Over 75 Bookings Canceled at Hotel Breiðavík Amidst Solar Eclipse Hype, Owner Cites 'Vandalism'

Hotel Breiðavík, located at Látraströnd in Iceland's Westfjords, has experienced significant cancellations, with three large tourist groups retracting over 75 bookings for the period of the total solar eclipse in mid-August. The hotel's owner, Birna Mjöll Atladóttir, expressed frustration, calling the cancellations "vandalism."

The solar eclipse on August 12 will be visible in Iceland, with the Westfjords region offering a viewing duration of 2 minutes and 13 seconds, making it a prime location for eclipse watchers. Many were expected to travel to the area for this event. Bookings for these prime dates were made up to a year and a half in advance.

Atladóttir explained that after initially holding the bookings, the groups canceled simultaneously when she requested a confirmation fee. One group even paid the fee only to cancel the following day. The hotel faces considerable financial loss if these rooms cannot be rebooked, despite a price reduction in an attempt to attract new reservations.

This setback comes after a previous incident earlier in the year where scammers exploited the high interest in the eclipse. Fraudsters advertised rooms at Hotel Breiðavík, directing tourists to pay via PayPal. They gained access to Atladóttir's computer, intercepting emails and falsely informing potential guests that rooms had become available. The police are investigating this larger-scale fraud case.