Our Hotels
Keahotels is one of the largest hotel chains in Iceland operating ten hotels. Together the hotels provide over 800 rooms and service travelers, local and foreign, all year round.
Reykjavík — Capital
Vík — South Iceland
Akureyri — North Iceland
Siglufjörður — North Iceland
Grímsnes — South Iceland
Top Attractions Near Hótel Grímsborgir: A Guide to the Golden Circle
Staying at Hótel Grímsborgir places you in one of the best locations in South Iceland for exploring the famous Golden Circle and the surrounding countryside.
Within a short drive you’ll find volcanic craters, charming Icelandic towns, geothermal lagoons, and some of the country’s most famous natural wonders. The best part is that many of these attractions are less than 30–40 minutes from the hotel by car.
Below is a guide to some of the most interesting places near Hótel Grímsborgir, including where to park and how far they are from the hotel.
Kerið Crater
Distance from Hótel Grímsborgir: 9 km – approx. 10 minutes
Parking: Free on-site parking is available. There is an entrance fee that goes toward site preservation. As of 2025 the fee is ISK 700. The walk from the car to the rim is just a few steps.
Kerið is one of the most visually striking natural attractions in South Iceland. Unlike the typical black volcanic landscapes, this crater is a vivid, fiery red. This is because it is a "geological toddler" at only 3,000 years old; the iron deposits in the surrounding lava rocks haven't fully oxidized into a dull black yet.
What makes it truly special is the contrast between the red walls and the bright turquoise lake at the bottom. The acoustics inside the bowl are nearly perfect, which is why the artist Björk famously performed a concert here on a floating raft. You can walk the full perimeter of the rim in about 15 minutes or take the wooden stairs down to the water’s edge for a different perspective.
Selfoss
Distance from Hótel Grímsborgir: 15 km – approx. 15 minutes
Parking: Ample free parking is available throughout the town center, particularly near the Old Dairy Food Hall and along the main streets.
Selfoss is the largest residential hub in the area and serves as the main service center for South Iceland. It’s the perfect place to stop for groceries, visit a local bakery, or enjoy a meal. Despite the name (which means "Seal Falls"), there is no major waterfall in the town, travelers often end up here by mistake while looking for the "Selfoss" waterfall located in North Iceland!
What to do in Selfoss:
- Sigtún (New Town Center): This area was designed as an architectural "greatest hits" of Iceland. Developers reconstructed dozens of historic buildings that had been lost to time across the country.
- The Old Dairy (Mjólkurbúið): A modern food hall where you can try local dishes and visit "Skyrland," a museum dedicated entirely to Iceland’s famous yogurt-like superfood.
- Riverbank Walks: The town sits on the banks of the Ölfusá River, offering scenic paths for a morning stroll.
Þingvellir National Park
Distance from Hótel Grímsborgir: 22 km – approx. 25 minutes
Parking: Paid parking is available at several lots (P1 near the visitor center is the most popular). You can pay via the Parka app or on-site kiosks. As of 2025 the fee for a car is from ISK 1,000.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, Þingvellir is where history and geology collide. It is the site of the world’s oldest parliament, established in 930 AD, where Viking leaders met to set laws and settle blood feuds. Geologically, it is a "no-man's-land," sitting directly on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge where the North American and Eurasian tectonic plates are pulling apart by about 2 cm every year.
Don't Miss:
Almannagjá Gorge: Walk through the massive rift between the tectonic plates.
Silfra Fissure: This crack is filled with glacial water filtered through lava rock for up to 100 years. It is the clearest water on Earth, and you can even go snorkeling or diving between the two continents.
Brúarfoss
Distance from Hótel Grímsborgir: 38 km – approx. 40 minutes
Parking: Use the official "Brúarfoss Parking" lot (opened in 2023) off Road 37. It is a paid lot (as of 2025 approx. 750 ISK) but reduces the trip to a quick 5-minute walk.
Brúarfoss is often called "Iceland’s bluest waterfall." The water is a vivid, electric turquoise that looks almost artificial in photos. This color is caused by the way the sunlight reflects off the glacial silt as the water flows through a narrow, horseshoe-shaped crack in the volcanic rock.
The name means "Bridge Falls," referring to a natural stone arch that once crossed the river. Legend has it that the bridge was destroyed in 1602 by a church official to prevent starving peasants from crossing the river to reach the wealthier lands during a famine.
Geysir
Distance from Hótel Grímsborgir: 54 km – approx. 45 minutes
Parking: A large parking area is located directly across from the geothermal field, next to the Geysir Center (which includes a restaurant and gift shop). As of 2025 the fee for a car is from ISK 1,000.
This is the place that gave all other "geysers" their name. While the original Great Geysir is mostly dormant today, its neighbor Strokkur is the star of the show. It erupts every 5–10 minutes, blasting boiling water up to 40 meters into the sky.
The water you see erupting actually starts as rainwater that seeps 2,000 meters underground, where it is superheated by magma before being forced back up. Because the water is between 80°C and 100°C, it is vital to stay behind the ropes, even the steam can cause severe burns.
Gullfoss
Distance from Hótel Grímsborgir: 63 km – approx. 55 minutes
Parking: Large free of charge parking lots are available at both the upper and lower levels, offering different perspectives of the falls.
Gullfoss (the "Golden Falls") is one of Iceland's most powerful and iconic landmarks. The Hvítá river plunges in two stages into a deep, rugged canyon. On sunny days, the mist creates constant rainbows, and the sediment-rich water takes on a golden hue, giving the falls its name.
The waterfall exists today thanks to Sigríður Tómasdóttir, who fought a legal battle (and threatened to jump into the falls) to stop foreign investors from building a hydroelectric dam here. Her persistence made her Iceland’s first true environmentalist, and a memorial to her stands near the upper viewpoint.
Geothermal Lagoons Near Hótel Grímsborgir
After a day of exploring volcanic craters and thundering waterfalls, there is no better way to end your journey than by soaking in a natural hot spring. The region surrounding Hótel Grímsborgir is one of the most active geothermal areas in the country.
For a complete guide to the best places to relax,from the historic Secret Lagoon to the modern Laugarvatn Fontana check out our full article on the Top Hot Springs and Geothermal Lagoons Near Grímsborgir.
