At a time when finding genuinely odd places to go on holiday is becoming ever more of a challenge, it’s reassuring to know that one of the world’s most unusual and frankly peculiar destinations lies only an hour’s flying time from Britain’s northernmost tip. It has Europe’s largest waterfalls, glaciers and, yes, deserts, and a population the size of Ealing’s who grow taller, read more and shop harder than any other. And who, in 53 per cent of cases, believe in elves.

You have come to Iceland.

After arriving at the Ikea-inspired Keflavik airport, the 50-kilometre transfer to the capital Reykjavik provides an insight into the country’s volcanic origins. With the bracing Atlantic Ocean on the left-hand side, the road cuts through a barren, rocky landscape dotted with natural fissures and hot pools.

While the outskirts of Reykjavik are uninspiring, the view improves as you approach the city centre. Just past the main bus station the road narrows into an attractive thoroughfare lined with cafes, restaurants and boutiques. There are neat rows of brightly painted terraced houses and wide footpaths. Everything is clean, fresh and modern and there’s that unmistakable air of Scandinavian prosperity. Despite being home to 40 per cent of the population, Reykjavik feels more like a small town. Its compact size makes it easy to explore on foot and an almost non-existent crime rate means you don’t have to worry about wandering into a dodgy suburb.

Gudlaug Dadadottir is the owner of Alaborg Apartments vacation rental agency. She says that visitors to Iceland get great value for their money when they stay in their Reykjavik apartments in Iceland. “Vacation rentals provide an exclusive and inexpensive accommodation alternative for families or small groups opposed to hotel rooms, which often are unsuitable for family vacations and can be prohibitively expensive,” says Dadadottir.

Foreign tourists looking for affordable accommodation in Iceland without compromising on exclusivity and convenience get great value for their money while staying in vacation rentals, rather than in a hotel or a guesthouse. Traditional options for accommodation while on holiday in Iceland sometimes prove too costly for families and small groups. Owners of apartments have taken advantage of Alaborg’s convenient booking service. These privately owned apartments are available in Reykjavik and surrounding areas.

The vacation rentals are used both by Icelanders as well as foreign visitors. Most of the Reykjavik vacation rentals in the country are privately owned, but some belong to companies specializing in renting apartments to both Icelanders and foreign visitors.

The Northern Lights attract thousands of people to Iceland each winter, mostly from Europe, America and Asia. The Japanese are especially keen on seeing the Northern Lights. There are two reasons for visiting Iceland rather any other place for gazing at the Northern Lights. First, the country is located in a place geographically well suited to see the Northern Lights, and second, it is accessible in winter.

About 80 percent of Alaborg’s customers spend their holidays in Iceland in the summer, but there are good reasons for visiting in winter too, such as watching the Northern Lights. The vacation rentals are great in the winter too, all of them heated using geothermal hot water. Many also use geothermal water

to heat an outside hot-tub, from which it is possible to gaze at the Northern Lights.

Alaborg Apartments represents the owners of a few select apartments in Reykjavik and surrounding areas who make their apartments available for rent online. The service began in 2007 and was founded by Mrs. Gudlaug Dadadottir.

Although each apartment is furnished and decorated differently, they all include a fully equipped kitchens with all necessary appliances together with one or more bedrooms. The apartments also include a shower or a bath, a laundry room, TV, DVD, CD and a wireless computer connection.

Information in English, Italian and Spanish about Iceland vacation rentals is available on Alaborg’s website: www. alaborg.is

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