Sleep in a bubble at an igloo hotel Iceland

People come to Iceland from around the world in order to see the Northern Lights.  There are many excursions offered to chase the lights, but the one that caught my attention was the chance to sleep in a bubble at an igloo hotel.  Known as the ‘5 Million Star Hotel’ due to the views from the bubble; I could not imagine a better place to try our luck at seeing the Northern Lights.

Being from South Georgia, we don’t prefer cold weather, but we found ourselves not only going to Iceland, but going to Iceland in winter. However, like every other adventure, we were preparing to make the most of every minute. Glamping in Iceland is probably not the first thing you would think to do in winter, but this igloo accommodation is heated and is very cozy.  Staying at Bubble Iceland gave us a great opportunity to search for the Northern Lights and sleep under the stars, even in the winter weather.

Disclaimer: We were guests of The 5 Million Star Hotel, however, as always, all opinions are my own.

Where is the Bubble in Iceland?

These igloo shaped inflated bubbles are located in a remote area outside of Reykjavik.  Set in isolated forest areas, these igloos offer an incredible connection to nature and uninterrupted views of the sky.  The location of our glamping bubble would not be ideal for those with physical limitations. There are many steps up the hill to the location of the bubbles. There is another location, on the Golden Circle which has offers more accessibility, but more on that later.

We were staying in one of the bubbles in the South Coast area, about 1.5 hours from Reykjavik. It was cloudy, raining off and on, and very windy. We were escorted to our bubble by Daniel, the caretaker. Carrying all of our “necessities”, at the high elevation, in the cold, made the walk a challenge. Once we made it to the top of the hill, we passed the restrooms and made it to our bubble.

The igloo accommodation

What is included in each bubble glamping igloo?  There is an entranceway, where you can store your luggage, and the bubble part itself holds the bed.  There is only one bed in the bubble, but the 3 of us were just fine for the night.  The bed was so comfy with additional pillows and blankets. 

Wifi

There is no wifi in the igloo hotel, and sometimes limited access in Iceland. And although it is nice to disconnect, we were going to be there for many hours awaiting the mystical Northern Lights so we were glad that we brought our Skyroam with us. With Skyroam, you can enjoy wifi anywhere in the world for up to 5 devices.  This was great for us while we waited to see if Aurora would show itself!

Bubble Iceland amenities

Washrooms

The restrooms are located close by in a building at the top of the hill. There are 2 that are shared by the guests of the 6 bubbles. They were very clean and heated, thankfully.

Guesthouse

The igloo hotels in Iceland actually come with great amenities. The guesthouse is located at the bottom of the hill and is open 24 hours a day for guests.  It includes 2 showers, 2 restrooms, lanterns, and a coffee station.  It was amazingly clean considering the weather outside during our visit, and was cozy and warm.

Waiting for Aurora Borealis in an igloo hotel in Iceland

We read, listened to music, talked about the sightseeing planned for the next day, and relaxed. It really was nice to escape and be “locked” away together. That family time was my favorite part of the experience. The weather forecast predicted that the skies would clear around 2am so we were determined to wait up in anticipation of the lights.

Have you ever heard rain on a tin roof? The rain on the bubble was just as enchanting.  Even though we were hoping for clear skies, we could not deny the relaxation that the rain and wind provided. Payton did not want to give up on the lights, but the rain and the darkness and the fact that it was 2am made it difficult to stay awake. We decided to get some sleep and I set my phone to vibrate every 30 minutes to wake me up to check the weather. Unfortunately, the weather never cleared before daylight arrived (which doesn’t happen until 9-10am).

Coming to Iceland to see the Northern Lights?  Try to stay 5+ days so you can increase your chances of clear weather!

Although we were disappointed in the Northern Lights, it is hard to complain about waking up to this view! We gathered up our belongings and made our way back down the many steps to the guesthouse. 

Bubble Tours Iceland

Take a look at the Bubble Iceland website to book one of their two tour and igloo stay packages. There are 2 different options for winter and summer based on your dates of travel. They are listed as a South Coast tour and a Golden Circle tour. Each of these include pick up in Reykjavik, a tour, and then a stay in the bubble. We did not take part in either tour, just the overnight stay, but here is a little more about each of them.

The South Coast Tour

The South Coast Tour  includes stops at Seljalandsfoss (famous waterfall that you can walk behind), Skogafoss (another famous waterfall), black sand beach, and a night in one of the 6 bubbles where we stayed. Keep in mind, there are many steps to climb on this tour. Even though we did not participate in the tour as part of our stay, we did visit each of these areas the day we departed from the bubble.  

The Golden Circle Tour

The Golden Circle Tour includes Thingvellir National Park, Geyser, Gullfoss (famous waterfall), a secret lagoon, and a night in an igloo hotel. The bubbles at the Golden Circle are much easier to access and there are 9 available. 

Sleep in a bubble at an igloo hotel Iceland

During our time in Iceland we visited the famous sites within Reykjavik, 3 of the most famous waterfalls, the National Park, Strokkur (the famous geyser); we hiked a glacier, explored an ice cave, saw puffins, chased the Northern Lights, rode Icelandic horses, and went snowmobiling. However, glamping for the night in an igloo hotel in Iceland was the highlight. Maybe it was being (somewhat) off the grid, maybe it was the family time, maybe it was the beauty of the area, maybe it was the anticipation of the Northern Lights? Whatever the reason, we hope to visit the igloos at the Bubble Iceland again if our travels ever lead us back to the land of fire and ice!

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