Best Spa and Hot Tub Stays in Seyðisfjörður, Iceland

Langahlid Cottages & Hot Tubs are three-bedroom cottages less than 3 km from Seyðisfjörður town, with panoramic fjord views. Each has a large terrace with an outdoor hot tub and BBQ facilities, plus a well-equipped kitchen and dining area. Hiking trails start directly from the property. Guests rate them 9.7, though across only 97 reviews, so I would pick them for families or groups wanting space and a private hot tub.

I would choose Botnahlid Villa for a family or small group who want a private house with an outdoor sauna in Seyðisfjörður. The three-bedroom villa has mountain and town views, a sun terrace, a fully equipped kitchen, a fireplace and free Wi-Fi, with on-site private parking. It is 4.1 km from Gufufoss and 29 km from Egilsstaðir Airport. Guests rate it 9.6 across 56 reviews. It sits a little outside the town centre, so I would pick it for people with a car.

I recommend Dúlluhús - Apartments by Aldan to families who want their own apartment in Seyðisfjörður. The family apartments have kitchenettes and private bathrooms, with sea, lake and mountain views, and there is a fitness room on site. A family-friendly restaurant serves Japanese and local dishes, which is unusual for a small fjord town. Guests rate it 9.1 across more than 270 reviews, a strong score for an apartment stay.

Lónsleira Apartments are in the centre of Seyðisfjörður, 50 metres from the Smyrill Line ferry terminal. Each modern apartment has a fully equipped kitchen, a living area, a flat-screen TV with a DVD player, a private bathroom and a furnished terrace, and Wi-Fi and parking are free. The public swimming pool is five minutes on foot. Guests rate them 9.1 across 281 reviews, and I would pick them for ferry arrivals and departures.

Bankinn 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.

Hafaldan HI hostel, old hospital building sits in Seyðisfjörður village with fjord views and free Wi-Fi. Guests share a fully equipped kitchen, a lounge and a BBQ area, and there is a sauna, a spa, a children's playground and a fishing lake on site. The Seyðisfjörður Swimming Pool is 30 metres away and parking is free. Guests rate it 8.6 across 1,583 reviews, and I would pick it for families and groups.

Seydisfjördur Guesthouse is 25 minutes from Egilsstaðir Airport, with fjord-view rooms, free Wi-Fi and a garden. Guests share a fully equipped communal kitchen and a laundry room, and the town's swimming pool, sauna and hot tub are a five-minute walk away. Private and shared bathrooms are both offered. Guests rate it 8.6 across 546 reviews, and I would pick it for travellers who want a self-catering base in Seyðisfjörður.

Snæfell sits in Seyðisfjörður, 500 metres from the Smyril Line ferry terminal at the head of the fjord in East Iceland, reached over a mountain pass on Route 93 from Egilsstaðir. Rooms have private bathrooms, and the shared terrace looks over the water. Our editorial advice for families: eat at the à la carte restaurant, walk the colourful village and the harbour, and check the pass forecast before driving back out.