Smáratún Farm Eco Lodges

The mountain views are gorgeous, and it wasn’t as windy here as I expected. The dog and cat were very cute too. This campsite stays open in winter. Campers check themselves in on an iPad at the hotel reception, where you can also get a coffee or drink. There’s a lounge with pool and chess that stays open until 2200, and camper parking is around the back of the reception building, on the right. The WC and shower building is close to the parking lot, with clear signs showing what’s private and what guests can use. The guesthouse kitchen is well equipped for cooking and relaxing.

It’s wonderfully quiet here, and we slept so well. The rooms were spacious and very clean. Breakfast was varied and good, with excellent homemade bread. The hotel sits in a lovely natural setting, and we were lucky enough to catch the Northern Lights.

The lobby is very nice, and there’s a self-service kitchen with the essentials plus a few extra condiments. If you’re on a road trip in a campervan and need a place to camp, this is a great option.

The kitchen and common room were great, with enough equipment to cook a full meal, including what I think was a full oven. There was also dishwashing and a washroom inside. The camper had a nice view, but I found the whole stay frustrating. This was one of my least favourite campsites on our ring road trip, and I’d probably look elsewhere, though it could do for a night if you’re nearby. When we arrived around dinner time, nobody was working there to answer questions. The parking signs weren’t clear, so we copied the other campers, but I still wasn’t sure we were all in the right place. Outside, there was a portable bathroom and shower setup with two bath/shower combinations. I didn’t like these arrangements at other stops either, since sometimes one person locks the outside door for both the washroom and shower. I couldn’t tell whether someone could use the washroom while another person showered. Later, one of the units was locked, leaving just one washroom/shower for roughly 12-15 campers. One camper had a family of about eight, so that didn’t seem sufficient. The locked unit was still unavailable the next morning. I also know hand towels are more eco-friendly, but they didn’t feel clean to me, especially since I hadn’t seen any staff around to change them. When we left, there was still nobody at the hotel desk. I rang the bell and called out, then walked around the whole hotel trying to find someone. I didn’t want to leave without paying, but it took real effort to find a person who could take my money. Eventually I found a man cleaning a room. He thanked me for tracking him down to pay. It gave me the impression some people may not always pay here.