Travelers gather in this Akureyri hostel's welcoming café for coffee and conversation, challenge each other in the arcade, and recharge between Iceland adventures
Located in central Akureyri, this hostel offers social spaces and quiet retreats. Guests can sip coffee in the cozy café, enjoy the arcade/game room, or relax in the sauna. The Centre for Visual Arts is nearby for local culture enthusiasts.
Located by the ocean, Akureyri Backpackers is in Akureyri City Center, a neighborhood in Akureyri. The area's natural beauty can be seen at Akureyri Botanical Garden and Sulur, while Centre for Visual Arts and Hof - Cultural Center and Conference Hall are popular area attractions. Don't miss out on a visit to Hlidarfjall Akureyri. Fishing offers a great chance to get out on the surrounding water, or you can seek out an adventure with horse riding nearby. Visit our Akureyri travel guide
Located close to Centre for Visual Arts and Hof - Cultural Center and Conference Hall, Akureyri Backpackers provides a terrace, a coffee shop/cafe, and an arcade/game room. For some rest and relaxation, visit the sauna. Stay connected with free in-room WiFi, and guests can find other amenities such as laundry facilities and a bar.
You'll also enjoy perks such as:
Continental breakfast (surcharge), extended parking, and tour/ticket assistance
ATM/banking services, smoke-free premises, and luggage storage
Room features
All guestrooms at Akureyri Backpackers include amenities such as free WiFi.
Daily continental breakfast available 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM for a fee: EUR 15 per person
A bar/lounge
A coffee shop/cafe
A restaurant
Snack bar/deli
Things to do
Arcade/game room
Sauna
Ski passes
Family friendly
Arcade/game room
Laundry facilities
Snack bar/deli
Conveniences
ATM
Laundry facilities
Luggage storage
Guest services
Housekeeping (once per stay)
Tour and ticket assistance
Outdoors
Picnic area
Terrace
Accessibility
If you have requests for specific accessibility needs, please contact the property using the information on the reservation confirmation received after booking.
Grab bar near toilet
Upper floors accessible by stairs only
More
1 building
100% renewable energy
4 floors
Built in 1923
Smoking not allowed
Room amenities
Bedroom
Bedsheets provided
Bathroom
Shower
More
Heating
Policies
Check-in
Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 11 PM
Minimum check-in age: 18
Check-out
Check-out before 10 AM
Special check-in instructions
The front desk is open Monday - Thursday (7:00 AM - 11:00 PM) and Friday - Saturday (7:00 AM - noon)
Guests planning to arrive outside of normal check-in hours must contact the property in advance for check-in instructions and lockbox information; front desk staff will greet guests on arrival at the property
To make arrangements for check-in please contact the property at least 24 hours before arrival using the information on the booking confirmation
If you are planning to arrive after 11:00 PM please contact the property in advance using the information on the booking confirmation
Information provided by the property may be translated using automated translation tools
Access methods
Staffed front desk, lockbox
Pets
Pets not allowed
Children and extra beds
Children are welcome
Rollaway/extra beds are not available
Cribs (infant beds) are not available
Property payment types
Important information
Optional extras
Fee for continental breakfast: approximately EUR 15 per person
Towels fee: EUR 4 (or guests may bring their own)
The above list may not be comprehensive. Fees and deposits may not include tax and are subject to change.
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on property policy
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card, debit card, or cash deposit may be required at check-in for incidental charges
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges; special requests cannot be guaranteed
This property accepts credit cards; cash is not accepted
This property uses geothermal energy
Safety features at this property include a fire extinguisher and a smoke detector
How much does it cost to stay at Akureyri Backpackers?
As of 2026/3/9, prices found for a 1-night stay for 2 adults at Akureyri Backpackers on 2026/3/10 start from NT$2,669, excluding taxes and fees. This price is based on the lowest nightly price found in the last 24 hours for stays in the next 30 days. Prices are subject to change. Choose your dates for more accurate prices.
What time is check-in at Akureyri Backpackers?
Check-in start time: 2 PM; Check-in end time: 11 PM.
What time is check-out at Akureyri Backpackers?
Check-out is at 10 AM.
Where is Akureyri Backpackers located?
Located in Akureyri City Center, this hostel is steps from Centre for Visual Arts and Akureyri Church. Hof - Cultural Center and Conference Hall and Akureyri Botanical Garden are also within 15 minutes.
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Reviews
Akureyri Backpackers Reviews
8.2
Very Good
All reviews shown are from real guest experiences. Only travelers who have booked a stay with us can submit a review. We verify reviews according to our guidelines and publish all reviews, positive or negative.More informationOpens in a new window
The check-in was uncomplicated. The rooms are equipped with the most necessary and clean. Only the showers could have been a bit cleaner. The hostel has a good location. You can reach many sights in Akureyri by foot.
The shared facilities were the best for camping. The pods we slept in felt great although we flipped the mattress, the space the had many outlets, ample heat and insulated walls. Surrounding the area with cool walking paths to a lake and the waterfall by the restaurant was amazing! It's a dark zone to see the sky perfectly at night!
Very unique and convenient being above a restaurant! Bathrooms were clean. Bedroom was minimal and quiet! All check-in and check-out is online. Note: dinner stops at 8pm, but the bar stays open until 10pm. The staff was VERY friendly, which was so nice to talk to fellow travelers who happen to live and work in Iceland. HIGHLY recommend staying here for a night or two!
