Budget Stays in Patreksfjörður, Westfjords
Patreksfjörður is the main village of the southern Westfjords, set on a sheltered fjord and used by most travellers as the base for Látrabjarg, the bird cliffs at the western tip of Iceland, and the red-gold sands of Rauðasandur. The three budget stays listed here all score 8.9 or higher. Guesthouse Stekkaból has panoramic fjord views and 575 reviews, Pálshús occupies a historic building with a garden, and Hagi 2 Road 62 offers family rooms with private bathrooms and kitchenettes just outside the village. Shared kitchens keep daily costs down in a remote region.
Patreksfjörður is a fishing village of under a thousand people and the service centre of the southern Westfjords. It has a harbour, a supermarket, a pool and a few cafés, and it lives at the pace of the sea and the summer season. Its role for visitors is practical: a place to sleep, shop and refuel between the cliffs, beaches and fjords around it.
Where to stay
Fjord views and kitchens far west
In the Westfjords, restaurants are few and distances long, so a budget stay with a kitchen is the most practical choice. Patreksfjörður has a supermarket, cafés and a swimming pool, and it shortens the drives to Látrabjarg and Rauðasandur. I would choose Guesthouse Stekkaból for its views and its central position, or Hagi 2 Road 62 if a private bathroom and a kitchenette matter more than being in the village itself.
Guesthouse Stekkaból is the most reviewed stay here, with an 8.9 score from 575 reviews. It offers panoramic views over the fjord, free WiFi, a guest kitchen and shared bathrooms, the usual trade-off for a lower rate. Restaurants and cafés are about 100 metres away, so you can choose between cooking and eating out on any given evening. Rauðasandur beach is 31 km from the guesthouse, and Bíldudalur, with its sea monster museum, is about 22 minutes by car. I recommend it to travellers who want a central base with a view and a reliable track record.
Pálshús scores 9.3 from 386 reviews and stands in a historic building with a sun terrace and a garden. Rooms share bathrooms, and guests have a shared kitchen and a lounge, which suits travellers who like to plan the next day over dinner. Free WiFi covers the whole property. The Pollurinn hot pots, simple natural pools above Tálknafjörður, are about 22 km away and make a good end to a day on the road. I would choose Pálshús if character and a calm common room matter to you as much as the price of the night.
Hagi 2 Road 62 holds the highest score in this group, 9.4 from 79 reviews. It sits on Road 62 just outside Patreksfjörður and offers family rooms with private bathrooms, kitchenettes, dining areas and parquet floors. Guests have sea and mountain views from the terrace and outdoor seating, with free WiFi and private parking. For a family or a couple who prefer not to share a bathroom, it is the best compromise in the budget range. Being on the road towards the south coast of the peninsula also makes an early start for Látrabjarg or Rauðasandur easier.
Whichever stay you pick, the main sights of the area require a car and time. Látrabjarg, the westernmost point of Iceland, is known for its puffins in summer and for its high cliffs that rise straight from the Atlantic. Rauðasandur offers a long beach of reddish sand reached by a steep gravel road, and the Dynjandi waterfall lies further north on the route to Ísafjörður. Buying food in Patreksfjörður before setting out is the simplest way to keep costs down, since shops and services along these remote roads are very limited outside the village.
A traveler's takeIf I were exploring the southern Westfjords on a budget, I would book Guesthouse Stekkaból for its fjord views, its guest kitchen and its 8.9 score from 575 reviews. I would shop in Patreksfjörður, drive out to Látrabjarg for the puffins on a calm summer evening, and keep the next morning for the steep road down to Rauðasandur.
Budget & guesthouseHagi 2 Road 62
Family rooms with kitchenettes and views near Patreksfjörður
Why guests love itHagi 2 sits on Road 62 near Patreksfjörður and offers family rooms with private bathrooms. Each room has a kitchenette, a dining area and parquet floors. The terrace and outdoor seating look over the sea and the mountains, and free WiFi and private parking are included. Guests rate it 9.4 across 79 reviews, a very good score for a remote stop.
Budget & guesthousePálshús
Historic guesthouse with a garden and shared kitchen in Patreksfjörður
Why guests love itPálshús is a guesthouse in a historic building in Patreksfjörður, with a sun terrace and a garden. Rooms are comfortable with shared bathrooms, and guests share a kitchen and a lounge. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property, and Pollurinn is 22 km away. Guests rate it 9.3 across 386 reviews, and I would pick it for travellers who like a historic house and accept shared bathrooms.
Budget & guesthouseGuesthouse Stekkaból
Fjord-view guesthouse with a guest kitchen in Patreksfjörður
Why guests love itGuesthouse Stekkaból in Patreksfjörður has panoramic fjord views, free Wi-Fi, a guest kitchen and shared bathrooms. A BBQ terrace is available, restaurants and cafés are 100 metres away, Bíldudalur is 22 minutes by car and Raudasandur beach is 31 km away. Guests rate it 8.9 across 575 reviews, and I would pick it for budget-minded travellers who accept shared bathrooms for a central, scenic base.
Local tips
- 1Shop at the supermarket in Patreksfjörður before heading to Látrabjarg or Rauðasandur, as services on those roads are very limited.
- 2Use the shared kitchens at Guesthouse Stekkaból and Pálshús to keep daily costs down.
- 3Book Hagi 2 Road 62 if you want a private bathroom and a kitchenette in the budget range.
- 4Visit Látrabjarg in summer for the puffins, and keep well back from the edge of the cliffs.
- 5Drive the steep gravel road to Rauðasandur slowly and in daylight.
- 6End a day on the road at the Pollurinn hot pots above Tálknafjörður, about 22 km from Pálshús.