The best hotels in Reykjavik, Iceland
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Friendly, artistic, relatively safe, encapsulated by naturally stunning landscapes, and now home to an increasingly smart, forward-thinking hotel scene – it’s little wonder Reykjavik has become one of the world’s most desirable travel destinations. Its architecture is diverse, made up of multi-coloured, surprisingly low-rise buildings, walls and pavements sprinkled with street art. Its predominantly locally sourced food and drink scene, meanwhile, fizzes with fermented creations and boundary-pushing concoctions from venues such as restaurant-meets-greenhouse Friðheimar and the upscale and waste-combating Artson Cocktail Bar. Indeed, the fresh-aired city has earned its right to a reputation as a pioneer in sustainability and responsible tourism too, via its long-term focus on low-carbon transport (there are plenty of rentable e-scooters around town), green energy sources and total ban on single-use plastics, plus its wealth of eco-friendly things to do, such as dipping into geothermal pools (or the nearby Blue Lagoon and its own chic Retreat Hotel), and camping in its lush Laugardalur Valley (temperatures reach 14°C in July and August… though if you’re after a chance of seeing the Northern Lights it’s best to opt for somewhere between November and March). For those keener to experience its more boutique (and indoor) accommodation, here’s our curated hotel shortlist.
Nikolas KoenigThe Reykjavik Edition hotel
Best for: Experiencing the one everyone talks about
Opened in 2021 amid warranted international clamour, the Icelandic sibling in Ian Schrager and Marriott’s Edition family, for many, is the best yet. Typically design-forward, sleek and located in one of the most desirable neighbourhoods, this location is also angled perfectly to take in ‘only-in-Iceland’ glaciers, mountains and cityscape panoramas via its floor-to-ceiling windows (ask for a corner suite for max visuals). Hygge-infused rooms come kitted with local products and art – wool company Ístex’s bed throws, landscapes by homegrown photographers – as well as luscious custom Italian-made furniture and Le Labo’s fresh-to-order fragrance and toiletries. There’s also a restaurant or bar option for every hour of the day, from sleepy post-night-flight coffee at Tides Café to dressed-up Nordic supper at Tides restaurant – steered by Iceland’s first Michelin-star winning Chef Gunnar Karl Gísalson – to Brennivín cocktails at the speakeasy-esque Tölt bar. Meanwhile, the spa, with its own hammam, various Icelandic steams and soaks, and innovative social concept (you can pop out for drinks and food), appeals to even non-spa fans. This is all topped off by the roof terrace – where you might just catch the Northern Lights (the hotel even offers a special wake-up call for them).
Address: The Reykjavik Edition hotel, Austurbakki 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Price: From £345 per night
Gunnar BjarkiThe Exeter Hotel
Best for: Industrial chic by the Old Harbor
The Exeter offers something a little different in a slightly less densely visited spot – a muse on the Manhattan loft apartment over in the waterfront Old Harbor district. The converted warehouse feel is carried throughout via polished concrete floors, dark metal and wood, while the low beds offer delicious comfort and laidback; popular restaurant LeKock serves up smash burgers and other street food to locals and guests alike. Chase it with Icelandic craft beers at the snappily named Tail bar, followed by nourishing pastries made in hotel bakery Deig come morning. With views of Mount Esja and Snæfellsnes Peninsula from some of its best rooms, The Exeter makes for a good starting point for any countryside adventures, too.
Address: The Exeter Hotel, Tryggvagata 12, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Price: From approx £138 per night
Hotel Von
Best for: Design-led cool
Originally a butcher’s and the first store in the city, since 2022 this historical space on Laugavegur’s main, shop-filled street in the centre of Reykjavik has been Hotel Von, which translates as ‘hope’. Sister to the successful ION City hotel over Downtown, its 52 rooms are sharply but simply decorated with four wooden posters, leather bedhead and retro chairs, plus local Sóley Organic toiletries (opt for the light-filled Glass House Room if you can, for unique views of the indoor patio). Its aptly named restaurant, Bon, meanwhile, serves hearty French-inspired fare such as snails, steak or reindeer pâté, alongside a mighty selection of fine wines.
