Iceland has a small but growing number of bubble hotels, glass-roofed igloos, domes and glass lodges where you can watch the sky from bed. Most are in South Iceland, within one to two hours of Reykjavík, and they are at their best from September to April when the nights are dark enough for the Northern Lights. Book early, check whether the bathroom is private or shared, and remember that no roof can promise a clear sky.
What is a bubble or igloo hotel?
These are small, private units with a clear or glass roof, so you can see the stars and the aurora without going outside. They come in a few styles. Bubbles are clear, inflated domes set among trees. Glass igloos are solid cabins with a glass roof. Geodesic domes are tent-like frames with big windows. Glass lodges are full cabins with glass walls and roofs, often with a kitchen and hot tub.
Comfort and price vary a lot. Some are simple rooms with a heated bed and a shared toilet block a short walk away. Others are full holiday cabins. Read the details before you book, especially on bathrooms, heating and how you get there.
What they share is the setting. Most stand alone in the countryside, well away from street lights, so the sky is properly dark in winter and the view is open in summer, when the midnight sun keeps the landscape lit through the night. They suit couples and anyone who wants to be close to nature without giving up a warm bed. Think of them as Northern Lights hotels with the viewing platform built into the room.
Bubble and igloo hotels in Iceland
Below are the best-known options. We list them by style and area so you can match them to your route. Details were checked with each property's own website in 2026, but rooms and prices change, so confirm before you book.
Buubble: bubbles in the forest
Buubble, also called the 5 Million Star Hotel, is Iceland's original bubble hotel. It has two forest sites in the south. Hrosshagi is near Reykholt on the Golden Circle, about 1.5 hours from Reykjavík and close to Friðheimar, Geysir and Gullfoss. Ölvisholt is a little over an hour from Reykjavík, on the way towards the South Coast.
Each bubble sits in its own clearing in a private forest. The bubbles are heated, and in winter the beds have a heating pad and a double duvet. There is no private bathroom: toilets and showers are in a shared service house about 30 to 50 metres away, open all night. At the time of writing, prices start from around €229 a night, and it is also sold as a package with a guided Golden Circle day and Reykjavík pick-up.
The bubbles are spaced well apart among the trees, so each one feels private, and the furnishing is simple: a comfortable bed, blankets and a heater. Buubble suits couples, nature lovers and Northern Lights watchers who are happy with basic facilities in exchange for sleeping in the open. It also fits neatly with a day at Gullfoss, Geysir and Þingvellir before you settle in for the night.
Aurora Igloo: glass-roofed igloos near Hella and in the north
Aurora Igloo has small igloo cabins with glass roofs for two people. The south site is near Hella, about 100 kilometres from Reykjavík, which makes it an easy base for the South Coast, Seljalandsfoss and views towards Hekla. A second site is in North-west Iceland, about 19 kilometres from Hvammstangi, useful if you are driving the Ring Road.
Standard igloos share a bathroom a short walk away. Private igloos have their own bathroom. Both are heated with a double bed. It is one of the simpler, more affordable ways to try a glass-roof night.
The Hella site is in quiet farmland, a short drive from the South Coast waterfalls Seljalandsfoss and Skógafoss and within reach of the Golden Circle, so it works as a one-night stop on a longer route.
Panorama Glass Lodge: glass cabins with hot tubs
Panorama Glass Lodge is the more comfortable end of the market. These are full glass cabins with their own hot tub, a kitchen and a bathroom. The South Iceland lodges are near Hella, about two hours from Keflavík Airport. The West Iceland lodges are near Akranes, about 1.5 hours from the airport, and look out over the sea. Guests share a sauna, and one larger west lodge has its own sauna and is wheelchair accessible.
The side windows have blinds, but the glass roof does not. That is the point in winter. In summer, when it barely gets dark, pack an eye mask.
From the South Iceland lodges you look towards the glaciers and volcanoes of the south, and both the Golden Circle and the South Coast are an easy day out. With a full kitchen and your own hot tub under the sky, this is the one most people pick for a honeymoon or an anniversary.
Reykjavík Domes: domes close to the city
Reykjavík Domes are geodesic domes about 15 minutes' drive from central Reykjavík, with large windows facing Mount Esja. They suit short trips and stopovers, since you are near the city but away from most of its lights. Standard domes share a bathroom and kitchen but have their own hot tub. Deluxe domes and the King Suite also have a private bathroom, and the suite adds its own kitchen. All domes have fireplace heating and king-size beds.
You do not get the remoteness of the countryside sites, and the sky is a little brighter this close to town. What you get is a balance of city and nature: explore Reykjavík by day, then go back to your dome for the night.
The domes are part of an activity park, and the property can arrange day tours. See our guide to Northern Lights in Reykjavík for the best dark spots nearby.
More glass-view stays in South Iceland
A few other places are not bubbles but share the idea of big windows and dark skies.
- Golden Circle Domes: geodesic domes with a clear roof panel in the countryside near Selfoss, handy for Þingvellir, Geysir, Gullfoss and the Secret Lagoon. Check the property's own site for current room types and whether your dome has a hot tub.
- Klettar Tower: a former silo near Flúðir turned into suites with 360° windows, a kitchenette and a private balcony. It is a tower rather than a dome, but you can watch the sky from bed.
