Where to Stay in the Faroe Islands: From Turf Houses to Boutique Hotels

I can’t get the landscape of the Faroe Islands out of my mind, otherworldly in how the land goes from jagged green mountains to churning sea in what seems like an impossibly short distance. The only sign that these islands are habitable? The winding roads and the small, colorful houses that seem to cling onto this craggy landscape for dear life.

If you ask me where the most beautiful place is in the Faroe Islands, it’s hard to give you one definitive answer — I can’t even narrow it down to an island, as every place in the archipelago of 18 has its unique draws and appeal.

But what I can tell you is that when it comes down to the practical question of where to stay in the Faroe Islands, there are some towns that work better than others.

Primarily, I recommend those that are a nice hub and have easy access to other islands and sights, like the capital city of Tórshavn. However, there is something to be said about the appeal of staying on one of the more remote islands in the chain, such as its southernmost island, Suðuroy.

Far and away, the island of Streymoy has the largest number of options, particularly in and around its capital city, Tórshavn. If you only want one place to stay in the Faroe Islands and don’t want to move around the archipelago road trip style, then Tórshavn would be my pick.

It’s relatively central – though to be fair, the Faroe Islands are so well-connected by road, tunnel, and ferry that no place is truly that far. But also, Tórshavn is easily connected by ferry to other lesser-visited islands like Nólsoy, Suðuroy, and Sandoy, making it possible to get off the beaten path on day trips while staying in the capital.

Plus, if you’re planning on staying in hotels, Tórshavn is the place with the greatest variety of restaurants and nightlife (though to be fair, nightlife never gets that wild in Tórshavn).

However, what I personally did on my Faroes itinerary was stay in a variety of places on three different islands, making it so that I had to backtrack less and got to spend more time off the beaten path in places like Bordoy and the other northern islands as well as Suduroy, the furthest south island in the Faroes.

Depending on your travel style, you’ll want to either shack up in one spot or bounce around the islands, so I’ve included stops all around the Faroes to help you pick.

Best Island for Hikers: Vágar

Arriving by plane, Vágar will be your first port of call in the Faroe Islands. It is not a large island, but it does have a handful of the Faroes’ most famous and photogenic spots.

Namely, you won’t want to miss Gásaladur and its famous Múlafossur Waterfall which flows endlessly into the Atlantic Ocean from a height of 30 meters (100 feet). This was my first stop on my Faroes trip and it certainly set the stage for a super-impressive trip. And as it’s only about a 10-minute drive from the airport, it’d be silly to skip it!

Vágar is a great island for hikers, with two of the Faroe Islands’ best-known hikes both easily accessible. The Postman’s Hike from Bøur to Gásaladur is one of the most beautiful in the whole cluster of islands. And in my personal estimation, the hike to Traelnipa, a.k.a. the “optical illusion” hike at Lake Sorvagsvatn, is one of the most spectacular hikes in the world. All on Vágar!

Note: There are six villages on Vágar, but not all of them offer accommodations. This post will go over the accommodation options in Bøur, Sandavágur, and Sørvágur.

Bøur Accommodations

The View – $$$ – LUXURY

Close to the only airport in the Faroe Islands – not to mention the beautiful Mulafossur Waterfall and famous Traelnipa hike as well – this is one of the few Faroes accommodation options on the island of Vágar. With a view of the most famous sea stack in the Faroes, Drangarnir, literally right outside your window, The View more than deserves its name.

Hosted by two locals, Tróndur and Anita, this is a holiday home which they built from the ground up in 2017. However, they took pains to ensure their new cabins matched the beautiful landscape. That’s why they adhered to the old Faroese standard – a partial stone foundation, black painted walls, white window shutters, and of course, the turf roof.

While the cabins look old-fashioned and traditional from the outside, on the inside they are delightfully spacious and modern. Each cabin has a large living room (36 square meters), a well-equipped kitchen so you can cook your own meals (and a dishwasher!), a bathroom, a washer-dryer, and two bedrooms for sleeping in a cozy second-floor attic nook. Each of the four cabins can sleep four people comfortably.

Check out The View’s reviews, photos, prices, and availability here

Sandavágur Accommodations

Giljanes Hostel – $ – BUDGET

There aren’t a ton of hostel options in the Faroe Islands, but Giljanes Hostel is one of the few and it’s located in beautiful Vágur as well. Most of the hostel options are on Streymoy, so if you want to stay in Vágur on a budget – whether it’s to take advantage of the beautiful hikes, catch an early ferry to Mykines, or be close to the airport – this is a great choice.

