Review: Hotel Ranga, Iceland – A Hotel with a Soul
South Iceland is one of the busiest areas in Iceland. It is filled with natural wonders – the visible rift between North American and the Eurasian tectonic plates, innumerable waterfalls that takes the breath away, mossy lava fields, basalt lava columns and much more! Set in such a beautiful location in South Iceland is Hotel Rangá, a luxury boutique hotel.
Right from the entrance, the hotel façade, lobby, and even the rooms are entirely made of wood. The wood is pine sourced from Canada, as Iceland has very less trees. The reception lobby has real scale structures of a polar bear and an Arctic fox with real skins. Hang your coat and relax with some hot chocolate or mock tails at the lounge just across the reception.
Rooms
Every room is tastefully decorated and some have themes too. The materials in every theme room is often sourced from various parts of the world. The team at Hotel Rangá, strive to achieve perfection in every aspect of the room. Like the pebbles in the beautiful bath tub in the Icelandic theme suite we stayed in was sourced from Black sand beach in Vik.
The bed in our Icelandic theme suite was comfortable had a huge rug made of Icelandic wool and was woven in shape of a huge sweater! Look at it in the pictures below. Lovely red roses filled the room with its scent. And sun pierced through the huge windows. A calm river branched out into streams while cows and horse grazed just outside our room. Waking up to these scenes made feel like staying in Hotel Rangá forever!
https://www.instagram.com/p/BYIX15JFTLj/?hl=en&taken-by=hopping_miles
The bath fittings are classy and modern. This was definitely one of the best showering experiences I’ve had in a long time!
There was a free cell phone provided to us which we could use to make any calls – local and international. The best part of the room was the huge rotating sofa. Just with a click of the switch, the entire setting of the sofa would turn around and faced the large window which opened up into the river.
Restaurant and dining experience
The dining experience was one of the sumptuous we had in our entire journey in Iceland. Every dish was made with great care and tasted fresh and delicious. For the dinner, we had a delectable 3 course meal – famous Icelandic fish and chips and some reindeer meat for starters, Arctic char and some prawns for the main course and some handmade strawberry ice cream for desserts!
If that was our dinner, we had an even elaborate breakfast with items ranging from omelettes to pancakes, yogurts to fresh juices and many kinds of fresh bread. I had breakfast to my heart’s content!
Aurora Alerts
Another unique feature of Hotel Rangá is sometimes, they call you in the middle of the night and wake you up. Trust me, you won’t complain for this one! Because, you would have said yes when the person in the reception asks if you want to be alerted if the Aurora aka the Northern Lights shows up! How cool is that?
We had said a big ‘YES’ when asked for it, but I was a little low as the Aurora forecast was a little weak for that day. But we were so lucky to be woken up at 1 AM and yes! We did spot the Northern lights! Yay!!
Hospitality
The reason why I wrote in the headline about Rangá being a hotel with a soul is that, everyone – right from the house keeping staff to the operations manager, everyone is ever smiling and ready to help the guests. Ingi Þór Jakobsson, the Operations Manager in Hotel Rangá is one of the finest hotelier I’ve met till date. He speaks so passionately about the hotel and it shows up in the way the hotel is managed. His knowledge about Iceland is above par. He and his associates always so welcoming and ever ready to assist guests with their questions on Iceland and they patiently answer all of them.
Parting words
If you ever happen to visit South Iceland, then do not miss staying in Hotel Rangá. It is an experience by itself! Will will love every bit of Hotel Rangá like we did, the rooms, the décor, the food, the ambience, the views from the window, the hospitality – everything!
A short video of the tour of our Icelandic theme suite in Hotel Ranga. Don’t miss the part where the entire floor rotates with the furniture!
Also check where we stayed during our Iceland trip here: Where to stay in Iceland?
Have you been to Hotel Rangá? What were your experiences? Let me know your thoughts in the comment box below!
If you liked this post, show us some love and pat us on our backs! Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram and subscribe to our Youtube channel!
Read more:
90 stunning photos that will put Iceland in your bucket list!
Pin it for later:
We were guests to the kind people at Hotel Ranga. Opinions as always are our own.
What a cool place! I wonder what is nearby to do or if it’s a great place to stop while doing the Ring Road. Whatever it is near, it looks like a comfortable place to relax for a bit. I think all the wood is a really nice touch and adds a feeling of warmth. Thanks for all the photos! They give a great overview.
Thanks Jessica. Hotel Ranga is right on the ring road. And there are many places of attractions nearby, that makes it a great stop over 🙂
Oh, my! This is one of the most gorgeous places I’ve (n)ever seen in my life! That bathtub! And the wooden interior in the restaurant. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow :))
Awesome review, marvellous job, guys! Thanks for sharing – pinned!
Thank you 🙂 I too loved the wooden decor. The experience in Ranga was just amazing!
This hotel looks AMAZING! The interior completely matches the outdoor settings and looks completely like something out of a magazine. I haven’t been to Iceland yet, but I can’t wait to go! You’ve inspired me!
Thanks Laura. Glad that my post inspired you to go to Iceland! Yay!
What a beautiful and luxurious hotel! I can’t get over that bathtub in the middle of the room. I have never had that in my hotel room before and it looks so luxurious. Also congratulations on seeing the lights. I would want to be woken up too!
Definitely Chantell. If it were not for folks from Hotel Ranga, I would have probably missed my first ever Northern lights sighting! A huge thanks to them!
This place looks perfect. Iceland is on my list of places to visit, so I’ll keep this hotel in mind. I especially love that gorgeous bath area in the room! Seriously, the aurora alerts sound AMAZING!!! I love that!
Yes Natasha! That was our favourite part too! 🙂
Wow! This place is stunning. I have been to Iceland twice and am thinking I need to stay here on my third visit. I love the pebble baths! And the food looks so yummy. Bookmarking!
Yes Candy. The place was stunning! Next time you go to Iceland, you know where to stay! 🙂
Iceland is the stuff that dreams are made of and the Hotel Ranga seems to be an ideal place to stay and realize the dreams. The hotel comes across as really charming. The one thing I like best is the Aurora alert. So nice to be woken up in the dead of night and see the spectacular Northern Lights.
Yes, Aurora alerts were just what the doctor prescribed! 🙂
Iceland has been evading me for better part of a decade. Had my trip cancelled due to the volcanic eruption of 2010. But hopefully I’ll make it next time. This hotel looks so comfortable and inviting, I will put it in my list.
Saving this post for future reference! Thanks
Thanks Ozzy! Hope you make it to Iceland sometime soon 🙂
Only approximately one lac people but yet the best place they have kept the country so beautiful and always the warm welcome for the tourist I loved the hotel too everything was perfect with family. ice skating was really fun and the breakfast dinner with my family with an affordable cost was a really love it
Yes, Vijay. Our stay in Hotel Ranga was a delightful stay 🙂 Happy that you and your family enjoyed it too!