Buubble — nicknamed the “5 Million Star Hotel” — planted the transparent-bubble concept in Iceland’s dark, remote countryside. Each clear bubble gives you a private, heated, see-through room aimed straight at the sky: the Milky Way in summer, and the Northern Lights on clear winter nights.
Why it made our list
It’s the original Icelandic bubble stay, and the setting is the point — genuinely dark skies within reach of the Golden Circle and South Coast, so you can watch the heavens from a warm bed and still see Iceland’s greatest hits by day. A nearby service house has the bathroom, shower, and kitchen.
What guests say
Reviews are enthusiastic on experience but honest on the practicalities:
- Stargazing and aurora borealis-watching from bed are the highlights.
- Guests love the seclusion and the novelty.
- The honest cautions: bubbles offer privacy of setting but limited soundproofing, the bathroom is a short walk away, and — importantly — Buubble is now booked only as part of a guided tour (with transport included), not as an independent room.
The consensus: go for the setting and the sky, and treat it as a tour experience rather than a standard hotel booking.
Good to know
- Price: from roughly $500 per person, booked as a Golden Circle or South Coast tour package.
- Best time to visit: September–March for aurora borealis; summer for the midnight sun.
- Getting there: transport is included from the meeting point near Reykjavík.
- Suits: couples, aurora borealis hopefuls, stargazers.
Details verified against the operator’s site at time of writing. Prices and booking model change — confirm current details before booking.