Best Family-Friendly Stays in Patreksfjörður, Iceland
Patreksfjörður is a fishing village on the south coast of the Westfjords, set along a fjord with mountains behind the harbour. It is a long way from Reykjavík, so families who come here want a comfortable base with room to spread out and a kitchen for simple meals. The stays listed here range from guesthouses such as Guesthouse Stekkaból and Pálshús to apartments like Sigtún 4 and a three-bedroom house with a hot tub, Ægisholt. Hagi 2 on Road 62 offers family rooms with kitchenettes, and Fosshotel Westfjords gives you a restaurant on the waterfront if you would rather not cook.
Patreksfjörður is a working fishing village on the south coast of the Westfjords, set on a fjord with mountains behind it. It is quiet and remote, with a harbour, a few cafés and restaurants and a long drive to anywhere else.
Where to stay
Apartments, kitchens and fjord views
Why Patreksfjörður suits families
The Westfjords are remote, and a well equipped base makes the difference. In Patreksfjörður several stays are self-catering, so you can buy groceries once and cook through the week. Sigtún 4 is a renovated apartment with a bedroom, a bathroom and a fully equipped kitchen, with a garden, terrace and outdoor seating. Ægisholt is a spacious three-bedroom house with a hot tub and a swimming pool, a rare combination here that gives older children and parents their own space. For a family that wants to unpack once and stay put, these two are where I would start.
If you prefer a guesthouse, the village has strong options. Guesthouse Stekkaból has panoramic fjord views, a guest kitchen and a barbecue terrace, with restaurants and cafés only 100 metres away, which keeps evenings easy. It has more than 570 reviews and a score of 8.9. Pálshús is set in a historic building with a sun terrace and a garden, a shared kitchen and a lounge, and it scores 9.3 across nearly 390 reviews. Note that Stekkaból and Pálshús list shared bathrooms in some rooms, so check the room type before booking with children.
Hotel West sits in the town centre with bright rooms, private bathrooms, a terrace and a shared lounge with scenic views, which is handy if you want everything within walking distance. Fosshotel Westfjords is on the coast with an à la carte restaurant, a bar and a daily buffet breakfast, so it suits families who want restaurant meals after a day of driving. Both are practical when the weather turns, because there is somewhere warm to sit indoors while the weather over the fjord changes. Hotel West also lists free WiFi and parking, and Fosshotel Westfjords opened in 2013, so its rooms are modern and easy for families to settle into.
Outside the village, the main draws are Raudasandur beach, about 31 km from Stekkaból, and the wider Westfjords coast with its cliffs and waterfalls. Hagi 2 on Road 62 gives you family rooms with kitchenettes, dining areas and sea and mountain views from the terrace, which helps if you travel with several children. Distances here are long and gravel roads are common, so I would plan one outing per day and treat the rest as time at the apartment, the garden or the harbour. Brunnar 4 is a smaller ground-floor apartment with a fully equipped kitchen and a shared patio facing the fjord, which is a quieter alternative for a family with one or two young children.
A traveler's takeFor a family I would choose Sigtún 4 if you need a kitchen and a quiet base, and Ægisholt if you travel with several children and want a hot tub and a pool. If you prefer the guesthouse routine, Guesthouse Stekkaból is the one I would pick for its guest kitchen and fjord views. Whichever you choose, I would buy groceries before the longer drives and leave one slow day at the harbour.
FamilyHagi 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.
FamilySigtun 55
Spacious apartment with sea views and family-friendly amenities
Why guests love itSigtun 55 is a two-bedroom apartment in Patreksfjörður with a balcony looking straight out to sea, and what stands out for me is the play areas, both indoors and outdoors, for children. The fully equipped kitchen and washing machine cover a longer stay, and the sun terrace with barbecue suits summer evenings. Air-conditioning and free Wi-Fi round it out. My suggestion for a family outing: the Pollurinn hot spring, 22 km away. Guests rate it 9.3 from 10 reviews.
