Coastal Stays in Skagaströnd on Húnaflói Bay
Skagaströnd is a small fishing town on the eastern shore of Húnaflói, the wide bay that opens north toward the Greenland Sea, with the mountain Spákonufell rising directly behind the houses. The three coastal stays listed here are all holiday homes rather than hotels: Iðavellir Guesthouse, Stuðlaberg and Steinnýjarstaðir. Each one lists sea views from a terrace or garden and a kitchen of its own, which matters in a town where the harbour, not the restaurant scene, sets the rhythm of the day. I would pick this base for slow evenings facing the water, aurora watching in the darker months and day trips around the Skagi peninsula.
Skagaströnd is a working harbour town of a few hundred people, built around its fishing port under the steep profile of Spákonufell. It has a creative side out of proportion to its size, with the Nes Artist Residency drawing artists from abroad, and a country music centre, Kántrýbær, that recalls the town's unusual claim as Iceland's home of country music. The pace is quiet and the views do most of the talking.
Where to stay
Sea Views, Own Kitchens and Dark Skies
On this stretch of the north coast the sea is the view, the weather and the local economy all at once. Skagaströnd faces west across Húnaflói toward the Vatnsnes peninsula and the Strandir coast, so a terrace here looks over open water rather than a fjord wall. The listed homes trade hotel services for space, kitchens and outdoor seating, which suits travellers who want quiet nights and long views more than room service.
Iðavellir Guesthouse carries the strongest guest score of the three, 9.3 from 131 reviews, and it is the one I would book first. It is a holiday home with sea and mountain views from both its garden and its terrace, so you get Húnaflói on one side and the slopes of Spákonufell on the other. The fully equipped kitchenette and a proper living room make it workable for several nights rather than a single stop. Free private parking and an electric vehicle charging point on site are practical details on a coast where charging stations are spread far apart along Route 1.
Stuðlaberg has the most reviews of the coastal group, 209, with a score of 8.7, and the longest list of extras. The listing mentions sea views, a sun terrace, a garden, a cosy fireplace, a fitness room, free WiFi and an outdoor play area, plus a restaurant. It sits about 165 km from Akureyri Airport, which gives a fair idea of the drive if you fly into the north rather than Keflavík. The fireplace is the detail I would weigh most here: on a windy evening by the bay, a warm living room with a sea view is the whole point of choosing the coast over an inland farm stay.
Steinnýjarstaðir is the simplest option, a holiday home with a single bedroom and a living room, scored 8.2 from 66 reviews. It still covers what the coast is for: a sun terrace, a garden looking over the sea and the mountains, outdoor seating and a picnic area. Both a kitchenette and a kitchen are listed, so cooking a full dinner is realistic. The listing notes hiking opportunities nearby, and from Skagaströnd the obvious walk is up Spákonufell, the mountain named after the seeress Þórdís spákona of the local sagas, whose summit looks out across the whole of Húnaflói on a clear day.
Choosing the coast in Skagaströnd also positions you well for the shoreline drives of North West Iceland. North of town, the road around the Skagi peninsula passes Kálfshamarsvík, a small cove of basalt columns beside an old lighthouse. To the south, Blönduós and Route 1 are a short drive away, and across the bay the Vatnsnes peninsula holds the Hvítserkur sea stack and its seal-watching spots. Coming back to a terrace on Húnaflói after those days out is the reason I would choose these homes over a roadside hotel, especially from September onward, when long nights and the town's low light pollution favour the northern lights.
A traveler's takeFor a coastal base in Skagaströnd I recommend Iðavellir Guesthouse first: its 9.3 score, the sea and mountain views from both terrace and garden, and the EV charger make it the most complete of the three. Our tip is to keep one clear evening free for Spákonufell, the 646-metre mountain behind the town, and to cook at the house afterwards, since the kitchen is half of what these stays offer.
CoastalIðavellir Guesthouse
Holiday home with sea and mountain views, kitchenette, and EV charging
Why guests love itIðavellir Guesthouse is a holiday home in Skagaströnd with sea and mountain views from its garden and terrace. Inside there is a fully equipped kitchenette, a comfortable living room and free WiFi, and free private parking is on site, with an electric vehicle charging station for drivers of electric cars. A 9.3 rating across 131 reviews is strong. I would choose it for a family or couple driving North Iceland who want a whole home and a quiet view.
CoastalStuðlaberg
Holiday home with sea views, a sun terrace, and a cosy fireplace
Why guests love itI recommend Stuðlaberg to families and couples who want a holiday home by the sea in Skagaströnd. It has sea views, a sun terrace, a garden and a restaurant, and there is a fitness room and an outdoor play area, with free WiFi. Akureyri Airport is 165 km away, so this suits a road trip along the north coast. Guests rate it 8.7 across more than 200 reviews, a good score for a family-minded stay.
CoastalSteinnýjarstaðir
A family-friendly holiday home with sea views and a garden in Skagaströnd
Why guests love itI would choose Steinnýjarstaðir for a quiet holiday home stay in Skagaströnd. It has one bedroom and a living room, a well-equipped kitchenette and kitchen, a sun terrace and a garden looking over the sea and mountains, plus outdoor seating and a picnic area. Hiking opportunities are nearby. Guests rate it 8.2 across 66 reviews. With one bedroom, I would pick it for a couple or a small family who like to cook and spend time outside.
Local tips
- 1Book Iðavellir Guesthouse early if you drive an electric car: its on-site charging point is a real asset on this part of the north coast.
- 2Plan to cook most dinners: all three coastal homes list a kitchen or kitchenette, and the town has very few places to eat.
- 3Walk up Spákonufell on a clear day for a view over Húnaflói toward Vatnsnes and the Strandir coast.
- 4Drive the Skagi peninsula road north to Kálfshamarsvík to see its basalt columns and lighthouse beside the sea.
- 5Pack windproof and waterproof layers even in summer: a terrace facing open water is exposed when the wind turns north.
- 6From September to April, check the aurora forecast and keep the terrace lights off; the town is small and the bay is dark.