At first I drive right past it, but then I catch the shrinking red sign in my rear-view mirror after all. I turn around, drive into the small village of Rif and take a left. The big red-and-black building sits there rather unspectacularly. Nobody answers the door, which carries a sign pointing out that check-in starts at 5 pm. Just as I’m about to drive off, a car parks next to mine, a face that somehow looks familiar gets out and hops through the door into the large hall. Inside I meet Kári Viðarsson, the creator and operator of the Freezer Hostel here on Snæfellsnes…
It started as a theater…
Kári Viðarsson grew up here, went off to England to study acting and came back. The building, a former fish factory where he had worked as a kid and teenager, wouldn’t let go of him. The owner allowed him to use the old freezer plant as a space for his first steps in theater. Kári set up shop, staged his first performances and then started bringing other artists here as well. That went on for a few years, until the owners wanted to sell the building.
Then it became a hostel…
Kári couldn’t imagine giving up this wonderful building, so he started thinking about what could be done with it. All the artists he brought here needed a place to stay, and around the same time tourism in the region was picking up as well. So the obvious idea of opening a hostel was put into action in 2014: the Freezer Hostel was born. From 4-, 6- and 8-bed dorms to three small holiday houses for small families, you can book pretty much anything here.
Today it’s a cultural center…
The moment you step inside the building you notice that a place for creativity has been created here. By creatives, for creatives. The walls are covered with drawings, paintings, photos and old maps. Preserving the local heritage and sharing it with international guests matters a lot to Kári: the film posters are from Icelandic movies, the paintings show local animals, the pictures feature actors and musicians from the region. You’ll search for his performances on Youtube just as much in vain as in Reykjavik: the art is local and stays local.
While I’m there, the hostel is nevertheless nicely filled — with artists from all over the world, with tourists and of course Kári himself. In the neighboring village, various buildings are currently being decorated with works by these artists. One house wall will soon feature the portrait of Iceland’s only serial killer: so not entirely free of controversy. Just the way art should be!
Sights around the Freezer Hostel on Snæfellsnes
There are quite a few sights around the hostel — I describe most of them in detail in my travel report from Snæfellsnes, so here’s just a rough overview.
Only about fifteen minutes from the hostel lies the famous waterfall Kirkjufellsfoss, which should invite photographers in particular to a one-of-a-kind photo session. The waterfall sits right in front of a beautiful mountain, Kirkjufell, and is a popular subject. Especially beautiful in the evening hours or with the northern lights.
Just one village over there is a small beach, and a bit further behind it two lighthouses: my little insider tip for you, because to get there you need a 4×4. Accordingly there are often not quite as many people here, and the area around the lighthouses is breathtakingly beautiful. On this trip I’m driving a Subaru Forester from Lotus Car Rental and I’m really glad I can drive through the rugged, rocky landscape safely and relaxed. Once again, many thanks for providing it. Which I must and hereby happily do declare as advertising!
That village is also home to the murals on the old fish factory, which were created in April and May 2018.
Verdict: the Freezer Hostel on Snæfellsnes
If you’re traveling around Snæfellsnes and looking for a special place to stay, there’s hardly any way around the Freezer Hostel. Campervans are welcome here too. Groups can fall back on the holiday apartments, which are located in the neighboring village. Unfortunately there are no double rooms at the hostel, so if you’re traveling as a couple or looking for a certain level of luxury, you might not find what you’re after here. But bringing a bit of creativity and variety into the trip for one night was something I personally found really exciting, and I can genuinely recommend a visit accordingly.
Have fun in Iceland!
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