5_ScanMag_77_June_2015_Text_Q9_Scan Magazine 1 05/06/2015 16:47 Page 47
Scan Magazine | Special Theme | Icelandic Culture Delights
An airport hotel with nature on its doorstep Just a five-minute drive from Keflavík International Airport, family-friendly Hotel Keilir is in the perfect location for a quick stop-off in Iceland. Yet with nature and culture on its doorstep, this is more than just your average airport hotel. Stay a little longer and discover all the surrounding area has to offer. By Stephanie Lovell | Photos: Hotel Keilir
Iceland has become the number one stopoff destination connecting Europe and North America. If you’re departing on an early morning flight or arriving late at night, look no further than Hotel Keilir for accommodation. Located in the centre of Keflavík, it is also the perfect base from which to explore the rest of the beautiful Reykjanes peninsula. The clean, modern and bright rooms are equipped with a TV, complementary WiFi and a minibar. “In addition to single, twin and double rooms, we have three to fiveperson rooms, which are perfect for families who often have to book two or more bedrooms to accommodate everyone,” says hotel owner Bryndís Thorsteinsdóttir. Guests can relax after a long day of travelling at the hotel bar. If you need a bite to
eat, there are plenty of shops and restaurants within walking distance. Guests rave about the unbelievable views over the Atlantic Ocean and Faxaflói bay with Reykjavík and Mount Esja in the distance. On clear days, you can see all the way over to the mighty Snæfellsjökull glacier in the west of the country. Take a stroll along the walking paths by the shore and you might even spot a whale. Alternatively, you can always arrange a whalewatching tour through the tourist company Viking Guide, which operate through the hotel. If time allows, there is plenty to see in the surrounding area. Of course, everyone wants to bathe in the renowned Blue Lagoon, which is easily accessible from the
hotel. In Keflavík, there’s the Viking World museum, which is run in cooperation with the Smithsonian Institution in Washington D.C. and has five exhibitions, including an impressive Viking ship model. Hop on the Reykjanes Circle tour to see the geothermal area Gunnuhver, Valahnúkur mountain and the Bridge Between Continents, which is built over the fissure between the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates. Viking Guide are happy to book whatever tour takes your fancy, as well as to arrange transport and car hire for you.
For more information, please visit: www.hotelkeilir.is
Issue 77 | June 2015 | 47