Hótel Búðir to Double in Size

Work has begun on an addition to Hótel Búðir on the Snæfellsnes peninsula, West Iceland, Morgunblaðið reports. Once completed, the new addition will double the size of the hotel, increasing the number of rooms to 52 from the current 28. The new addition will include a basement with space for a kitchen, storage, coolers, laundry room, and more.

Adding on to the hotel has been on the agenda for a few years, but Örn Andrésson, one of the hotel owners, states that various factors delayed the plans. “There was COVID and more,” he explains. “But now, we’ve finally started, and excavation has begun. All permits are in. This, of course, is a nature reserve. Although we’re not within a national park, the lava is protected, and there are old ruins and more that must be taken into account.”

Excavation for the basement should be completed by the beginning of summer, and in the fall, the building will be erected from precast concrete units. “It should be up by the end of the year, and the goal is to be done with the [project] by spring next year,” Örn notes. “We will have to close [the hotel] sometime this winter, but for as short a period as possible, the reason being that the new and old buildings will have to be connected.”

A busy summer appears to be ahead. “In fact, we’re almost booked up,” Örn reveals. “June, July, August, and most of September are almost booked up. We’re up to 97 percent booked those months, which tells us the addition is needed.”