Address: Hotel Von, Laugavegur 55 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
Price: From approx £148 per night
Iceland Parliament Hilton Hotel
Best for: History and heritage fans
Made up of seven rebuilt and new buildings that now house a mega 163 rooms, Iceland Parliament Hotel has become a landmark place to stay since opening in early 2023. Among its many one-off features are its restoration of the old Landsímahúsið, inspired by the style of nearby Austurvöllur Square, its revamp of the former Iceland Telecom HQ into the buzzy Telebar, and the pieces on display from the country’s largest art collection. Hjá Jóni restaurant, which translates as ‘By John‘, is named an ode to the founding father of Icelandic independence, Jón Sigurdsson, a statue of whom it faces outside, and serves Icelandic dishes with international tweaks. Finally, the spa’s geothermal hot tubs, sauna and steams, plus traditional Icelandic baths, are ideal for Zen-ing out.
Address: Iceland Parliament Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, Thorvaldsenstraeti 2-6, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Price: From approx £223 per night
101 Hotel
Best for: achingly hip design
A member of the esteemed Design Hotels group, 101 Hotel, named after the nearby super-hip nightlife district, is considered to be perhaps the most fashionable place to stay in the city. Its brown exterior does not belie the smart reading room, bar and cafeteria inside, or, indeed, its carefully curated 38 rooms, with their homely heated oak floors and sheepskin rugs contrasted by the bold black-and-white colour scheme, lashings of stainless steel, Bang & Olufsen Beoplay speakers, compelling local artworks and retro disposable cameras. Kastrup is so good you need to fight locals for a table and its modern Scandi dishes and wines (or simply book ahead), and there are Japanese-style baths and a steam room heated by the geothermal pools as well as a gym tucked down in the basement, plus the option to book an in-room spa. Modern Icelandic artworks from the owner’s private collection are also on display around the hotel. Close to Laugavegur and looking out over Mt. Esja, its location is also almost as cool as it is.
Address: 101 Hotel, Hverfisgata 10, Reykjavik 101, Iceland
Price: From approx £257 per night
Getty ImagesSand by Keahotels
Best for: Experiencing a little gem amid the buzz
Behind an easily missable door and courtyard and flanked by the oldest gentlemen’s tailor in Iceland and a destination bakery, Sand by Keahotel is also situated on lively Laugavegur, moments from Downtown, amid a buzzy cacophony of vintage stores, coffee shops, boutiques, museums and boundary-pushing restaurants. Rooms are comfortable but understated, with Duxiana duvet and pillows, heated bathroom floors and more Sóley Organic products, alongside chic modern furniture and art plus beautifully textured walls and statement bulbous lights. Healthy, tasty food is served in the relaxed restaurant, and books by Halldor Laxness, the Nobel Prize-winning Icelandic author born next door, are carefully displayed.
Address: Sand by Keahotels, Laugavegur 34, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Price: From approx £125 per night
Getty ImagesKvosin Downtown Hotel
Best for: Living space and location
Kvosin Downtown Hotel has many charms. In terms of location, it’s extremely central: rubbing shoulders with the likes of City Hall, Austurvöllur park, Reykjavik Cathedral and Icelandic Parliament and tottering distance from all the most vibey bars and concert venues, must-experience restaurants, museums and shops – or just five minutes from whale- and puffin-watching tours from the port. It’s also extremely attractive, both from the outside with its 1900-built, imposing architecture (it was one of Reykjavik’s first multi-family apartment blocks – and the first to have central heating – with other past lives including a library, fur shop and soft-drinks factory), and on the inside, with its high ceilings and 24 contemporary Nordic-style rooms. Marble-topped kitchenettes and lounges allow guests to self-cater – the hotel even offers to stock the fridge ahead of your arrival – although Aldamót bar is always on hand for drinks and appetisers.
Address: Kvosin Downtown Hotel, Kirkjutorg, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
Price: From approx £463 per night