Stays in Ísafjörður

I recommend Tangs to couples and small families who want an apartment with character in Ísafjörður. It is a spacious two-bedroom apartment inside a historic building, with garden views, parquet floors, a fully equipped kitchenette, a washing machine and free WiFi. Having a washing machine helps on a longer Westfjords trip. Guests rate it 9.9 across more than 230 reviews, about as high as a score can go.

I recommend Sólheimar Studio Apartment to couples and small families who want a spacious studio in Ísafjörður. It has a well-equipped kitchenette, a washing machine and a private bathroom, plus a sun terrace and a garden, with free WiFi and free on-site parking. Pollurinn Hot Spring is nearby, and pets are welcome. Guests rate it 9.5 across more than 150 reviews, a top score for a self-contained studio.

Valhöll Mountain Chalet is a one-bedroom holiday home in Ísafjörður with a living room, a fully equipped kitchenette and a dining area. A private sauna is the highlight, and there is a garden and a terrace with outdoor seating. Pets are welcome, which is rare enough to mention. It suits couples or a small family. Guests rate it very highly, from a modest number of reviews.

This newly renovated house sits in the old part of Ísafjörður, a quiet residential area, and holds a one-bedroom apartment with a kitchenette, a washing machine and streaming services. The terrace and garden give a couple or a small family somewhere outside for a morning coffee, pets are accepted, and free private parking comes with an electric car charging station, useful on long Westfjords drives. With one bedroom, larger families will be short of beds. Guests rate it 8.9 from 15 reviews.

For a family, the real asset of Hótel Torg is that nothing needs the car once you have arrived. Triple rooms sleep three, a lift reaches the upper floors, reception is staffed around the clock and parking is free, which counts after the long drive into the Westfjords. Children who like boats will enjoy the Vigur trip most: half an hour on the water, then a flat, grassy island with eider ducks and Iceland's only windmill. Hornstrandir is a different matter, a roadless wilderness for equipped hikers rather than young children. Pets are accepted, which is rare in town. The hotel has no pool or hot tub, so for an evening soak I would walk to Sundhöll Ísafjarðar, the town swimming pool.

The Ísafjörður Inn by Ourhotels has rooms with private bathrooms, mountain views and tea and coffee makers. A lounge and a coffee shop are on site, WiFi and parking are free, and a buffet breakfast with vegan options is served daily. That makes mornings easy for a family. Guests rate it 8.3 across 886 reviews. The listing mentions no kitchen or restaurant, so plan dinners in town.

Guesthouse Gamla in Ísafjörður has rooms with carpeted floors and shared bathrooms, each with a private balcony or terrace overlooking the garden or the mountains. Guests share a kitchen and a lounge and can use a sun terrace and a garden, with free Wi-Fi and parking. Guests rate it 8.0 across 211 reviews, and I would pick it for budget-minded travellers who want a balcony and a kitchen in the Westfjords.

Hotel Isafjordur - Horn is a modern hotel with brightly decorated rooms, flat-screen TVs, free WiFi, free parking and a private bathroom in each room. It sits near a public swimming pool, restaurants and cafés, and the Ísafjörður Heritage Museum is a short walk away. Reception and breakfast are at Hotel Torg, 300 metres away, which families should know before arriving. Guests rate it 7.7 across 308 reviews.

Isafjordur Hostel in Ísafjörður has rooms with shared bathrooms and parquet floors, a shared lounge and kitchen, a garden, a terrace, free WiFi and free on-site parking. It is aimed at couples and budget travellers, and a geothermal hot spring is listed nearby. With shared bathrooms it suits families who are comfortable with hostel living. Guests rate it 7.3 across 213 reviews, which is on the low side, so read recent comments before booking.

Hótel Torfnes is a two-star hotel in Ísafjörður with spacious rooms, each with a private bathroom and mountain views. There is a garden, a lounge and free WiFi, and pets are welcome. Breakfast comes in continental, buffet and vegetarian forms, and the Pollurinn hot spring is nearby. Guests rate it 7.2 across 206 reviews, which is on the low side, so read recent comments before booking.

Mánagisting is a guesthouse in Ísafjörður with bright, simple rooms and shared bathrooms, looking over Skutulsfjörður. Two TV lounges, a communal kitchen and a laundry room make it easy to live like a local, and bicycles can be rented on site. WiFi and parking are free, and pets are welcome. Guests rate it 7.1 across 592 reviews. Our editorial verdict: a plain, practical, budget-friendly base in the Westfjords, best for travellers who do not mind sharing facilities.