Iceland - questions answered

My flight back there leaves in about 10 hours!

Lucky! Enjoy.

Thanks! 6 days in the Westfjords, then one near-ish to Reykjavik.

Just a word of caution when renting a car in Iceland. In 2006 my husband and I spent the first week of June in Iceland. We rented a car for the Ring Road, and joined a high-wheel tour for a day in the interior. Other than some rain and snow to the north, no problem with the weather at all. In 2015 our daughter and her family took the same trip in the summer. They ran into terrible sandstorms when driving with no shelter in sight! Thank goodness they had taken out extra car insurance.

Just back from a week in the Westfjords, if anyone has any questions.

No doubt this has been addressed somewhere in the long line of posts. (And thanks to all who are generous enough to do that.)

We hope to do a cruise starting in Reykjavik next year (Regent), and we'd like to find a good hotel for a 3 night pre-cruise. We're elderly and definitely do not enjoy "vibe." Main considerations (other than clean of course) are:

-- that the hotel be quiet (we're very light sleepers, especially when traveling)

-- that there are good black-out drapes

-- that there be beds the width of U.S. king (restless sleepers)

-- that there be a good shower (can't do tub anymore)

Thank you.

Most of the better hotels in Iceland (and some of the less better) have solid drapes. That being said, our room at the Best Western in Reykjavik a few years ago had great drapes but also uncovered skylights that defeated the purpose.

For location, you want to be within a half mile of the Hallgrímskirkja church, either West, North, or South. That will put you in the shopping and dining areas. You'll probably want to be a few floors up in case there is street noise at night

Regarding showers, I have yet to see a tub in Iceland and I've spent nights in nearly 20 different hotels there. For bed size, you might have to check with the hotel.

There's a Hilton in Reykjavik which definitely provides everything you need, but it's a bit too far to the East, in my opinion. Unless you don't mind a 30 minute walk or a short cab ride to/from town.

I've stayed at the Reykjavik Residence Hotel twice. I love it. It is one street off the main strip, so quieter, but very centrally located. It's a quick walk to both the Opera House and Hallgrimskirkja. The staff are exceptional, and for a small fee their breakfast option is a huge basket of food with a fresh loaf of bread delivered to your room. It's enough food for breakfast and lunch.

They had black out blinds and tubs in the two rooms we've had. FWIW, though, we stayed in the 3 bedroom apartment the first time and were upgraded from a regular room to a 2 bedroom apartment the next time. The regular rooms are in the main building, while the apartments are right behind it. Both are renovated older buildings with a lot of quaint charm.

http://rrhotel.is

We booked Reykjavik Resident hotel but 2 days before our trip, they informed us their hotel was overbooked and gave us Reykjavik 4U which we were pleased with

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Poss: We've been in and through Reykjavik several times. and have stayed at three different Reykjavik hotels. I believe that all three would meet your criteria, although I am not sure what you mean by "vibe."

We've had great experiences at the Icelandair hotels, and in Reykjavik have stayed at the Icelandair Marina and Icelandair Natura.

The Marina is a wonderfully quirky hotel downtown. We were there last May and I simply loved it. The building was originally a marine paint factory, and the designers have used its somewhat industrial quality to great effect. Our room rate included a lovely breakfast. It is unclear if you will have a rental car but if you do parking right beside the Marina is somewhat limited. There is a great amount of no-charge parking very close.

We stayed at the Icelandair Natura in 2014 and when we were planning our return this past May my husband wanted to spend our first night in Reykjavik there. We picked up our rental car from the airport, and given the location of the Natura it was a perfect stop for the first night. The Natura is not close to the downtown area, but apparently they offer free bus passes to their customers. In all the hotels we've stayed at in Iceland the Natura probably has had the most extensive breakfast, and our room rates have included breakfast. While we have stayed in one of their "Nature" rooms we prefer the "Poet" rooms (our poet last May was Steinn Steinarr).

One trip we also stayed for several nights at the Hotel Fron, which is located in downtown Reykjavik. We didn't book a rental car for those first several days so the location was perfect. I suspect that the bulk of the hotel rooms may be rather small, but we stayed in one of their studio apartments in a building detached from the main hotel building.

We've stayed in only one hotel in Iceland which had a bathtub (in addition to a shower) -- the Hotel Berg in Keflavik.

Hello,

Love this thread. It is awesome.

I am trying to find info on a transfer from KEF Reykjavik Keflavik to RKV Reykjavik Domestic.

I am flying in one evening, then back out the next morning to Greenland. (Don't worry - I will be back a few days later)

I need to get from KEF to RKV - (a hotel somewhere nearby). I have done lots of searching....but can only find KEF to Reykjavik and RKV to Reykjavik . I cannot find anything between the two.

Any help would be great.

Thanks

Raina

Hello,

Love this thread. It is awesome.

 

I am trying to find info on a transfer from KEF Reykjavik Keflavik to RKV Reykjavik Domestic.

I am flying in one evening, then back out the next morning to Greenland. (Don't worry - I will be back a few days later)

 

I need to get from KEF to RKV - (a hotel somewhere nearby). I have done lots of searching....but can only find KEF to Reykjavik and RKV to Reykjavik . I cannot find anything between the two.

 

Any help would be great.

 

Thanks

 

Raina

We have always flown in and out of the international airport at Keflavik, but isn't there only one domestic airport in Reykjavik? Unless there is more than one domestic airport the Icelandair Hotel Natura is right beside the domestic airport. The Flybus delivers directly to the Natura.

AussiVisi2r,

Try asking on the TripAdvisor forums. Lots of great local advice.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g189952-i223-Iceland.html

We have always flown in and out of the international airport at Keflavik, but isn't there only one domestic airport in Reykjavik? Unless there is more than one domestic airport the Icelandair Hotel Natura is right beside the domestic airport. The Flybus delivers directly to the Natura.

