A new 31-room hotel has opened in the farmlands of South Iceland, and it makes a case for seeing the country differently: one base, unhurried days, no televisions in the rooms. 360 Hotel was created by two Icelandic families who, fittingly, trace their family trees back to the same great-great-great grandparents. It is also the first Icelandic property in Preferred Hotels & Resorts' L.V.X. Collection.

The location does a lot of the work. The hotel sits about an hour from Reykjavík and 15 minutes from Selfoss, which puts the Golden Circle, the South Coast and Vík within easy day-trip range, with longer runs possible towards the Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon. The idea is simple: explore all day, then come back to the same firelit base each evening instead of repacking your bags.

The interiors lean into Icelandic heritage without going theme-park. Designer Guðbjörg Anna Árnadóttir, sister of one of the owners, used timber panelling inspired by older Icelandic buildings, plus turf, fireplaces and tactile natural materials. There's a quirkier family detail too: every room carries a poster referencing the Rafskinna, a motorised 'magic book' with automatically turning pages that one owner's grandfather built for a Reykjavík shop window in 1932, which became a beloved Christmas fixture in the city.

No two rooms are alike. Accommodation spans Terrace Rooms from 27 square metres with private outdoor space, three Junior Queen rooms with two queen beds for families, connecting rooms, and a 100-square-metre, two-bedroom 360 Suite with panoramic views. All come with heated floors, Norwegian Jensen beds and nightly turndown — but no TVs. Film fans can use the hotel cinema instead, and the owners lean into the old Icelandic tradition of long, dark evenings spent on books, cards and board games, sometimes joining guests themselves.

Food is a genuine draw. Hnaus Restaurant, an 80-seater run by Hinrik Örn Lárusson — Icelandic Chef of the Year 2024, who grew up at his family's Hotel Hekla nearby — works on a farm-to-fork basis, with dairy from the family-run Gunnbjarnarholt farm and lamb from neighbouring farms. The menu shifts with the seasons, and there are chef's table dinners and gourmet picnics for days out.

Wellness is built around geothermal water piped from a nearby farm: a 350-square-metre sanctuary with two hot pools overlooking the countryside, two saunas (one infrared), cold plunge facilities and treatment rooms, plus a gym and yoga studio if you feel obliged. Winter stays get a clever extra: the Northern Lights Wake Up Service, where staff monitor the sky and knock only if the aurora actually shows, so you can skip the midnight alarm vigils.

Why it matters: Iceland's ring road dash can feel like a checklist. This is a hotel built for the opposite trip — pick a comfortable base, go deep on one region, and let the weather and the light dictate the pace. It suits couples after a quiet design-led escape as much as families who want space and connecting rooms, and it works year-round thanks to the aurora season in winter and long summer evenings.