This hostel has a shared kitchen area and a cozy lounge room as well, all of which are designed with a spacious, airy Nordic design in mind. You’ll find the kitchen to be well-stocked and spacious, great for reducing costs while traveling as food costs can really add up here! It’s also near a bus stop on the line that goes from the airport to Tórshavn, so if you are trying to visit the Faroes without a car (difficult but possible!) it’s a great option as well.

Some rooms even have a stunning ocean view, so try to find a room with that if you at all can! There are a few single and double rooms but this is mostly a hostel. A variety of dorm configurations, co-ed and gender-segregated, are available.

Previous guests have raved about the friendly host, the convenient location close to some of the Faroes’ best hikes, and how well-equipped the hostel is for the price.

Check out Giljanes Hostel’s prices, photos, reviews, and availability here

Sørvágur Accommodations

Hotel Vágar – $$ – MID-RANGE

Literally a five-minute walk from the airport, Hotel Vágar is the place to stay if you want to be close to the airport for your flight early in the morning or if you have a late arrival and just want to crash when you get to the Faroes.

There are only a few flights a day in and out of the airport, so guests have reported that they didn’t have a problem with the noise. Honestly, it’s not the most exciting place to stay in the Faroe Islands, but for certain cases it is definitely the most convenient, especially as they have an on-site restaurant and free breakfast.

The rooms are bright, clean, and spacious, with wooden floors and TVs in every room. All rooms come with their own private bathroom, and some are suite-syle with a separate area for sitting and spreading out.

Check out Hotel Vágar’s reviews, photos, availability and prices here

Where to Stay in Faroe Islands: Streymoy

Streymoy is the largest of all the 18 islands in the Faroes and home to the capital city, Tórshavn. Like I said before, if you want to only pick only one place to stay in the Faroe Islands, I recommend Tórshavn.

It not only has the most Faroes accommodations options, it’s one of the places you can really get to meet local people and see what the average life of a Faroese person is like… after all, nearly half of all Faroese live in the capital. However, that’s not to say Tórshavn is built up or crowded at all.

It’s funny that the capital city of this country is literally a third of the size of the California suburb that I grew up in, one that I always thought of as “tiny.” But when you compare Tórshavn to the rest of the Faroe Islands, full of sleepy seaside villages, it’s very lively.

Note: There are a ton of villages in Streymoy, but not all have accommodations. This post will go over options in the capital city of Tórshavn, as that’s where the majority of hotels are in the entire Faroe Islands, as well as some options in Gjógv, about an hour away and extremely isolated and idyllic.

Tórshavn Accommodations

Hotel Føroyar – $$$ – LUXURY

One of the best-loved accommodations in the Faroe Islands, Hotel Føroyar has a fantastic location. It’s not that far from the center of Tórshavn but it offers solitude away from the bustle of downtown, with panoramic views of the Nólsoy Fjord, city, and gorgeous mountains. I especially love the traditional grass roof, which is just so quintessentially Faroese.

Meanwhile, amidst all the natural beauty, the hotel’s aesthetic is ultra-modern yet comfortable, with spacious rooms and interesting lounge areas. This design hotel is the collaboration between two famous Danish architects, Friis & Moltke, and the interior was designed by famed designers Philippe Starck and Montana.

Keep in mind that this location isn’t close to the center of Tórshavn, so if you are reliant on public transportation during your stay in the Faroes it may not be the best option. You can walk to and from town but it’ll take about 30 minutes each way, with the way back from town being uphill and very steep.

However, it’s a great place to stay if you are renting a car and don’t want to deal with the hassles of parking in Tórshavn but want to be close to the action of the city. I stayed in the city center of Tórshavn last time and got really lucky to snag the last parking space at my hotel, but if I had to find city parking, I probably would have been screwed.

There is no kitchen access, but you can eat delicious traditional Faroese food at their well-known restaurant, Gras, if you don’t feel like going downtown to eat at one of the restaurants in Tórshavn.

There are a variety of rooms ranging from your standard double room to a business suite to a family room, making it one of the more versatile Faroes accommodations options. All are spacious and designed with aesthetics in mind, with luxe bathrooms that include a bathtub – perfect for soothing sore muscles after a long hike.

Check out Hotel Foroyar’s reviews, photos, availability, and prices here!

62N Hotel – $$ – MID-RANGE

Offering both double rooms and single rooms for a relatively affordable price, 62N Hotel is one of the most popular choices for where to stay in the Faroe Islands and is often sold out months in advance.

