Hótel Norðurljós
About this stay
Hótel Norðurljós sits on Raufarhöfn's working harbour, where the herring fleet once filled the quay before the industry collapsed in the late 1960s. Its own description keeps things modest, straightforward rooms rather than styled suites, but the furnished terrace and sea views give it the clearest coastal outlook in the village. The restaurant and bar on site matter in a place where food options close fast once summer ends, meaning an evening here doesn't require another drive down Route 85 in the dark. Breakfast is available for a fee rather than included automatically, worth confirming when booking. Free Wi-Fi and free parking cover the practical side of a stay built around a rental car, and the kid-friendly rooms suit a family treating this as one coastal night on a longer north-east Iceland route rather than a full stop on its own.
- Sea-view terrace
- Restaurant and bar on site
- Breakfast available (fee)
- Free parking and Wi-Fi
Our take
I would book Hótel Norðurljós for the sea in full view rather than merely nearby on a map, with dinner and a drink on site once the light fades over the Melrakkaslétta peninsula. Families and couples both get real use from the terrace and the restaurant. Travellers who prefer to cook for themselves should look at The Nest Guesthouse instead, since this is a hotel stay built around its restaurant and bar.
Why we love it
- Furnished terrace with real working-harbour sea views
- A restaurant and bar right on site
- Harbour-front location at the end of Route 85
- Free Wi-Fi and free parking both included
Why guests love itA coastal stopover here suits a family wanting the sea view without hunting for a separate place to eat. The on-site restaurant covers dinner without another drive down Route 85 after dark, and the terrace gives children a real view of the working harbour rather than an abstract one. Breakfast costs extra, worth budgeting for rather than assuming it's included. It works best as one settled coastal night within a longer north-east Iceland loop, not as a multi-day base for exploring further afield.
Guest reviews
You'll be taken to the host's site. No card needed to look.