The hotels of Reykjavík: the back story

About The hotels of Reykjavík: the back story

By the ULTIMATE Reykjavík Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Reykjavík’s hotel story begins on Austurvöllur, where Hotel Borg, completed in 1930, became Iceland’s first luxury hotel, in its own words. Hotel Holt followed in 1965, with what it calls Iceland’s largest private art collection. The old centre, postcode 101, is now full of small hotels in historic buildings: Apótek in a former pharmacy of 1917, Kvosin in a house from 1900. On the harbour, The Reykjavik EDITION brought 253 rooms and a rooftop to the waterfront beside Harpa, and on the 20th floor of the Höfðatorg tower, Tower Suites has eight suites with the highest view in the city.

The classics

Hotel Borg, at Pósthússtræti 11 on Austurvöllur, is an Art Deco hotel completed in 1930, with 99 rooms, a spa and a Tower Suite. Hotel Holt, at Bergstaðastræti 37, was established in 1965 and has 42 rooms.

The boutique houses of 101

Apótek fills a building of 1917 by the state architect Guðjón Samúelsson, once a pharmacy; Kvosin has 24 rooms in a house from 1900; 101 Hotel, on Hverfisgata, takes its name from the old centre’s postcode. Sand Hotel and Ion City are on Laugavegur.

Book early for New Year’s Eve and for the Iceland Airwaves festival in November, when the city fills.

The new waterfront

The Reykjavik EDITION, at Austurbakki 2 beside Harpa, has 253 rooms and suites, a rooftop, a lobby lounge, a cocktail bar and what it calls a social spa. Tower Suites occupies the 20th floor of the Höfðatorg tower.

Out of town

At the Blue Lagoon, The Retreat and the Silica Hotel; on the Golden Circle, ION Adventure Hotel at Nesjavellir and The Greenhouse Hotel at Hveragerði; all are in the MICHELIN Guide’s hotel selection.

Our advice: stay in 101 for a first visit, then give a night to the Blue Lagoon or the Golden Circle.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The hotels of Reykjavík: the back story before you go.