Deplar Farm

It gets hella windy up there — like it'll blow over an 18-wheeler windy — but even so, Deplar Farm is an incredible experience.

The wind is just a fact of life on the Troll Peninsula and something anyone booking should go in expecting. That said, it doesn't take away from how special the overall stay is.

I haven't actually skied at Deplar because of the wind — if I'm paying heli-ski prices, I want a real shot at good powder, and you won't reliably find that here.

I'd consider it for a one-off touring trip, but the wind in Iceland is a real limiting factor for serious heli-skiing. Unless you get lucky with conditions, the powder just isn't consistent enough to justify heli-ski pricing on ski quality alone.

Deplar Farm is one of the true luxury exceptions in Iceland, but it's a very specific vibe rather than a classic Iceland tour.

It's an awesome property, but travelers should know it doesn't deliver the typical ring-road Iceland experience most people picture. Iceland's accommodation scene is generally more casual, so this is very much the outlier at the top end.

Deplar Farm consistently delivers incredible experiences, and pairing it with high-end tours like Land Rover expeditions or helicopter glacier access makes for the best possible Iceland trip.

Most travelers never make it to the north and east side of Iceland, which is a shame because that region is incredibly striking. Building a trip around Deplar as a base with strategic add-on tours elevates the whole experience well beyond a standard Iceland itinerary.

This place is an 11 out of 10 because of the staff — they genuinely become part of your family.

By the end of my stay I felt completely taken care of in a way that went beyond typical hotel service. It's the people here that make the experience unforgettable.

At around $5,000 a night, this just isn't the kind of Iceland experience I was after.

The price point puts it out of reach for most travelers and it felt more like joining an exclusive club than connecting with the country's natural beauty and culture.

Driving into that valley surrounded by snow-capped mountains, we started calling it the Valley of the Gods — and honestly, this place stays with you.

The service was flawless from the first greeting, and every corner of the lodge felt designed for the rhythm of adventure followed by rest — even the lockers for gear were a thoughtful touch. We were skeptical about communal dining at first, but sharing meals and stories with fellow travelers turned into one of our favorite parts of the trip. Our guide Misa took us horseback riding, whale watching, e-biking, and hiking to hidden waterfalls, and she made the whole stay feel personal. Nothing beat sipping cocktails in the geothermal pool with peaks towering all around us.

The food was just okay, and I really didn't appreciate being forced into two hours of small talk with strangers at a communal table every night.

For what we were paying, I expected better food and more flexibility around dining. When we asked for a private table instead of the communal setup, they wanted another $180 on top of an already astronomical nightly rate. That felt ridiculous given how much we were already spending to stay here.

This is easily one of my top five lodges anywhere — the ratio of 75 staff to just 16 rooms tells you everything about how this place runs.

Chad Pike's flagship property is nestled perfectly in a valley of lakes, mountains and glaciers, and the all-inclusive model actually delivers: top-notch meals, most drinks included, and a personal guide for whatever outdoor activity you want. We hiked and e-biked during the day and relaxed in the geothermal pool, sauna, steam and cold plunge in the afternoon. Dinner starts at 8pm around the big communal table with lamb, salmon, steak and Arctic char, but the real secret is booking lunch at the Studio or Ghost House for something more special. At night there's a huge bar, fireplaces, a game room, and even a full recording studio since Chad's a music guy.

We brought our two kids and Deplar Farm still blew us away from start to finish.

Our guides Laura, Diego, and Maria were fun, knowledgeable, and made every outing unforgettable for the whole family, including our 7 and 11 year olds. The property itself is stunning, luxurious yet welcoming, and the spa treatments were some of the best we've ever had. The wait staff and bartenders made every meal and drink feel special too.

We came for our wedding and honeymoon, and the staff's dry humor won us over the moment my husband joked about grabbing axes off the gym wall to play Vikings.

The building looks rugged from outside with its turf roof, but inside it's casual elegance in a modern-rustic-Scandinavian style. I fell off a horse mid-stay and the staff quietly rearranged our snowmobiling plans for low-impact alternatives without missing a beat. We ended up loving lazy afternoons in the lodge's living room by the fire and evenings in the media room with movie snacks just as much as the excursions. Dinner at the communal table was fine the first night, but the private wine cellar dinners the rest of the stay were far more intimate, and the mocktails were genuinely impressive for my non-drinking husband.

We don't love communal dinners with other people's kids around, but they quietly gave us a private meal every night without us having to make a fuss about it.

The property is fantastic across the board — great rooms, amazing amenities, and activities to suit anyone. Our guides on two separate visits were both fantastic, and bartenders Robert and Andrew really seemed to understand what we wanted. Food was well done and I'm already looking forward to going back, group-dinner preference aside.

The pool and pool bar are unbelievable, but I'm still annoyed they tried upselling us wine on our buyout visit even after we'd pre-ordered premium bottles.

We've been twice now, once as a couple joining strangers and once as a private group, and loved both formats. The staff are brilliant, the spa and Viking experience are must-dos, and there's ping pong and shuffleboard to fill downtime. But the food wasn't quite as good this visit as it was in October 2022, and the wine upselling at dinner feels tacky and cheap when wine is supposed to be included — I complained about it the first time and nothing changed.

As someone who runs a luxury travel agency, I'll say this plainly: Deplar is on the Aman resorts level for service, but with a much more personal, family feel.

This was my second stay, after a winter visit that was equally great, and it remains one of my favorite remote luxury destinations anywhere. The activity-inclusive pricing and consistently excellent guides make the whole experience feel effortless. I'd put it up there with the best hideouts in the world, professionally speaking.

Our guide met us at the airport and from there orchestrated a trip we'll never forget, from helicopter rides over volcanoes to private lunches at a cabin on property.

She took us for coffee at the Botanic Gardens on arrival, hiked us to beautiful waterfalls, and set up our spa sessions, weaving everything together seamlessly. The restaurant staff catered to every special request, and the communal table turned out to be a highlight — we met fascinating travelers from all over the world with great stories. This resort was a wonderful surprise from start to finish.