So I’m willing to assume if you have access to the internet, you have seen images of those heated igloos with glass tops in places like Finland and Norway.  But then you look it up and realize how expensive most of them are so you are forced put it in your “maybe one day” box.  WELL, GOOD NEWS. There’s one thats slightly more budget friendly, but equally as amazing.  You can stay in a “Buubble” in Iceland!  I was luckily enough to get the opportunity to do just that 🙂

Located near Reykholt, the Buubble property is in the heart of Thingvellir Park, but far away from any city lights and tourist activities.  This allows for perfect viewing opportunities of either the stars or the northern lights, without having to leave the comfort of your own little heated bubble. (Of course depending on the weather and solar activity).  This is so convenient if you are “chasing the lights” as you just need to open your eyes to look, instead of getting out of bed and running outside or down the road to look!

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view from bed on a clear night

photo cred to goingawesomeplaces.com ^

There are a couple different varieties of bubbles on the property, varying slightly in structure, but they all contain the same stuff on the inside.  Some are made entirely out of  a thick plastic material, while others have an aluminum structure.  They ALL have a transparent roof for sky viewing opportunities all day and night 🙂  I stayed in the “Maria” (aluminum structure).  It was raised up so a tad harder to enter, but it also had more privacy since the bottom half was not transparent.  Here are photos of 2 types:

The property is privately owned and very quiet.  The owners meet you  briefly when you check in to show you around the property and then they leave for the night.  Then it’s time to relax and enjoy the views!  During my stay, I unfortunately had the worst weather possible (completely overcast and raining)… yet I still LOVED it.  I  was so comfortable and didn’t want to leave.  So I can’t imagine how amazing it is when you see the northern lights from bed (a lot of people get to!)

*Here’s the answers to the most FAQ’S I received after staying here:

Were you cold in the bubble?

• NO! Despite it being January & about 25 degrees and windy outside, I was actually almost hot most of the time.  The mattresses that you lay on are individually heated.  That is what keeps you warm the most.  There is a control that you can change the heat setting on for that.  When it was all the way up, I was sweating.  I ended up turning it down to low.  If that isn’t enough for you, heated blankets are also provided to put on top of you (like 5 of them).  And lastly, there is a portable heater that heats the air in the bubble.  You can adjust the settings on that as well.  In conclusion: you will not be cold.
  

  space heater for air

  

  control for heated mattress

Where did you go to the bathroom?

• The property has a small building with full bathrooms on it.  This is a shared building between all 6 bubble’s on the property.  You obviously have to walk from your bed to the building, but it is a very short walk.  It is newly renovated and very nice.  It contained 2 separate full bathrooms complete with TP and hand soap  (meaning 2 toilets, 2 showers, 2 sinks total for property).
  

  the shared bathroom and kitchen building on property

  

What did you do for food?

• There is a restaurant nearby if you want to eat out and a small grocery store about 15 minutes away if you want to save money and stock up yourself.  The same building that has the bathroom, also has a full kitchen in it to cook or keep your groceries in. (Again, it is shared with the other people staying on property).  The kitchen had a fridge, stove, coffee pot, table, dishes, and all the basics to cook a basic meal.  I personally went out to dinner and kept granola bars, crackers, fruit, etc. in my bag and snacked on that if I got hungry.  I did see others on the property happily cooking in the kitchen though 🙂
  

  self serve kitchen

  

  kitchen table

What is included in the price?

• As mentioned above, a full kitchen and bathroom is included at no extra cost.  In the buubble there are heated blankets, heaters, and plenty of pillows.  There is no wifi, no television, and no luxurious amenities.  But it is all part of the experience and really worth it to do something different in life.  The only thing I recommend bringing is some food to snack on, shower towels, and possibly something to do if you aren’t content with just nature (maybe a book or game).  I  had a portable wifi device with me, so was able to show the world where I was at the time 🙂
  

  some of the pillows and blankets included (more blankets not shown)

Was the price affordable?

• That depends on your opinion and budget.  It is definitely cheaper than other “igloo” properties in the world.. but in no means is it “cheap” or for budget travelers.  I am usually a budget traveler but chose to “splurge” for a night here and do NOT regret it.  I think I paid about $270 USD/night.  BUT not bad at all when you compare that to say, Kakslauttanen igloos prices, which ranges from 500-800 USD/night!
•  The price varies depending which igloo you choose, but only varies by a couple of dollars.  Refer to their website for more information on prices: Buubble.com

If you have any other questions feel free to email me at KellyNicoleTravel@gmail.com or refer to their website Bubble.com ! Happy Travels !

-Kelly

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