FamilyPálshús
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.
FamilySigtún 4
Renovated apartment with a fully equipped kitchen and outdoor seating
Why guests love itI would book Sigtún 4 for a self-catering stay in Patreksfjörður, not for hotel service. It is a recently renovated one-bedroom apartment with a full kitchen, free Wi-Fi, a garden, a terrace and a picnic area, so cooking after a day on the road is easy. Hiking trails start nearby, and Pollurinn Hot Spring is a 22 km drive. With a 9.1 rating across 133 reviews, I would choose it for a couple or a small family staying several nights.
FamilyÆgisholt privete house with hot tub
Spacious apartment with hot tub, pool, and mountain views in Patreksfjörður
Why guests love itI would choose Ægisholt for a family or two couples who want space and a hot tub after long drives in the Westfjords. The three-bedroom apartment sits on a quiet street with mountain and river views, and it has a fully equipped kitchen, a hot tub, a swimming pool, a terrace and patio for eating outside, and free private parking. Guests rate it 9.0 across 102 reviews. I would pick it for self-catering stays rather than hotel service.
FamilyCozy Studio with Ocean & Mountain Views
Renovated studio with sea and mountain views in Patreksfjörður
Why guests love itThis recently renovated studio in Patreksfjörður has a private bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and free WiFi. The outdoor seating area looks over the sea and the mountains, and free private parking is included. The listing puts Pollurinn Hot Spring 22 km away and Bíldudalur Airport 36 km away. Guests rate it 9 from 6 reviews. Our editorial verdict: a compact, modern base in the Westfjords for a couple, with a car for the hot spring.
FamilyGuesthouse 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.
FamilyBrunnar 4
A ground-floor apartment with fjord views and barbecue facilities
Why guests love itBrunnar 4 is a ground-floor apartment in Patreksfjörður, with the hosts living upstairs, which suits a family who likes having someone close by to ask about Westfjords roads. The fully equipped kitchen and the shared patio with a barbecue and fjord views cover dinner at home, and parking is free and private. My advice is to treat it as the base for day trips to Látrabjarg and Rauðisandur, both reachable from town. Rated 8.9 from 20 reviews.
FamilyFosshotel Westfjords
Modern hotel with fjord views and a restaurant in Patreksfjörður
Why guests love itFosshotel Westfjords is a three-star hotel on the coast of Patreksfjörður, a fishing village in the Westfjords, opened in June 2013. It has an à la carte restaurant, a bar and a daily breakfast buffet. Rooms are minimalist, with a flat-screen TV, blackout curtains and views of the fjord or the mountains. Guests rate it 8.5 across 334 reviews, and I would choose it as a comfortable Westfjords base.
FamilyHotel West
Town centre hotel in Patreksfjörður with fjord views and free parking
Why guests love itHotel West is in the town centre of Patreksfjörður in the Westfjords, with bright rooms, wooden floors and private bathrooms. Wi-Fi and parking are free, there is a terrace, and a shared lounge has scenic views. A tour desk can help with local activities. Guests rate it 8.4 across 432 reviews, and I would pick it for travellers who want a central, simple base for the Westfjords.
Local tips
- 1Buy groceries before you arrive or on your first evening, as services are limited and many stays here have kitchens or guest kitchens.
- 2Check whether your room has a private or shared bathroom; Guesthouse Stekkaból and Pálshús list shared bathroom facilities in some rooms.
- 3Plan one outing per day: Raudasandur beach is about 31 km from the village and road conditions in the Westfjords can slow you down.
- 4Pack waterproof layers and warm clothing for every child, as the weather over the fjord changes quickly even in summer.
- 5Choose a stay with parking and outdoor space, such as Sigtún 4 or Ægisholt, so children can play outside after a long drive.
- 6Book early for summer weekends, because the number of family-sized apartments and houses in the village is small.