Hotels

Blurring the lines between upscale hostel and boutique hotel, this spacious and fun accommodation spot is located next to the eponymous bus depot (Hlemmur, now a street food hall). It has stylish rooms and dorms, a vibrant bar and restaurant, and friendly staff. Read expert review

This self-billed 'lifestyle hotel' offers a brilliantly central location, dapper and well-appointed rooms inside a historic building, and chic public areas. Amenities include a great restaurant and a 24-hour fitness area, and staff are friendly and attentive throughout. Read expert review

The historic Hotel Borg—the very first luxury hotel to be built in Iceland—is now owned by the local Kea chain, but has retained its upscale Art Deco aura. Some rooms look right over Parliament Square and there’s a dedicated basement spa, and restaurants and bars galore within waddling distance. Read expert review

One of Reykjavik’s first-ever boutique hotels is still one of its best. It offers unapologetically chic interiors, a futuristic restaurant and bar, and its own collection of contemporary art. There’s also an on-site spa and business-meeting facilities. Read expert review

The Radisson Blu 1919 hotel is housed in a historic building in downtown Reykjavik. Renovated in 2019, it offers a superb location, smartly attired and well-appointed rooms, a swish restaurant and a boutique bakery. Service is very polished and the gym is top-notch too. Read expert review

This remote but striking design hotel is constructed very much with nature in mind. It’s nestled in a lunar-esque lava landscape and set away from, well, pretty much everything. It features a slick restaurant and bar, a large outdoor heated tub and sauna, and rooms that are both stylish and comfortable. Read expert review

The Loft is one of Reykjavik’s leading hostels. Offering a range of dorms, twins and private rooms, it has a modern, clean interior, a buzzy vibe at the weekends and a great location right in the middle of the city’s bar, restaurant and cafe district. Read expert review

This large, colourful and upbeat hotel, set in a historic building on the harbour, offers a splashy, whimsical interior, a wide range of room categories and a very decent restaurant. The service is friendly and professional throughout, amenities are good and the location – along the harbour – is excellent too. Read expert review

This small and charming boutique hotel is set inside a historic building that dates back to the late 19th century. The property enjoys a fabulous downtown location, with surprisingly large and swish rooms, as well as an attractive bar serving award-winning cocktails. Read expert review

This chic and breezy hotel-hostel offers a variety of dorms and rooms, a great location and an impressive spread of amenities that span a café-bar, a lounge that hosts concerts by local bands, and a gym. Read expert review

Although just a 30-minute drive or bus ride from Reykjavik, the family-run Hotel Kríunes feels a million miles from anywhere. Located next to a lovely lake, it offers a relaxed country retreat atmosphere, a mix of traditional and modern rooms, most with stellar views, plus a very pleasant on-site restaurant and bar. Read expert review

The four-star Hotel Keflavik, located a couple of miles from Keflavik International Airport, offers well-decorated rooms as well as great amenities, including a fully equipped fitness centre and restaurant. The hotel’s luxury Diamond Suites on the top floor provide the option of five-star accommodation. Read expert review

This boutique-style hotel offers a superb location right on Reykjavik’s main street. The modern three-storey building looks inconspicuous from the outside, but inside you'll find smart, well-appointed rooms alongside slick service and a very good on-site bar. Read expert review

Hotel Hilda is a boutique-style guesthouse with a wonderfully central location in the heart of Reykjavik. It offers smart, attractive rooms and a subtly updated traditional ambiance, as well as friendly and efficient service. Read expert review

Set just outside Reykjavik’s downtown district, the Radisson Blu Saga offers stylish rooms and public spaces that are at odds with the somewhat uninspired exterior. It also hosts one of the city’s best restaurants, Grillid. Read expert review

This tasteful and intimate four-star boutique, run by the Kea chain, offers 45 dapper rooms in a downtown location, plus a buzzy restaurant, bar and friendly, down-to-earth service. The architect behind the hotel's stately historic exterior was Guðjón Samúelsson, who also designed the Hallgrímskirkja church. Read expert review

This remote, lodge-style luxury hotel is a great spot for enjoying the peaceful Icelandic countryside. It enjoys a scenic riverside location close to lava fields, farms and waterfalls, intimate and well-appointed rooms and suites – some with private hot tubs – and an acclaimed restaurant serving contemporary Nordic cuisine. Read expert review

If there’s a ‘grande dame’ hotel in Reykjavik, this is it. This upscale four-star, established in 1965, enjoys an excellent location on a quiet street in downtown Reykjavik, 42 comfortable and refined rooms, and a slew of artworks accrued from one of the country’s largest privately owned art collections. Read expert review

This large but fairly stylish hotel is a dependable all-rounder. Although set slightly out of the main downtown area, it offers spacious and contemporary rooms, a decent spa with hot tubs, a decent restaurant and consistently professional service. Read expert review

This alluring apartment hotel complex, which comprises several separate locations very close to one another in downtown Reykjavik, is pitched as a home away from home. It succeeds thanks to a blend of welcoming, luxurious interiors and friendly, intimate service, though guests should be aware that there’s not much in the way of facilities. Read expert review