Ion Adventure Hotel

Architecture Tryggvi Thorsteinsson, Minarc

Architecture Tryggvi Thorsteinsson, Minarc

Ion’s austere past as a workers’ inn for a geothermal power plant served as canvas for its chic future.

The abandoned building was acquired in 2011 and—with the assistance of Santa Monica-based design studio Minarc—renovated, with a wing also added. The new elements of the structure were built using a panelized building system that exceeds environmentally safe building standards. The hotel’s position atop a series of pillars causes it to dramatically jut out of the slopes of Mount Hengill.

Interior design Erla Dogg Ingjaldsdottir, Minarc

Innovative materials, sustainable practices, and natural features: these are the hallmarks of design at Ion.

Bolstering the hotel’s mood as a secluded retreat are driftwood and other natural materials from the surrounding area. Fairtrade organic linens and wooden flooring are found in all accommodations, where the sustainable ethos of the hotel is also realized via water-saving shower systems and beds and chairs made from recycled materials.

Food & Drink Strange lights in the sky

Food & Drink Strange lights in the sky

The Northern Lights bar, a glass cage protruding from the end of the building, is designed for aurora borealis viewing.

Spa One with the elements

The artfully exposed Lava Spa ensures that visitors have the ultimate Icelandic experience before even stepping foot outside.