Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll

How did such a luxurious place get into the Highlands of Iceland? On our Ring road tour, we took our camper van out onto F35 and headed for Highland Base. After many miles, we found it, but did not expect the comfort that they provided. This is a pretty new hotel, I gather. Our room looked out over the campground and creek area. The room had a window seat, a huge bathroom, a mud area, plenty of space to hang things up to dry, and a truly comfortable bed with many pillows. The breakfast was excellent, and very nice displayed, with plenty of options. The dinner was a buffet, expensive, but at that point, we didn't care. It was just terrific. We tried to enjoy a hike in the volcano area of Hveradalavegur which had a very crowded parking lot. But between the very cold air and the warm ground, the hiking was impossible due to slush and slippery mud. Too bad. Overnight the cold turned to snow and we woke to a light blanket of it across the compound. We absolutely loved our stay there, but were glad to get out safely back to F35 before they closed the road down. (Which happened a couple of days later). I think this place is open all year--- you just need help getting in during the winter months.

What a fantastic place in the middle of nowhere! The comfy rooms, great views and relaxing baths were the perfect compliment to the amazing hikes in the surrounding area. Fantastic staff and food in the restaurant made it an awesome stay!!!

I was worried about the food after reading some reviews here but I can say it’s excellent all we ate was great, and freshly made. Staff is very friendly. The rooms are clean with stunning views would recommend to anyone on a highland trip. The hot baths are very relaxing.

Location was fabulous but I found the pricing of activities aggressive. Booked the 9hr private guided tour for 170k - this seemed expensive but I was travelling with my 13 yo daughter so thought worth the investment. Shorter tours are marketed at lower prices. En route to the hotel I was advised that adverse conditions meant we couldn’t do the booked tour but they would find an alternative. In the event, we had a great guide who took us for about 5 hours. The kicker has been that the hotel told me that the 170k is payable in all circumstances. I found that unreasonable and am trying to negotiate with the guide company who tell me this is the hotel’s policy not theirs. This left a bit of a bad impression that I was a captive customer. Happy to update if things change.

I spent a few hours in the baths while waiting for my hiking group. It was a beautiful day and that helped but baths are extremely well organized. I had the most amazing lunch afterwards. Most polite and nice service. I spent a few additional hours waiting for my group and have witnessed extremely efficient and cordial service all around. Young people working in this place are all super nice and you feel taken care of.

It is a lovely hotel and a lovely location. The hot pool was great for a relaxing dip, but the dinner was simply one of the worst I have ever had. It was tasteless, overcooked, and underwhelming—very, very bland. Hopefully, they will get a new cook that knows what flavor is

This is a remote area and the main attraction is Kerlingarfjöll, which is a very special and breathtaking place to visit. You can hike there from Highland Base or take one of the transfers they offer. It’s a must see!! Highland Base is new and offers everything from small luxury “lodges” to campsites. It’s just as pictured on the website. We had a lodge and it was very nice with an extremely comfortable bed, several games and other thoughtful amenities. There was complimentary coffee & tea on hand constantly at reception (which is always a plus). They offer excellent but expensive lunch food here (we loved the mushroom soup so much we had it every day.) It was fun to try something outside of the typical tourist route and to immerse ourselves in nature. Some of the staff members went above and beyond (thank you Claudia & Emilia for being so cool). FYI—It’s a long bumpy deserted road to get here (nearly two hours from Gulfoss) with nothing else around. Bugs were a big problem our first day (not at all our second day). They seem to be worse by the water. My biggest impression was that Highland Base is still working out whether it’s a campsite or something high end. The staff is young and more information could be provided at check-in re activities, trail maps, the “must see” spots, etc. Nevertheless, if you go into this with a “glamping” mentality you won’t be disappointed, regardless of which accommodation you choose. Even if you don’t stay over, consider coming for lunch and a day of hiking. Kerlingarfjöll is worth it.

Great hotel in an amazing location. The room looked new and I think they just built this building. I would give them 5 stars if not for dinner. There is only one option, buffet and it's quite expensive even for Iceland. The food was good but nothing so special that you can justify the high price.

I was not impressed with the professionalism of the staff in the restaurant. While we were eating dinner, an employee stood there scratching his back on the corner of the wall. I saw the same employee refilling the buffet by combining new food with old food that had been sitting on the serving plates. Very unappetizing! I expect better training of staff for such an expensive dinner.