Where else can you get a first-world country at third-world prices?

Iceland. Yes, it's dark. Yes, it's cold. But, boy-o-boy, is it cheap!

Being that one must see the good in any situation, Iceland's economic Ragnarök has turned the Land of Fire and Ice into a traveler's paradise. Now that one dollar equals 225 Icelandic krona (just slightly worse than the Mauritanian ougulya—ouch), travelers seeking luxury in these gloomy financial times might want to turn to a now super-affordable country that also happens to be one of the cleanest, safest, and most egalitarian on the planet.

Rising in Art Deco splendor, Reykjavik's Hotel Borg, built in 1930 and newly refurbished, is centrally located within the capital. The 56 rooms overlook the city, but it is the hotel's two-floor Tower Suite, with a magnificent 360° view, that truly gives guests a taste of luxury, Nordic style. Throw in the award-winning French cuisine of the Silfur restaurant, and suddenly autumn on the Arctic Circle doesn’t seem so outlandish.

An added plus: at night, turn your eyes skyward. The Côte d'Azur may have beaches, but Iceland has one of the wonders of the Universe. The aurora borealis are now visible, in hues of green, white, and red.

en.hotelborg.is

David Perry

11/3/08