Petur Oskarsson is the co-owner of Viator. He says that foreign tourists get great value for their money when they stay at summer cottages in Iceland. "Summer cottages 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 Oskarsson.
Traditional options for accommodation while on holiday in Iceland sometimes prove too costly for families and small groups. Foreign tourists looking for bargain travel deals in Iceland get great value for their money while staying in a summer cottage rather than in a hotel or a guesthouse. Viator provides an exclusive but inexpensive booking service on behalf of 160 owners of privately owned summer cottages in all parts of Iceland.
Most of the 14,000 summer cottages in Iceland are privately owned. However, labour unions such as The Association of Academics in Iceland (BHM) and The Commercial Workers' Union (VR) each own about 40 summer cottages which are hugely popular by members in summer.
Nearly half of all summer cottages in Iceland are located within an hour's drive from Reykjavik, the country's capital, where 65 percent of the population lives. Most of the summer cottages that are built today are made of wood imported from the Baltic countries - Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania - as well as from Finland and Russia.
Northern Lights from a geothermal pool
The Japanese are especially keen on seeing the Northern Lights. The Northern Lights attract thousands of people to Iceland each winter, mostly from Asia, America and Europe. Two things make Iceland the ideal place for viewing the Northern Lights. The country is located in a place geographically well suited to see the Northern lights, and it is accessible in winter.
"About 80 percent of our customers spend their time here in Iceland during the summer season, which coincides with the traditional school holidays in Europe and North America," says Oskarsson. Those visiting the country in winter can expect a different kind of experience, such as sitting in a hot-tub heated with geothermal water while gazing at the Northern Lights.
Useful service to families and small groups
Viator.com is an online reservation/booking service founded in 2002 by Petur Oskarsson and Bjarnheidur Hallsdottir. Viator represents the owners of 160 privately owned cottages, located in all parts of the country, who make their cottages available for rent to foreign tourists visiting Iceland.
Each cottage is furnished and decorated differently, but all include hot and cold water as well as heating. The cottages also include a shower or a bath, fully equipped kitchen and one or more bedrooms.
About the Author
Viator inc. is a summerhouse agency that rents cottages in iceland to foreign travelers. All the summerhouses on offer are privately owned and well equipped. They vary in design and furnishing, according to each owner's taste.
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