Dimmuborgir Guesthouse

We did visit Iceland driving the ring road for 13 days and spent 2 nights in Lake Myvatn. We had a very pleasant time at Dimmuborgir Guesthouse. It was an opportunity to visit everything around and come back and relax at a very nice place. |Located just next to lake Myvatn, it is an excellent departure point to visit the main points of interest in the area like the Hverjfjall Crater, Hverir hot post, Lake Myvatn and its pseudo craters as well as the lava fields and the local wonderful Myvatn Nature baths (Jarbodin Baths). This is a local family-run guesthouse, and one can see that they did put a lot of care and taste into the details that make this a special place to stay. |Our cabin/cottage for 3 people (couple plus adult daughter), was equipped with a nice room with 2 very comfortable bunk beds, the lower deck being a double bed. There was a kitchenette and lounge/eating area and a bathroom. It was equipped with everything needed to cook, very cozy and comfortable. It also has a parking space and an outside area with a table and chairs. |There is also a common kitchen in the compound, in case you need a microwave and any extra dishware.|We booked our 2 nights stay directly through Dimmuborgir Guesthouse webpage and the contact was easy and reliable. Also booked the Nature baths through the guesthouse with a good discount. |Breakfast, served at the main house with lake views, is very good, varied and of fantastic quality, with homemade local products. |We were very happy with our accommodation choice in Myvatn so we recommend that you book Dimmuborgir guesthouse, preferably more than one night because there is a lot to see and do and you might have a good pause here to refill your energy before continuing your Icelandic amazing discoveries.

2nd trip in Iceland and 2nd time staying here. There is not much choice in the area but that does not detract from the cottages. They are cozy and close to the geothermal areas, dettifoss, etc. I stayed in the new large cottage with the hot tub but it was not worth the cost, very sparse inside. If there is a 3rd time I would stay in one of the smaller cabins.

The location is right on the lake, offering an amazing view if you walk out the back of the reception/breakfast house. You can easily access the lake, and the area is filled with flowers—calm and beautiful. There are two dogs on site, both super friendly and cute. Breakfast was included and was one of the best we've had so far. There was homemade smoked trout, lamb, ham, multiple types of bread, eggs, waffles, coffee, tea, juice, fruit—everything you could want for breakfast. The view is breathtaking; you can sit right by the lake, either inside or outside. The room, unfortunately, was the weakest part of the stay. 3 out of 5 stars at best. It was very hot when we checked in, and they suggested opening the windows to cool it down as there was no fan. Opening the windows wasn't really an option due to the large number of midges that would fly right in. We waited until 7 PM to open the window, and luckily it was windy, so the midges weren’t as bad. You can borrow free head net from the reception. The room had full blackout shades, which were easy to raise but tricky to lower—you have to push down a small metal piece to release the string. The walls were quite thin, and the bathroom only provided hand soap—no shampoo or other toiletries.

We stayed here in June 2025. This room was booked using a travel agent. Even though a credit card was used to reserve the room with the understanding they would take the full payment the company chose to hold the reservation. We arrived at the guesthouse and needed to pay the full amount which we paid. A few days later we were billed again. We called them on the phone and were told that our information was texted to their billing manager. We have yet to receive a refund or even a reply to our numerous email attempts. We are now having to dispute this through our credit card. ||Otherwise our stay wasn't bad. The breakfast was good and there were lots of choices. The room was clean although small. We were disappointed in the breakfast hall as the request was for people to remove their shoes. There was a large group of loud rude guests who kept their dirty hiking boots on while the rest of us wore our socks.

Our stay at Dimmuborgir Guesthouse was very pleasant and peaceful. The room was small but cozy, clean, and had its own private bathroom, which we really appreciated. It was facing the crater, offering beautiful views right from the window. A shared kitchen was located just across from the room – well-equipped and convenient for preparing simple meals. The entire area is quiet and surrounded by stunning volcanic scenery, right by Lake Mývatn. Breakfast was tasty and made from local ingredients. The hosts were kind and welcoming.

I cannot comment on the rooms or facilities, but the communication from the owner was unacceptable.|I booked through a portal and repeatedly tried to obtain confirmation directly from the guesthouse, as I was unsure whether my booking had been processed. Despite several attempts, I never received a single reply—even after sending a formal cancellation notice.||Because of this silence, I secured alternative accommodation. Nevertheless, after the intended stay date, my credit card was immediately charged. Only when I filed a complaint did I suddenly receive an instant response—clear proof that my previous emails had been received but ignored. Their reply merely pointed to the original booking confirmation, without any explanation for their complete lack of communication.||In short: dealing with Dimmuborgir Guesthouse was a deeply frustrating experience. Perhaps it works out for some, but their unprofessional conduct makes me hope such practices eventually put them out of business.

BEWARE OF STAYING DURING SUMMER: For those that are not aware, Mývatn translates to Lake of Midges (AKA flies). When warmer outside, there are swarms and swarms. If you walk outside, over 100 will land/cover you during the summer. This seems like common knowledge. However, there was not a single screen on any of the windows of our cabins. They cleaned the cabin and left the windows shut due to the flies. When we entered, the heat was unbearable as the cabin had been in the heat with no aeration. We went to reception to possibly ask for a fan because if we opened the windows, our cabin would have been swarmed with flies. The man just told us that it is what it is. He was very dismissive. I’m sure it’s very beautiful during cooler months but I would avoid this place during the warmer months, especially if you are skiddish around bugs.

The Dimmuborgir Guesthouse offers an array of lodging options, all of which look like simple rustic cabins. This was a return visit for us and the first time we (wife, me) stayed in the smallest cabin. The location is right on Lake Myvatn and the grounds offers some great views, especially of sunset over the lake. The nights are quiet. The breakfast is solid and has some interesting features: their home smoked trout and lamb, hard-boiled duck eggs, a push-button coffee-espresso machine and warm bread, along with cereal, yogurt, some fresh fruit. If you enjoy smoked fish, the smoked trout (which they sell) is the best I've had.|||Shortcomings: The living space is crowed for even two people so while it is advertised to sleep more (and it can), keep that it mind. The cabin is all wood with what looks like a fair amount of after-the-fact retrofitting, so...not luxurious but mostly functional. The rooms are not light-tight so you will want a sleep mask if darkness is important to you; the summer Icelandic sun will illuminate your room throughout the night. The kitchen working space is seriously small. The kitchen is poorly equipped for anything other than boiling water. The limited cookware lacked a lid and there is no oven. They should update their cookware and provide a plug-in air fryer as a space-saving alternative.||the larger rooms are more comfortable (and more expensive) which I will keep in mind when I return to this part of Iceland.