West Ranga lodge

The rooms are simple and small, but comfortable and inviting. The whole hotel was spotless, looked surprisingly new, and had underfloor heating. There are relaxing areas for planning the next day, plus a hot tub open 24/7 and a sauna until 10pm. Try the tub if you go, the views are gorgeous, and sitting in it in freezing rain while looking at the scenery is quite an experience. We stayed five nights at the end of February and ended up really looking forward to coming back each evening. The dining area was often empty, so after our road trips we could make our own dinners with the microwave and eat there. It felt homey, almost as if we were the only guests. We were on a budget, so being told we could use the microwave was helpful. Tea and coffee were available all day and night. Breakfast was available on request; we had it twice, and there was plenty, with bacon, eggs, beans, hot dogs, toast, cereal, yogurt, fruit, and other little things. The staff were enthusiastic and helpful from the start. Within minutes of arriving, we got a tour and tips on where to eat, plus a suggestion to visit the waterfall down the road, which turned out to be useful. They lent us a thermos for hot drinks on our drives, which was a nice surprise. One clear night we saw a faint Aurora, and the staff had been running around looking for us to make sure we knew it was outside. They suggested walking about 25 minutes or driving three minutes to the waterfall for a better Northern Lights photo, and they were right. I got a really cool picture there, and wouldn't have thought of going without their suggestion. The hosts seemed excited for us to have a great holiday and did what they could to make it happen. We felt at home here and miss it already. River Hotel made our Iceland visit unforgettable, with a fantastic location and people who go out of their way to help.

Another hotel in Hella couldn't accommodate us because of a maintenance issue, so they booked us here instead. River Hotel was welcoming and accommodating, and it felt like they were happy to have us. It's modern and clean, and we enjoyed the sauna and hot tub. They recommended a great place for dinner and served a huge European breakfast. They even suggested making sandwiches from the leftover meat and cheese for lunch, and gave us sandwich bags. It wasn't fishing season during our stay, but the hotel is right on the river with that beautiful view. They say it's the place for salmon fishing. Highly recommended.

We arrived here without planning to after running into trouble at our original hotel. The river views were incredible, and we could have coffee while watching fly fishermen catch Icelandic salmon. The hotel itself is gorgeous, with modern decor, comfortable beds, and relaxing common areas. The customer service stood out as the best we had in Iceland. The staff were very accommodating even though we checked in early in the morning, and the front desk team were sweet and helped with our laundry. When we left after missing breakfast, they packed us donuts and yogurt. Highly recommend this place.

The staff were great, and breakfast was super yummy. My mum and I spent two nights at River Hotel, and I can definitely recommend making time to enjoy it, not just sleep there. It's a perfect spot to start a little walk, relax in the spa area with its hot tub and sauna, or read a book while watching the fishermen in the river. Best hotel I stayed at in Iceland!