Staying connected while driving in Iceland is easier than ever—but it still pays to plan ahead, especially when you’re exploring the wild and beautiful west. Whether you’re navigating remote fjords, checking the weather, or sharing photos in real time, a reliable connection can make your road trip smoother, safer, and more enjoyable.
For many travelers, the west of Iceland is a highlight: Borgarfjörður’s lava fields and hot springs, the magical Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and the dramatic Westfjords. Ourhotels.is has comfortable, well-located inns along this route—Hvítá Inn in Borgarfjörður (near Borgarnes), The Stykkishólmur Inn on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, and Ísafjörður Inn in the Westfjords—making it easy to combine adventure with modern comforts and good Wi‑Fi.
### Mobile coverage on the road
Iceland’s main roads, including the Ring Road and most of the popular routes in the west, have surprisingly good mobile coverage. Around Borgarnes and Borgarfjörður, you’ll usually have a stable 4G connection, which makes it simple to use online maps, check road conditions, and stay in touch.
As you drive farther out—towards Snæfellsnes and especially into the Westfjords—coverage can become patchy between towns. You might lose signal in mountain passes, deep fjords, or along less-traveled coastal roads. This is part of the charm of Iceland’s wilderness, but it’s also why having reliable “base camps” with strong Wi‑Fi, like those offered by Ourhotels.is, is so valuable.
### Using Wi‑Fi at your hotels as your “connection hub”
A smart way to stay connected is to treat your hotel as your daily planning hub. All Ourhotels.is properties offer Wi‑Fi, so you can download maps, check forecasts, and send updates before you hit the road.
– **Hvítá Inn – Borgarfjörður (near Borgarnes)**
This cozy inn is perfectly placed for exploring west Iceland’s waterfalls, hot springs, and lava fields. Use the Wi‑Fi here to download offline maps for the next leg of your journey, whether you’re heading north towards the Westfjords or west to Snæfellsnes. It’s also a great place to check live road conditions and weather, which can change quickly in this region.
– **The Stykkishólmur Inn – Snæfellsnes Peninsula**
Stykkishólmur is a charming harbor town and a natural stopover when exploring the “miniature Iceland” of Snæfellsnes. At The Stykkishólmur Inn, you can back up your photos, upload your latest shots of Kirkjufell or Snæfellsjökull, and plan the next day’s route. The town itself has decent mobile coverage, but once you drive out to more remote beaches and cliffs, you’ll be glad you prepared your navigation and information in advance.
– **Ísafjörður Inn – Westfjords**
The Westfjords are one of the most remote and spectacular regions in Iceland. Mobile coverage can be limited outside the main towns, so having a strong connection at Ísafjörður Inn is especially useful. Spend your evenings here checking weather windows for mountain passes, looking up hiking routes, and downloading offline content for the next day’s adventures to places like Dynjandi waterfall or the outer fjords.
### Practical tips for staying connected
To make the most of your time on the road in west Iceland, consider a few simple steps:
1. **Get a local SIM or eSIM**
Many visitors find it convenient to buy an Icelandic SIM card or eSIM with data. This gives you better coverage and often more affordable data than roaming. You can set this up before you leave your home country or pick one up in Reykjavík before heading west.
2. **Download offline maps**
Even with good coverage, it’s wise to download offline maps for areas like Snæfellsnes and the Westfjords. Use the Wi‑Fi at Hvítá Inn, The Stykkishólmur Inn, or Ísafjörður Inn to save maps and routes so you’re never fully dependent on a live connection.
3. **Check road and weather conditions daily**
Iceland’s weather can change quickly, and so can driving conditions. Each evening, use your hotel’s Wi‑Fi to check the next day’s forecast and road status. This is especially important in winter or shoulder seasons, and particularly relevant when driving to or from the Westfjords.
4. **Use cloud backups when you’re at the hotel**
Instead of relying on mobile data to upload photos and videos, let your phone or camera sync to the cloud while you’re on the hotel Wi‑Fi. That way, your memories are safely backed up, and you’re not burning through your data allowance.
5. **Plan communication “check-in” times**
If you’re traveling solo or in a small group, it can be reassuring to let friends or family know when you’ll be in and out of coverage. Use your evenings at Ourhotels.is properties to send updates, share your location, and plan your next check-in.
### Balancing connection and disconnection
One of the joys of driving in west Iceland is the feeling of being far from the everyday rush. There will be stretches of road where your phone shows no signal at all—and that’s part of the experience. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy those offline moments fully, knowing that you’ll be back online once you return to your inn.
Staying at **Hvítá Inn**, **The Stykkishólmur Inn**, and **Ísafjörður Inn** with Ourhotels.is gives you a comfortable, connected base at each stage of your journey: close to nature, but with the modern conveniences you need to travel safely and share your adventure. Use your time online to prepare, then let the landscapes of west Iceland invite you to look up from your screen and simply enjoy the road.
