ION Adventure Hotel

Location

My room felt dated. For the price paid, I had a certain expectation. Even before entering the room, the damaged/dated door frame was concerning. The towel warmer in the bathroom was non functional. Our room was right behind reception and we heard loud noises of people talking and laughing late into the night. I knew the hotel was full so didn’t bother calling the front desk as I knew there was nothing they could probably do. The location of the hotel was spectacular. The staff were absolutely amazing from check in to room service, to check out.

ION was amazing! We loved every part of it from start to finish. The cherry on top was the spa facilities and middle of nowhere scenery. The room was larger than any other room we had during our stay in Iceland (we stay in 4 hotels total). We only had dinner at the on premises restaurant but it was fantastic! It was also the only time we saw the Northern Lights - pure luck!

The only thing that took a bit of getting use to (but we did know about it before booking!) was the Sulfur smell. If you are not a fan of eggs you might want to rethink staying here - for us, it didn't detract from our stay but definitely something to keep in mind when booking. Another mention is the toilet paper - it wasn't very soft? Again - didn't detract from our stay and something we noticed across the entire country - but worth mentioning for those with sensitive skin (you might want to bring you own if you are a toilet paper snob!)

Design Boutique/cozy vibe Food

We drove to the hotel from the airport very late (close to midnight), following Google Maps. 20min before reaching the hotel, the only road from out of the blue had a "no entry" sign, and turning back and taking taking another route would add over 1hr. We called the hotel for an advice - which was not very helpful, so we took the risk and drove pass the sign, which was ok, but a bit stressful not knowing where we were going. The hotel should have communicated better these details prior to the arrival. Vegan options on the menu would be appreciated.

I recently visited the Ion Adventure Hotel in Iceland, and it truly lives up to its name as an amazing destination. The fact that it's featured on the BBC's "Amazing Hotels" speaks volumes. My experience at the hotel was highlighted by a special and incredibly tasty dinner. The culinary experience here is top-notch. However, I did find that breakfast was a bit on the expensive side, and it might be more convenient for guests if it were included in the room price, especially given that the room rates are already on the higher end. One thing to note is that the hotel is currently undergoing expansion, which has the potential to be fantastic. Still, there's always a concern that such growth might lead to a loss of the hotel's original charm. I hope they can maintain the unique character that makes this place so special while expanding. Overall, the Ion Adventure Hotel is a remarkable destination that offers a memorable experience, especially in terms of its dining. Just keep an eye on the breakfast pricing, and let's hope the expansion doesn't compromise the hotel's unique charm.

They could have a bar service at the pool

the staff, the food, the sauna, the baths, the peaceful location which was good for driving to other tourist spots, views of the northern lights

the smell I think from the nearby factory, the lack of fitness space/equipment, the bedding - it was like 2 single bed duvets placed horizontally across the bed instead of a fitted double duvet so anytime you moved there was a gap and it became cold

Probably the best hotel I have ever been to! both the location and the hotel were incredible. We got a room with very nice views. The pool has hot water and is very relaxing after a day of walking. The restaurant is fantastic and not too expensive in comparison to other places in Iceland. We were attended by a really friendly waitress who made our dinner very pleasant and enjoyable. thank you! if I come back to Iceland I will definitely come back

everything was fantastic

It’s my second visit as I loved it so much! The location is amazing and great for day trips out. The vibe is very relaxed you almost feel like you have the hotel to yourself at times. People come and go a lot when off adventuring so it’s not ever that busy except at breakfast and dinner, but that’s not unpleasant at all. The staff are brilliant especially the restaurant team who were so welcoming and helpful they really enhanced our stay. Lastly the quality of the food is sublime! Every dish is exquisite you can’t go wrong with any choice, some of the best food I’ve ever experienced.

One great perk was free charging for electric or hybrid cars but we struggled to get access to a point for 2/3 days staying there and also didn’t know it was free until we finally got a space and asked about it. Otherwise I have no complaints!

Although we did not get to see the Northern Lights (which is why I booked this hotel), we very much enjoyed our stay! The scenery on the drive to the hotel is spectacular (if not a little scary if you're in wind/rain/snow), and the hotel is very, very cool! We enjoyed getting into the warm geothermal pool and sitting in the Northern Lights lounge after dinner. The food is fantastic and the staff was more hospitable than anywhere else we had experienced on our 10-day trip.

Isolated location with great facilities (geothermal pool and sauna looking out to the hills). The staff were accommodating with transferring us to their hotel in Reykjavik. Not only that, the hotel in Reykjavik messaged us on WhatsApp if there was an early check in available (which there was). They went above and beyond with our situation. If you are travelling in winter, make sure you have logistics organised or know how to drive in their tough conditions.

Hard to get in and out of in winter. Road can be closed due to snow, need to go with it. We could have definitely researched more on the winter road conditions in Iceland but that is part of the adventure.

Very cool hotel, just like the photos. We were greeted by friendly staff and were offered a welcome drink. The room was a nice size, no issues there. We enjoyed the hot pool as well. We loved the northern lights wake up call option, the hotel staff called in the middle of the night to tell us northern lights were visible! A nice little service!

It was great that they had two vegan courses for dinner to choose from, I would just suggest adding some protein and grains to make the broccolini and cabbage dishes a complete meal. The food is extremely expensive but we anticipated that.