If you find yourself driving in Iceland, prepare for lots of spontaneous stops to admire the stunning scenery and snap a few photos. It’s hard to resist, and that’s exactly how we ended up arriving late at our next destination after our horse riding adventure at Hestheimar.
Our last stop for the evening was the Frost and Fire hotel, a place nestled in beautiful natural surroundings that really knows how to make the most of its location. They have an outdoor heated pool, several hot tubs by the river, and meals prepared using natural lava heat!
As soon as we arrived, we were focused on one thing—food. We hurriedly dropped our stuff in the rooms and headed straight to the hotel’s restaurant. The food was incredible, and we couldn’t stop talking about it. We must have been the loudest table with our exclamations of “Mmmmm…” and “Delicious!” echoing through the room. The Icelandic cuisine had been fantastic on this trip, and we indulged in every available course, complemented by plenty of wine, which we felt we earned after a day of learning to ride horses.
We started with a specially prepared salmon appetizer from the chef, which really set the tone for the meal. This was served with freshly baked bread generously spread with Icelandic butter—amazing stuff! Next, we savored hot smoked goose with brie and raspberries, along with a creamy langoustine soup, known as Varmá special. For the main course, Lloyd and Georgia enjoyed Bacalao with butternut squash, olives, and a tomato-herb butter sauce. Chris and I chose lamb chops and lamb shank, cooked in the hot spring, with mini-potatoes and an Iceland moss-infused sauce. For dessert, Lloyd, Georgia, and I opted for carrot cake cooked in the hot spring and paired with Iceland moss ice cream. Chris couldn’t resist the chocolate dream with vanilla ice cream and creamed mascarpone.
After dinner, we headed to the hot tubs with more wine, enjoying the peaceful scenery and reminiscing about our Icelandic adventures so far. Officially, we planned the next day’s activities, but honestly, there was more wine-drinking than planning. We intended to stay in the hot tubs briefly, but before we knew it, it was 1:30 am.
The next morning, we quickly grabbed breakfast and returned to our rooms to pack for the next leg of our journey. One or all of us might have nodded off after a hearty breakfast that included freshly made waffles, fruits, cereal, fresh breads, meats, and cheeses. If it was available for breakfast, we ate it! After our naps, we finally bid farewell to the Frost and Fire hotel, although just for a short while, as we planned to return after seeing more incredible sights in Iceland, including the Northern Lights—but that’s a story for another time.