Flying in late envening to the international the. Out the best morning from ththe domestic. Thus the need to transfer airports.

Raina.

Flying in late envening to the international the. Out the best morning from ththe domestic. Thus the need to transfer airports.

 

Raina.

Raina: I understand your timing issue. The Flybus meets all Keflavik flights providing transport from the international airport to the Reykjavik bus station, and a number of hotels and guesthouses. The Icelandair Hotel Natura in Reykjavik one of the hotels they deliver folks directly to.

The Icelandair Hotel Natura is located DIRECTLY beside a domestic airport, and the Icelandair headquarters is located in one wing of the Natura. From a hotel stairwell you can see the airport operations tower, and watch flights land and take-off. Depending on the amount of your luggage you can probably walk to the airport terminal in about five minutes.

While we have never used a domestic airport in Iceland, unless there are two domestic airports in Reykjavik (and given the size of the population I would be surprised if there are two), the Natura is in an excellent location for an overnight.

You may want to e-mail the Natura directly to ensure that the airport located directly beside this property is the airport you will be using to fly to Greenland.

I much appreciate the hotel suggestions. Will read more about each.

By "vibe" I mean a sort of "happening" hotel. E.g. something like the Starwood Hotels Aloft brand: lots of young people (remember: we're in our 80's), "action" much of the time, bar scene, things like that. We value peace and quiet. For same reasons, I think we'd probably not enjoy a "quirky" hotel: back in the day, yes; now, not so much.

I really appreciate the good detail each of you offered!

poss, I'm 47, but I must be 80 at heart, since that is what I value in a hotel as well. LOL Check out the Rey. Residence Hotel. It's pretty much exactly as you describe.

DH and I (both 69 years young) are traveling, via Icelandair, to Keflavik on February 12th, 2017. Part of the six day package we purchased from Icelandair includes 4 nights at the Center Hotel Skajbried in Reykjavik, and a Warm Bath and Cool Lights tour including Laugarvatn Fontana and northern lights hunt. We believe we then have two or three days on our own. Can you recommend some tours/activities, given the time of year? We enjoy hiking, exploring, and cultural events. Thank you.

Raina: I understand your timing issue. The Flybus meets all Keflavik flights providing transport from the international airport to the Reykjavik bus station, and a number of hotels and guesthouses. The Icelandair Hotel Natura in Reykjavik one of the hotels they deliver folks directly to.

 

The Icelandair Hotel Natura is located DIRECTLY beside a domestic airport, and the Icelandair headquarters is located in one wing of the Natura. From a hotel stairwell you can see the airport operations tower, and watch flights land and take-off. Depending on the amount of your luggage you can probably walk to the airport terminal in about five minutes.

 

While we have never used a domestic airport in Iceland, unless there are two domestic airports in Reykjavik (and given the size of the population I would be surprised if there are two), the Natura is in an excellent location for an overnight.

 

You may want to e-mail the Natura directly to ensure that the airport located directly beside this property is the airport you will be using to fly to Greenland.

Is there a way to find out which hotels the FlyBus+ delivers directly to? We are not interested in having to change buses to get to a hotel.

We will only be in Reykjavik from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM - (NCL Cruise port)

We want to avoid crowded bus trips - would love to find a private guide (for the 2 of us) to take us to see the "best" sights (love to see animals !)

Anyone have a good recommendation ?

Thanks

tnr, check out this link:

https://www.re.is/flybus/flybusplus

No bus goes directly to your hotel. Everyone takes a large bus to the bus terminal then you are divided into groups in vans, usually 2-3 hotels per van.

I'llcruiseanywhere, consider avoiding the Golden Circle. I'll admit I haven't been to that part of Iceland yet (despite 2 separate trips), exactly due to everything I've read about crowds. The south coast is significantly less crowded. You would have time if you were quick about it. There are very few animals in Iceland, but most tour providers have a connection that lets them stop at a horse pasture for time with the famous Icelandic horses. You could also dive/snorkel at Silfra, or hike to the Secret Lagoon.

Can't do bus, especially two buses.

Thanks.

Can't do bus, especially two buses.

Thanks.

We are looking at BTITravel.is. They have a 6 seat minivan but is expensive. They also do a minibus transfer that looks to be around $55. Does anyone else have any ideas?

Poss, I was responding to tnr's question about Flybus+, which operates shuttles from Kef airport to Reykjavik. I assumed he was talking about airport transfers and not tours.

As for airport transfers, if busses are out of the question, then it would be a taxi into town.

As for tours, lots of choices, but the smaller the vehicle and the fewer the passengers, the higher the cost. Iceland is not cheap.

tnr, check out this link:

https://www.re.is/flybus/flybusplus

 

No bus goes directly to your hotel. Everyone takes a large bus to the bus terminal then you are divided into groups in vans, usually 2-3 hotels per van.

 

I'llcruiseanywhere, consider avoiding the Golden Circle. I'll admit I haven't been to that part of Iceland yet (despite 2 separate trips), exactly due to everything I've read about crowds. The south coast is significantly less crowded. You would have time if you were quick about it. There are very few animals in Iceland, but most tour providers have a connection that lets them stop at a horse pasture for time with the famous Icelandic horses. You could also dive/snorkel at Silfra, or hike to the Secret Lagoon.

Thank you - I have begun to talk to guides about heading down the south coast - it looks we will be able to see enough country-side and waterfalls if we go that way - (and - avoid the crowds !)

We are planning a trip to Iceland in search of the northern lights. Not a cruise. February is a good month for us, but as a resident of Iceland, what month or months would you feel we'd have the best chance if seeing the northern lights? Also, on our own or with a tour and do you have a suggestion of a good tour company? Thanks😀