.
By Stephanie Lovell | Photos: Jo ́n Pa ́ll
“We’re located very close to an active volcanic area, right on the divide of the North Atlantic ridge,” explains Snæbjörnsson. “The eruption in Krafla volcano, known as the Krafla Fires, which lasted from 1975 to 1984, is still fresh in people’s memories and they’ll often come specially to see evidence of it.”
Hosting travellers since 1942, Hotel Reynihlid has firmly established itself on the shore of the magnificent Lake Mývatn in Northern Iceland. Eager to experience the surrounding area with its geothermal springs, volcanic activity and mighty waterfalls, guests can always rely on Hotel Reynihlid to offer insider tips as they immerse themselves in nature. “There is so much to see!” gushes Pétur Snæbjörnsson, general manager. “Of course, what brings most guests to us are the geological wonders. Nature is quite literally all around us, so you don’t have to wake up early to go on a long journey to see the natural wonders.” A landscape that bubbles and steams With Lake Mývatn on its doorstep, you can tick one sight off your list as soon as you
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arrive at the hotel. There are marked hiking trails all around the lake, taking you for miles across lava rocks and past rich birdlife. You can walk through volcanic caves and unusual rock formations in the weird and wonderful lava fields, known as Dimmuborgir, to the east of the lake or climb to the top of Hverfjall, following the path along the rim of this barren crater full of black ash. Tread carefully around the hot spring area Hverir, where steam
After all that hiking, take a well-deserved soak in the Mývatn Nature Baths, the north’s answer to the Blue Lagoon, just a short distance from the hotel. The blue, mineral-rich water with a temperature of