Sea-View Stays in Blönduós on Húnaflói Bay
Blönduós sits where the glacial river Blanda meets Húnaflói bay in North Iceland, right on Route 1 between Reykjavík and Akureyri. The town is small and the coast is open, so the five coastal stays listed here look over water from balconies, terraces and beachfront gardens. Brimslóð Atelier Guesthouse leads on both volume and score, with 1,355 reviews and a 9.1, and has direct access to the beach. Hótel Blönduós offers sea-view balconies and a restaurant, Laxás Cottage adds an outdoor hot tub with views of sea, lake and mountains, and Guesthouse Kiljan looks over Húnaflói from just off the Ring Road. Hrútey, the wooded river island, is a short walk from the centre.
Blönduós is a Ring Road town shaped by its river. The Blanda runs grey with glacial silt into Húnaflói, the wooded island of Hrútey sits in the current, and the Textile Museum keeps the region's crafts on display. The pace is unhurried, and most visitors stay a single night, which leaves the shoreline quiet.
Where to stay
Balconies, beach access and a hot tub
I would book a coastal stay in Blönduós for its position: a natural halfway stop on the Ring Road, where the bay opens north towards the Arctic Ocean and summer evenings stay light for hours. Two of the five properties list direct beachfront access, three have a restaurant on site, and the options range from a three-bedroom cottage to a small hostel. That variety means couples, families and solo drivers can all face the water without leaving town, and still be back on Route 1 within minutes the next morning.
Brimslóð Atelier Guesthouse is the strongest option here, with a 9.1 score over 1,355 reviews. It has direct beachfront access, a sun terrace and a garden with sea views, and its family rooms come with private bathrooms, balconies and parquet floors. An on-site restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, with a bar and an outdoor fireplace for cooler evenings. For a first stop on the Ring Road, I would choose it: you can walk onto the shore of Húnaflói after the drive, eat without moving the car, and sit by the fire while the bay changes colour in the evening light before an early start the next day.
Hótel Blönduós suits travellers who want classic hotel service with a view. Its family rooms have private bathrooms, balconies with sea views, soundproofing and a tea and coffee maker, and the property adds a sun terrace, a restaurant, a bar and a tour desk. Free private parking sits on site, and the hotel is listed as pet-friendly, the only coastal stay here with that mention. With an 8.6 score over 445 reviews, it rests on a broad base of guest feedback. I would ask for a balcony room facing the bay, since that view is the whole point of staying on this side of town.
Laxás Cottage, a few minutes from Blönduós, is the pick for a group or a family. The renovated holiday home has three bedrooms, a living room, a private entrance, parquet floors, a fully equipped kitchen and air conditioning, plus an outdoor hot tub. Its views take in the sea, a lake and the mountains, a combination that makes it feel more rural than the town addresses. It scores 8.9 over 155 reviews. I would choose it for two or more nights, cook in the full kitchen and end each day in the hot tub, using the town only for supplies and an evening walk on Hrútey.
Two smaller addresses complete the list. Guesthouse Kiljan, just off the Ring Road, has views of Húnaflói, an on-site restaurant with a bar, a furnished terrace with barbecue facilities and a choice of private or shared bathrooms; it scores 7.7 over 378 reviews. Riverside Hostel offers direct beachfront access, sea views, a sun terrace and a garden, with a terrace and a work desk in each unit, and hiking, fishing and kayaking nearby. Its 7.3 rests on only 11 reviews, so I would treat it as an early signal. Both suit solo drivers who want the coast in a simpler format than a full hotel.
A traveler's takeI would choose Brimslóð Atelier Guesthouse for a coastal night in Blönduós: its 9.1 score rests on 1,355 reviews, it has direct beach access, and dinner is served on site. My advice is to walk out to Hrútey, the island in the Blanda river, before eating. Travelling with a dog, I would book Hótel Blönduós instead, the pet-friendly option with sea-view balconies over the bay.
CoastalBrimslóð Atelier Guesthouse
Beachfront guesthouse with sea views and an outdoor fireplace
Why guests love itBrimslóð Atelier Guesthouse stands on the beachfront in Blönduós, with direct access to a private beach, a sun terrace and a garden with sea views. Family rooms have private bathrooms, balconies and parquet floors. An on-site restaurant serves breakfast and dinner, and there is a bar and an outdoor fireplace. Guests rate it 9.1 across 1,355 reviews, a very large sample for a small guesthouse.
CoastalLaxás Cottage
Renovated holiday home with a hot tub and sea and mountain views
Why guests love itI recommend Laxás Cottage to families and groups who want a renovated three-bedroom holiday home a few minutes from Blönduós. It has a living room, a private entrance, parquet floors, a fully equipped kitchen, air-conditioning and an outdoor hot tub, with views of the sea, the lake and the mountains. Views are the main draw here. Guests rate it 8.9 across more than 150 reviews, a good score for a roomy, comfortable house.
CoastalHótel Blönduós
Family rooms with sea-view balconies and a restaurant in Blönduós
Why guests love itHótel Blönduós has family rooms with private bathrooms, a balcony and sea views, plus soundproofing, a tea and coffee maker and a hairdryer in each room. Families can use the sun terrace, eat at the restaurant and have a drink at the bar. WiFi is free in public areas, private parking is free, and a tour desk helps with outings. Pets are welcome. Guests rate it 8.6 across 445 reviews.
CoastalGuesthouse Kiljan
Fjord views and a restaurant just off the Ring Road
Why guests love itGuesthouse Kiljan sits just off the Ring Road in northern Iceland, with views of the Húnaflói Fjord. Rooms come with either private or shared bathrooms, so check which you are booking. There is an on-site restaurant with a bar, free WiFi and a furnished terrace with barbecue facilities. Guests rate it 7.7 across 378 reviews, which is on the lower side, so read recent comments before booking.
CoastalRiverside Hostel
Beachfront hostel with sea views, a sun terrace, and garden access
Why guests love itRiverside Hostel in Blönduós offers direct beachfront access with sea views, a sun terrace and a garden. Each unit has its own terrace, a work desk and free WiFi, which suits a traveller who needs to get some work done. Hiking, fishing and kayaking are available nearby. The rating is modest and only 11 guests have reviewed it, so expectations should stay realistic.
Local tips
- 1Ask for a balcony facing the bay at Hótel Blönduós, since sea views are the reason to stay on this side of town.
- 2Choose Brimslóð Atelier Guesthouse for dinner on site and direct beach access, the strongest pairing on this list.
- 3Walk to Hrútey, the wooded island in the Blanda river reached by a footbridge, for an easy evening loop.
- 4Pick Laxás Cottage for a group: three bedrooms, a full kitchen and an outdoor hot tub.
- 5Travelling with a pet, book Hótel Blönduós, the only coastal stay listed here as pet-friendly.
- 6Read Riverside Hostel's 7.3 with care: the score rests on just 11 reviews.