An original Akureyri building. In the middle of the shopping strip. Free parking one block away from 4pm-10am; totally free on weekends. Walkable to see all of the sights including the Harbor or Old Towne. They will also make Tour Arrangements for you. Close to the Forest Lagoon, which is open 10am-12am. Convenient to Husavik for Whale Watching and Puffin Sightings. Please note that shower facilities are in the basement. Each floor has multiple WCs and sinks. For a fee, there is a Laundry. It really doesn’t get dark in Akureyri so bring an Eye Mask. The Bar can get a little loud since there is outdoor seating. If this bothers you, bring earplugs. It did not bother me; I live near an airport and usually sleep with a lamp on! The only minus would be the rude Guests who don’t flush the toilets during the night. Not cool!
I had the double room. It is very basic, a bed, a small table with 2 chairs, 2 bedside tables, a bin, a mirror on the wall and some hooks for hanging clothes.
The bed was very comfortable, you can adjust the heating to your liking so my room was always comfortably warm.
The shared toilet facilities on my floor (3rd floor) were great...clean and always stocked.
I cannot comment on food or the showers as I did not use those options. But the showers are accessible next to the bar, but you will have to go down the stairs and past the restaurant/bar to get there.
Be aware this is a hostel and it will get very noisy on a Saturday night, there is no soundproofing.
Bit the Sunday and Monday I had the floor to myself so it was quiet.
Overall I had a good stay there.
If you book any tours with a pickup service, they will pick you up outside the entrance.
And do have a hotdog or two from the van down the road, they are good!
Booked a private room with shared bathroom at the hostel.
I arrived very late but had received the self check in instructions via email. All was good and I was able to get to my room without incident.
The room was spacious, clean and comfortable. The communal washing area and toilets were close which was helpful. I had a good nights sleep with the only problem being that all my electronics that I had put on charge overnight failed to charge. The next morning I discovered that when I turn the bedroom light out the socket I had them plugged into also turned off. Frustrating but what can you do. If anyone from the hostel is reading this then it would be a good idea to label these sockets with a warning.
Most parking in the centre of Akureyri is paid so I left my car in a car park over night and used the Easy Park app to work out how much I had to pay and pay for it. Worked perfectly.
I had my own breakfast which I ate in my room and then checked out, which was just matter of closing the door behind me. My experience was good overall and I would definitely use again, especially if the price is right.
Matthew
Stayed 1 night in May 2025
4/10 Poor
John
2025/10/4
Liked: Cleanliness
Disliked: Staff & service
You have to rent a towel for $5 to take a shower in the basement.
It was a homey atmosphere and right at the center of everything in the city. The staff was very helpful and kind and check in was very easy.
Rebecca
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023
6/10 Okay
Jennifer
2025/7/1
Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Room and bathroom good but fighting seagulls at 2 am in the back alley was very unpleasant.
Also no kitchen facilities - essential if you call yourself a hostel and showers in the basement through the pub no great situation.
Fun place, nice atmosphere and great pub in the middle of it all.
This is a hostel. With four floors and no elevator. It has no bathrooms in rooms, only on the floor, but they information about showers being in the basement was not disclosed prior to the trip. Yes, you can have shower going all the way downstairs in the basement passing the bar. The whole place smells like kitchen, and because of the bar downstairs. The rooms were dusty, but overall acceptable.
Anastasiya
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2025
8/10 Good
Tsvi
2025/9/23
Liked: Cleanliness
Overall it was ok. We stayed at the fourth floor, which was quiet, but the showers were in the basement and one had to go thru the bar at the ground floor to get there. The reception was at the bar counter and it was noisy and hard to understand house rules. Lastly the receptionist wasn’t too interested or inclined to provide additional details.
My boyfriend and I had a fantastic stay! The staff was unbelievably friendly and easy to talk to. The dorms were spacious and clean and we had the best time! I highly recommend it!
Great place to stay if you are looking for a hostel to make friends, have a great location within the city, enjoy Iceland. A little loud at times but that is to be expected.
According to other reviews, this hostel used to have a kitchen (which was ripped out) and the restaurant below plays music till 11pm. Facilities are below par for a hostel - please avoid
Good cheap spot for a night. Definitely had a college vibe to it, people up partying late. The room was nice and big with lots of outlets. The showers were not so great. I didn't mind them being in the basement so much, but it's the kind of shower you want to wear flip flops in, and mine completely flooded out into the main area, luckily I was the only one in there. At least the shower stalls are large!
Lauren
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023
4/10 Poor
Scott
2023/3/28
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities
It's a wonderful property but this is NOT family friendly. It is really clean and location is really convenient to shopping and dining. Double edged sword - there is a bar on the main floor and it is extremely loud, until 1am or later on weekends making it nearly impossible for children to sleep. Might be quieter during the week but would certainly not recommend with kids on the weekend (maybe I should have known better). However, if a party atmosphere with some friends is what you are looking for I would imagine this spot would be a blast.
The conditions at this hotel are extremely poor. The rooms lack basic amenities, including toilets, washbasins, chairs, and towels, and provide only two beds. The second floor has about eight rooms, accommodating over 50 people, but everyone shares just two toilets and washbasins, which is highly inconvenient. A noisy bar downstairs adds to the discomfort. User reviews on Travelocity rate the hotel as “Excellent,” but these likely refer to the bar rather than the accommodations. Most unacceptable is the pricing policy: the earlier you book, the higher the price, and reservations are non-cancelable. I booked a room six months in advance for $300, while a week-long stay was only $150. I strongly advise against booking here. This is not a standard hotel; it’s the worst I’ve ever stayed in—overpriced, poorly equipped, and far below typical hotel standards. The booking price does not reflect the abysmal facilities and conditions.
One of the worst stays in a hostel, especially in Iceland.
On the property details it lists a guest kitchen and a laundromat but neither are actually available there. They listed free parking but the one they suggested was actually paid and a bit far. The place was also very noisy and creaked a lot when people passed through. It doesn't help that the hostel is above the bar which can get very loud.
Even the soap outside the toilets was empty and the WiFi was a but dodgy.