Bubble Hotel, Iceland: Glamping Worth Every Penny

There are two Bubble Hotel locations within Iceland’s glorious Golden Circle. I opted for the Ölvisholt location as it is situated within touching distance of Selfoss. Selfoss offers restaurants, bars, bakeries, gas stations and other facilities often assumed or overlooked. You should not underestimate how important this is when exploring Iceland. I recommend the menu at Tryggvaskáli; a historic site trading hands as builder’s lodge to hotel to now very capable local restaurant. The unconvinced may be swayed by the Ölvisholt Brewery only 200 metres away offering tastings of locally-crafted beer. Hopefully, that got your attention.

Miles of uninterrupted farmland and countryside scarred with rivers and filled with sheep and wild horses. The tranquil, stretching countryside is magnificent.



The Bubbles are perched on a hillside situated between towering pine trees that offer both privacy and intimacy. I have never been one for camping so this cosy, sheltered glamping is much more my style.

The transparent igloos maintain the structure by an inflow of warm air gently pipped into the room. The decor is simple but you are not here for the decor. You were here to enjoy sleeping among soaring pine trees in an Icelandic forest. It is easy to collapse into a string of hyperbole or cliches about “being one with nature” and other such faddish phrases. I edited out a few to spare you.



The Bubbles are unique. Within a ninety-minute drive from central Reykjavik, you can sleep under Millions of Stars (see what they did there), watching birds dance away on the tip of the Igloo’s ceiling. It is peaceful and a reminder of what true quiet sounds like.

Bubble Hotel Iceland: What’s Inside?

Each Bubble igloo comes with a king-size bed, a duvet each for two, a rich caramel, chesterfield-style Ottoman and old fashioned style decanter, glasses and champagne flutes. Alas, no bar fridge stocked dangerously with miniatures but you can buy sparkling tea when you reserve your Bubble (ISK2499, $18, £14, €15). My summer stay makes for glorious longer summer evenings. A set of sleeping eye masks are provided for those who may find the lack of darkness unsettling.



This raises a point. There is no wardrobe, there is no storage, no TV, no hairdryer, there is no fridge, there is no ensuite. Yet, bathrooms are very close within about 10 to 20 m away from your igloo. This was the number one question that people asked me on my Instagram account when I posted about this hotel.



There are bathrooms nearby! They are fully plumbed including sinks and, in a time of hygiene sensitivity, plenty of running water, hand soap and hand sanitiser. This is glamping after all. If you are looking for somewhere to iron a shirt or order room service – you have come to the wrong place. There is a balance to be struck after all. The purpose of being here is to sleep outdoors and not to replicate a hotel room.



It strikes me that fellow guests will – like me – stay so for one or maximum two nights. It is striking and beautiful but lacks the pragmatism for longer stays. Some under bed storage would be a simple remedy. There are electrical plugs available. A multi-plug or an extension multi-plug are well-advised accessories to bring with you in case you are charging multiple items.



The important matter of privacy will be divisive for some. A phalanx of pine trees and bushes to adequately seclude you from the view of passers-by. These would be limited to other guests because, of course, the Bubbles are elevated far above ground level eradicating the risk of being seen from the road. Still, those who pride their privacy and long for the ability to draw curtains may find this slightly jarring. Those who enjoy being watched however may have finally found something even more special. It may surprise you that not for a moment and I think that people are spying on me are watching me. They successfully created an atmosphere utilising the surrounding foliage that makes you feel like you are the only one here despite these Bubbles being booked up for weeks – and months – at a time.