"Like a mirage in the desert, the 45-room Ion Adventure Hotel seems to materialize out of thin air. Built into the side of a mountain, half of the property stands on what look like elaborate stilts. Although it's less than an hour east of Reykjavik, the Ion's isolation makes it a popular first stop for international travelers doing bigger cross-country drives as well as for Reykjavikers who want a peaceful, but action-filled weekend getaway—think fissure-diving and -snorkeling at Silfra in Thingvellir National Park, where North American and Eurasian tectonic plates meet, or a glacier trek at Sólheimajökull. Pluis there's no need to swim with the masses at the Blue Lagoon: Tucked underneath the hotel is a thermal pool where guests can relax and warm up while hoping to spot the Northern Lights from the bar."