It’s mostly because of its excellent location, close to Tórshavn’s restaurants (I loved Sirkus Föroyar and Paname Café), bars, and shops yet with plenty of parking nearby. It’s a short walk to the harbor and Tinganes, one of the most scenic areas in all of Tórshavn (a high distinction).

Guests have access to a shared kitchen, which is great for a hotel-style accommodation in Torshavn like this one as most hotels don’t have this choice and this can lower the daily cost of visiting the Faroe Islands by quite a bit.

Rooms are modern and stylish, slightly on the small side but well-equipped with a working desk as well as a private bathroom in each room. Some of the rooms even have a private balcony with a sea view!

Check out 62N Hotel’s reviews, photos, prices, and availability here

Havgrim Seaside Hotel 1948 – $$$ – LUXURY

One of the most unique places to stay in Tórshavn, Havgrim Seaside Hotel 1948 is absolutely stunning. It’s quite close to the city yet far enough away from the hustle and bustle to provide free parking for its guests, plus it’s perched high enough up to offer incredible views over Tórshavn’s harbor and the nearby island of Nolsoy.

The breakfast room is lovely, with plenty of plants and cute furniture to give you the feeling that you’re eating in a dear friend’s kitchen, rather than a big hotel’s faceless dining room (and breakfast is included in the price). The whole hotel has that same vibe to it, a place with true personality, unique down to every last detail.

The rooms are very luxurious and beautifully designed, with fluffy white linens, brightly-lit with large windows (with heavy curtains to block out the sun in the summer), and thoughtful details like reading lights, coffee & tea making facilities in the room, and L’Occitane toiletries.

It’s inclusive as well: some of the rooms are specifically designated as accessible, great for travelers who have limited mobility or use a wheelchair.

Check out Havgrim Seaside Hotel’s reviews, photos, prices and availability here!

Gjógv Accommodations

Gjaargardur Guesthouse Gjogv – $$ – MID-RANGE

There aren’t many places to stay in Gjogv – in fact, this is the only one I can find! But this is one of my favorite places on Streymoy, and in fact the whole country, that I couldn’t leave this village off my list of where to stay in Faroe Islands

If you want to stay in a traditional house with a turf roof, surrounded by one of the most beautiful environments in a quaint seaside village in the Faroes – this is your pick! There’s no kitchen access, but breakfast is included and the guesthouse also provides lunch and dinner for an additional charge in the on-site restaurant, which serves up typical Faroese cuisine.

Each room has a private bathroom with a shower, with clean and crisp linens, closet space, and a desk area to work at if needed. Some rooms are located in the annex not a far walk from the main guesthouse building.

Check out Gjaargardur Guesthouse’s photos, reviews, prices, and availability here

Where to Stay in Faroe Islands: Suðuroy

One of my favorite islands in the Faroes, I don’t know why more travelers don’t visit Suðuroy! I suppose the two-hour long ferry scares them off, when all the other islands are more easily accessible by undersea tunnels, but still: I’ll argue over and over again that Suðuroy is well worth a visit when you come to the Faroe Islands.

Note: There are a few main towns on Suðuroy. Tvøroyri, where the ferries let you off, Hvalba, my personal favorite town, and Vágur, the largest town on the island. I’ve only found accommodations in Tvøroyri available, so you’ll find my top (and only) pick below.

Tvøroyri Accommodations

Summarhús29 – $$ – MID-RANGE

If staying in Suðoroy, I recommend picking Tvøroyri, which is where the ferries arrive to the island.

This charming little vacation home in the heart of Tvøroyri is just a 5-minute walk from local cafés, bakeries, and grocery stores. Inside, you’ll find a modern Nordic-style living room with a leather sofa and smart TV (and even a Nintendo Wii!). The kitchen has everything you need, including a proper espresso machine.

The home was lovingly renovated by host Sámal and his family, with thoughtful touches throughout that give it the feel of a lived-in cottage with soul. There are two bedrooms: a snug upstairs room with a queen-size bed, and a lower-floor bunk room perfect for families or groups.

Check out Summarhús29’s availability, reviews, and photos here!

Allison Green

Allison Green is a former teacher who has been travel blogging since 2016, visiting 75+ countries in total. She has a Masters in Teaching and a B.A. in English and Creative Writing. As a former educator, she merges her writing and educational experience to encourage ethical, sustainable travel. She has been a speaker at the World Travel Writers Conference and TBEX. Her writing, photography, and podcasting work has appeared in National Geographic, CNN Arabic, CBC Canada, and Forbes, amongst others. When she’s not on the road, she lives in Bangkok, Thailand.