- ÖÖD Hekla Horizon: mirrored glass houses in the South Iceland countryside near Hella, with open views of Hekla from the bed. House types differ: some share the hot tub and sauna, some have a private hot tub, and the family houses have a private sauna, which is the one we would book. It is remote, and the last stretch of road climbs a hill. When it is covered in snow it can be hard to get up without a good four-wheel-drive car, so check the access road and winter driving conditions before you book.
Quick comparison
- Closest to Reykjavík: Reykjavík Domes, about 15 minutes' drive from the centre.
- Best for the Golden Circle: Buubble Hrosshagi near Reykholt, or Golden Circle Domes.
- Best for the South Coast: Aurora Igloo or Panorama Glass Lodge near Hella.
- Most comfort: Panorama Glass Lodge, with private hot tub, kitchen and bathroom.
- Simplest and most affordable: Buubble or a standard Aurora Igloo, both with shared bathrooms.
- On a Ring Road trip: Aurora Igloo's north site near Hvammstangi.
How to choose the right bubble or igloo hotel in Iceland
Start with your route, then look at budget and comfort.
- Your itinerary. For the Golden Circle, the Buubble site near Reykholt or Golden Circle Domes keep you in the area. For the South Coast, Aurora Igloo and Panorama Glass Lodge near Hella are good bases.
- Your budget. Bubbles and standard igloos with shared bathrooms are the more affordable choice. Glass lodges with a private hot tub and kitchen cost more.
- Distance from Reykjavík. Choose Reykjavík Domes if you want to stay close to the city. Choose one of the countryside sites if you want darker skies and more quiet.
- Special occasions. A glass lodge with its own hot tub suits a honeymoon or anniversary. A forest bubble is more of an adventure.
- Time of year. For the Northern Lights, come between September and April. In summer you get the midnight sun instead, and a bright room all night.
When to go for the Northern Lights
You can see the aurora in Iceland from about late August to mid-April, when the sky is dark. From late May to late July the nights are bright and there is no aurora at all, so a summer bubble night is about the midnight sun, not the lights. Our daylight hours guide shows how the nights change month by month.
Even in the dark season, the aurora needs a clear sky and some solar activity. A glass roof is a comfortable way to wait, but it does not change the weather. Check the cloud forecast on the day and, if you can, book two nights in the area to double your chances. Our Northern Lights guide explains forecasts and the best hours.
Practical tips before you book
- Book early. Most places have only a handful of units, and winter weekends and holidays sell out months ahead.
- Check the bathroom. Shared facilities are common in bubbles and cheaper igloos. That means a short outdoor walk at night.
- Check breakfast and food. Many are self-catering or in the countryside with few places to eat nearby. Shop before you arrive.
- Plan the drive. Most sites are reached by rental car. Winter roads can be icy and dark by mid-afternoon, so check road and weather conditions each day and arrive in daylight if you can.
- Pack for the cold. Units are heated, but you may want to step outside for photos. See our winter packing list.
- Bring an eye mask in summer. Glass roofs usually have no cover, and it hardly gets dark in June and July.
Combine your stay with tours
A bubble or igloo night fits well into a short trip. Stay near Reykholt and spend the day on the Golden Circle, or stay near Hella and join a South Coast tour to the waterfalls and black sand beaches. From Hella you can also take the Thorsmork Super Jeep Tour from Hella into the valley without driving the rivers yourself. If the sky is cloudy where you are sleeping, a guided Northern Lights tour from Reykjavík on another night gives you a second chance, since guides drive to where the sky is clearest. The Northern Lights Private Tour from Reykjavik does this with a guide just for your group.
Not driving in winter? Our 2- and 3-day tours and travel packages can include countryside stays with transport sorted, and we are happy to help you build a trip around a special night. The 8 Day Iceland Northern Lights Tour Package is a good place to start for a longer winter trip.
Tours that pair well with a glass-roof night:
Planning a honeymoon? See our honeymoon packages, with glass lodge nights and your own private guide or a self-drive route.
- Golden Circle Private Tour from Reykjavík: Þingvellir, Geysir and Gullfoss at your own pace, in the same area as the Reykholt bubbles.
- Northern Lights Private Tour from Reykjavik: a second chance at the aurora if your night under glass is cloudy.
- 8 Day Iceland Northern Lights Tour Package: more dark-season nights, with the planning done for you.
Questions people ask
Are there bubble hotels in Iceland?
Yes. Buubble has two forest bubble sites in South Iceland, one near Reykholt on the Golden Circle and one at Ölvisholt, a little over an hour from Reykjavík. There are also glass-roofed igloos, domes and glass lodges.
When can you see the Northern Lights from a bubble hotel?
From about late August to mid-April, on clear, dark nights with some solar activity. From late May to late July it is too bright to see the aurora.
Do bubble and igloo hotels have private bathrooms?
Not always. Buubble and standard Aurora Igloo units share a bathroom a short walk away. Panorama Glass Lodge, private Aurora Igloos and the deluxe Reykjavík Domes have their own.
Are the bubbles warm in winter?
Yes. They are heated, and Buubble says guests stay comfortably in temperatures of −10°C and below, with heated beds and double duvets in winter.
Which bubble or igloo hotel is closest to Reykjavík?
Reykjavík Domes, about 15 minutes' drive from the city centre. Buubble Ölvisholt is a little over an hour away.
Which bubble or igloo hotel is best for a honeymoon?
A glass lodge with a private hot tub, kitchen and bathroom, such as Panorama Glass Lodge, is the most comfortable choice for a honeymoon or anniversary. Bubbles and standard igloos are simpler and usually have shared bathrooms.
