This small hotel is ideally located, close to the shimmering shores of Mývatn and its stunning surroundings, a gallery of lava formations and myriad undulating islets. The friendly staff are happy to suggest the best ways of exploring these beautiful surroundings, and at the end of the day, the beautifully furnished, mahogany-lined rooms offer all the creature comforts needed.
Eat
The restaurant at Mývatn is famous for its lunch and dinner buffets, and for its evening a la carte menu, combining local and seasonal Icelandic ingredients with French and Italian techniques to create a fascinating fusion. The Kaffi Sel, on the southern side of the lake, a grill café offering a good selection of light refreshments including rúgbrauð, the Icelandic rye bread that is complemented beautifully by smoked trout
Sleep
The cosy en suite rooms at Sel Hotel are imbued with a quiet charm, thanks to mahogany armoires, smooth wooden flooring and quaint antique furniture. Bright upholstery, paintwork and large windows ensure a bright, airy feel
Do
Mývatn in the winter is a wonderful place to visit, its frozen surface a clear venue for several seasonal activities, such as the Myvatn open, a series of horse races on the ice. The Icelandic horse, one of the world’s purest breeds (and somewhat reminiscent of the Shetland pony), is great fun to ride across this icy landscape, capable of performing two unique gaits, an amble known as the tölt and a higher-gear gallop known as the skeið. Taking a snowmobile out, cross country skiing, and super jeep tours offer further fun, and at night the Northern Lights come out to join in.
