I love Sunday mornings curled up with a good cup of coffee and the New York Times; my favorite part of the paper, unsurprisingly, is the Travel section. Every couple of weeks I rip out an article about a place I hope to visit (someday I’ve got to come up with a better filing system than a cardboard box). Sometimes an article gets snipped because of an idea or two about sightseeing in a certain city. In some cases, though, an article can be the impetus for an entire trip. Enter the ION Hotel. I freely admit that this trip was planned around a three-day stay at the remote ION Hotel.
And here I am! Cozied up to the side of an (active) volcano, Mount Hengill (Wikipedia says it hasn’t erupted in the last 2,000 years; I like my odds). Snow and mountains as far as the eye can see, except for the Nesjavellir geothermal power station next door; but, more about that later.
Essentially a concrete box on stilts, the ION has become my peaceful oasis. In addition to only 38 rooms, the hotel includes a restaurant, 30-foot long outdoor hot tub, a quiet meditation room, and a glass-fronted lounge perched off the front end which has become my home since I arrived on Tuesday. Only occasionally have I had to share it … as it should be.
Decor is very spare, nordic style, with a big fluffy duvet and extra wool blanket (absolutely not needed).
My rear end is now getting sore from sitting here watching the sky change colors, which happens all day long. Think I’ll shuffle on down to the hot tub. More soon.
Lesley says
November 23, 2017 at 7:47 amSo interesting to see the exterior of the ION!! What a contrast! It certainly does look like the middle of nowhere. You expect to see Santa’s reindeer wandering around. I know! Iceland is not at North Pole! But it sure looks like it!
Lee says
November 23, 2017 at 8:30 amSo are there many people staying at the hotel? It sort of looks like you have the whole place to yourself! How far is it from the nearest city? It looks like it’s at the North Pole!!! haha
@lpmccoy says
November 23, 2017 at 8:59 amI’ll be damned if I know where everyone is! The hotel is fully booked (albeit only 38 rooms), but here I am again in the lounge all by myself. And I’m just back from the hot tub and I know they’re not there. I got chased out of the tub by the wickedly blowing snow. It is the “ION Adventure Hotel,” and they’re happy to book whoppingly expensive private tours of the countryside or snorkeling between the tectonic plates or glacier walking. I suppose that’s where everyone is. I came more for the peace and quiet, less for the cold water snorkeling.