Upon my arrival at Hotel Rangá in Iceland, I was immediately drawn to a small, inconspicuous button on the phone in my room labeled “Aurora Wake-Up.” Despite its size, I knew this feature would be one of the most important aspects of my stay at the hotel.
Each day, I eagerly clicked the button and received an automated message informing me that I had been added to the Aurora Wake-Up call list. And every night, I went to bed with my fingers crossed, hoping for a chance to witness the elusive northern lights. On my last night, as I was drifting off to sleep, the phone in my room rang at 11:30 pm, and an automated message alerted me to look for the auroras. Without hesitation, I threw on my coat and hat and ran outside, following the other guests.
At first, the northern lights were difficult to see with my naked eye. But as I pulled out my phone and pointed it at the shifting clouds above me, I was able to capture their beauty through the camera’s slowest speed. The greens and purples danced through the clouds in a mesmerizing display. As I walked around the hotel’s front yard, situated in a remote area in the southern part of Iceland, I not only saw the lights through my camera but also noticed the stars becoming more vivid and clear as my eyes adjusted to the darkness. I was even able to make friends with a family from Connecticut who were also staying at the hotel. Together, we spent the next few hours taking photos and waiting for the clouds to shift for better viewing.
I was grateful to have stayed at a hotel with a northern lights wake-up service, especially since jet lag had finally caught up with me by my last night. Without this service, I may have missed the spectacular show.
I spoke with Eyrún Aníta Gylfadóttir, the marketing manager at Hotel Rangá, about my experience and how the wake-up call works. She explained that when solar activity is low, cameras can capture the northern lights that may not be visible to the human eye. By using a long exposure, more light is allowed into the lens, making the lights visible in photos. However, when solar activity is high, the northern lights are easily seen with the naked eye.
Each day, when I pressed the Aurora Wake-Up call button, my room number was added to a list. If a guest did not answer the call, the hotel staff would knock on their door to ensure they did not miss the lights. Gylfadóttir also mentioned that the lights can change quickly, so even if the wake-up call was made, they may have faded by the time guests came outside. It was a matter of seconds, minutes, or even hours, and the hotel staff never knew how long the lights would be visible.
I was fortunate to have experienced the northern lights with the help of Hotel Rangá’s Aurora Wake-Up call service. It was a magical and unforgettable experience that I will always cherish.
