Pet-Friendly Stays in Blönduós, North Iceland
Blönduós sits on Route 1 where the glacial Blanda river meets the Húnaflói bay, roughly halfway between Reykjavík and Akureyri, and it is a natural overnight stop for travellers driving north with a dog. Three pet-friendly stays are listed here. Hótel Blönduós has the most reviews, with family rooms, balconies, sea views and a restaurant. Hvammur 2 Guesthouse Red House offers a hot tub, an outdoor fireplace and a shared kitchen, and Summerhouse Torfalundur is a three-bedroom holiday home with a garden and a hot tub, rated a perfect 10 by its first guests.
Blönduós is a small service town on Route 1, built on both banks of the Blanda river at its mouth on Húnaflói bay. It has a petrol station, a supermarket, a swimming pool and a few places to eat, and most travellers know it as a stop between Reykjavík and Akureyri. The river island of Hrútey and the open bay give it a calm, spacious feel.
Where to stay
River walks and gardens on Route 1
A long day on Route 1 is easier to break with a dog when the stop offers open space, and Blönduós has the river, the bay and the small island of Hrútey within walking distance. The three stays cover the main needs of pet owners: a hotel with a restaurant, a guesthouse with a shared kitchen, or a whole house with a garden. I would choose Summerhouse Torfalundur for a family with a dog, and Hótel Blönduós for a simple one-night stop with dinner on site.
Hótel Blönduós is the most reviewed stay here, with an 8.6 score from 445 reviews. Its family rooms have private bathrooms, balconies and sea views, along with a tea and coffee maker, a hairdryer and soundproofing. A sun terrace, a restaurant, a bar, a tour desk, free WiFi in public areas and free private parking complete the offer. For a dog owner on a long drive, dinner on site and parking at the door make a one-night stop simple. I recommend it to travellers who want a proven hotel and a sea view after a day on Route 1.
Hvammur 2 Guesthouse Red House scores 8.5 from 195 reviews and offers family rooms with mountain views and shared bathrooms. Guests can use a sun terrace, a garden, an outdoor fireplace, a hot tub, a shared kitchen and a lounge, and WiFi is free in public areas. The garden and the shared kitchen are practical with a pet, since you can prepare its food and step outside easily. Shared bathrooms are the trade-off. I would choose it if a hot tub and an evening by the outdoor fireplace matter more to you than a private bathroom.
Summerhouse Torfalundur is a three-bedroom holiday home with a fully equipped kitchen, a living room, a spacious garden and a terrace with mountain and river views. It has a hot tub, barbecue facilities, free WiFi and private parking, and it accepts pets. Its perfect 10 comes from only eight reviews, so I treat it as promising rather than proven. For a family or a group travelling with a dog, a whole house with a garden is the most comfortable format in town, and the barbecue makes summer evenings easy to organise without leaving the property.
Whichever stay you pick, Blönduós offers simple walks for a dog. Hrútey, a small wooded island in the Blanda river reached by a footbridge, is a protected area close to the town centre, and the shore of Húnaflói bay opens to the west. The Textile Museum in town presents Icelandic handicraft traditions and makes a short indoor visit on a windy day. Keep your dog on a lead on Hrútey and near nesting birds, and check local rules, since protected areas in Iceland can restrict access to animals during the breeding season.
A traveler's takeIf I were driving Route 1 north with a dog, I would book Summerhouse Torfalundur in Blönduós for its garden, its hot tub and its three bedrooms, keeping in mind that its perfect score rests on eight reviews. My advice is to walk to Hrútey island in the evening, with the dog on a lead, and to visit the Textile Museum before setting off the next morning.
Pet-friendlySummerhouse Torfalundur
A pet-friendly holiday home with a hot tub and mountain views in Blönduós
Why guests love itSummerhouse Torfalundur is a three-bedroom holiday home in Blönduós with a fully equipped kitchen, a living room and a spacious garden. The terrace looks over mountains and a river, and the hot tub sits outside for evenings after a day on the road. Barbecue facilities, free WiFi and private parking are included, and pets are welcome. Guests give it a perfect 10 across 8 reviews. Our editorial verdict: a calm, self-catered base for a family or small group.
Pet-friendlyHótel 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.
Pet-friendlyHvammur 2 Guesthouse Red House
Mountain-view family rooms with a hot tub and shared kitchen in Blönduós
Why guests love itHvammur 2 Guesthouse Red House in Blönduós has family rooms with mountain views and shared bathrooms. Guests can use a sun terrace, a garden, an outdoor fireplace and a hot tub, plus a shared kitchen and a lounge. WiFi is free in public areas, and the guesthouse is pet-friendly. With an 8.5 score from 195 reviews, I recommend it to budget families and travellers with pets who accept shared facilities.
Local tips
- 1Bringing a pet into Iceland requires an import permit and quarantine, so prepare the paperwork early or use these stays for a pet already in the country.
- 2Choose Summerhouse Torfalundur for a whole house with a garden if you travel as a family with a dog.
- 3Book Hótel Blönduós for a one-night stop with a restaurant and parking at the door.
- 4Use the shared kitchen at Hvammur 2 Guesthouse Red House to prepare your pet's food.
- 5Walk your dog on a lead on Hrútey island and respect any seasonal access rules.
- 6Buy supplies in Blönduós, a regular stop on Route 1 between Reykjavík and Akureyri.