Bankinn - Hotel by Aldan
About this stay
Norðurgata is the street Seyðisfjörður residents painted in rainbow colours in 2016, running to the Blue Church, and Bankinn stands at number 2. The building opened in 1898 as a hotel and restaurant, then housed the Sailors' bank and Landsbankinn for almost a century, before returning to guests as part of Hotel Aldan. There are nine rooms: one single, six doubles, a triple and a quadruple, most able to take an extra bed, and one room can sleep a family of six. Every room has a private bathroom with a shower; the upper floors have no lift. Aldan Restaurant cooks local ingredients with Nordic and European flavours. Seyðisfjörður is 27 km from Egilsstaðir over the Fjarðarheiði pass on Route 93.
- 1898 building on Norðurgata, the rainbow street
- Nine rooms, all with private shower rooms
- One room sleeps a family of six
- Aldan Restaurant with local Nordic cooking
- Dogs accepted, free WiFi and parking
Our take
Bankinn was built in 1898 as one of Iceland's grandest hotels, spent almost a century as a bank, and now gives Seyðisfjörður nine rooms on Norðurgata, the rainbow-painted street that leads to the Blue Church. I would stay here for the village itself: everything in Seyðisfjörður is on foot, and Aldan Restaurant is the place for dinner. Families have a real option, as one room sleeps six. The building's age shows in one way: the upper floors are stairs only, which matters with heavy cases. And the village sits at the end of Route 93 over the Fjarðarheiði pass, so in winter your onward plans depend on that road being open.
Why we love it
- A former bank on the most photographed street in East Iceland
- Every corner of the village within walking distance
- Rated 8.7 across 662 guest reviews
Why guests love itBankinn is one of the few places in East Iceland where a family of six can share one room, and the triple and quadruple rooms cover smaller families, with extra beds possible in most rooms. Every room has its own shower room, which avoids corridor trips at night. Seyðisfjörður is small enough for children to walk everywhere, from the rainbow street to the Blue Church, and Aldan Restaurant is in the same group of buildings. The drawbacks: no lift, so carrying luggage and sleeping children upstairs, and a mountain pass on the only road in, which can close in winter storms and leave you a day behind schedule. Dogs are accepted, useful on a Ring Road trip with a pet.
Guest reviews
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