Last week, we were able to tick off another thing on our bucket list! If you follow us on Instagram, you would know that we recently went to Iceland to celebrate Mr Chau’s birthday (what a lucky boy!).
Iceland was a little bit different from our usual holidays (full of sunshine and warmth) We wanted an adventure that we would remember for the rest of our lives!
We were lucky enough to stay at the Hotel Reykjavik Natura by Icelandair Hotels.
LOCATION
Hotel Reykjavik Natura is located in Reykjavik, right by Öskjuhlíð hill and Nauthólsvík geothermal beach. This hotel is about an hour away from the international airport (Keflavik) by car and right next to a domestic airport.
Gray Line does airport transfer from Keflavik Airport directly to most hotels in Reykjavik. Because we were not hiring a car, we opted for this easy and straight forward option. The coach journey was comfortable, reliable and even had free WiFi on board!
The hotel is around a 15 minutes walk from Reykjavik center or a 5 minutes by bus (number 5 bus). The hotel offers a complementary bus pass that can be used for 2 people.
THE HOTEL
Hotel Reykjavik Natura operates as a Green Hotel and the decor is dedicated to modern Icelandic artists. The hotel’s public space is full of works by local and prestigious artists. The hotel space is great to walk around and soak in the visual treat, all the while learning about the Icelandic culture.
THE ROOM
There are 220 rooms to choose from that cater for all types of different needs. They even have special rooms and suites like the Poet rooms, Flora rooms, Pink Suite and Blue Suite for those looking for a bit more luxury.
We were lucky enough to get upgraded to their Twin Superior room on the second floor. Our twin beds were pushed together giving us ampoule of sleeping space. The room was contemporary, clean and very spacious.
The bathroom was compact but had enough space to move around. The shower was amazing, especially after a long day out in the Icelandic cold air!
BREAKFAST & RESTAURANT
For most of our trip, breakfast was our only staple meal of the day. It’s no secret that everything in Iceland is extremely pricey…. including food. We were also on excursions and tours all day and sometimes, all night, meaning we had to go without dinner.
The breakfast buffet became an essential part of our day. The breakfast is served from 6:30am to 10am. The cost of the breakfast buffet is ISK 3000 per person (~£22). It sounds strange but I really enjoyed having fish for breakfast every day! The Satt restaurant can be found on the ground floor of the hotel.
We also treated ourselves to an evening buffet one night because we were too tired to go anywhere else. We had a delightful meal of unlimited roast beef and a huge selection of delicious dessert!
SÓLEY NATURA SPA
Another beautiful addition to the hotel is their award winning Sóley Natura Spa. When we were in Iceland, we were hit with their first winter storm. It was bad…! We couldn’t really go anywhere so we decided to relax in the spa.
The entrance fee is ISK 4900/person (£35) or ISK 3000 (£22) for hotel guests. You can indulge in their warm pool, steam bath, sauna and hot tub to your heart’s content. You can also get a massage, facial or body scrubs while you are there.
They also have a relaxation area for you to enjoy a drink or two while lounging around.
The spa opens from 10am-8pm weekday, 10am-9pm on Saturdays and 12pm-5pm on Sundays.
PROS & CONS
Pros:
- Fantastic customer service
- Contemporary and artist decorations
- Good size rooms
- Very clean
- Environmental friendly hotel. You can get vouchers for the restaurant if you skip housekeeping!
- Free bus pass
- Great food
- Large car park
- Wonderful spa facilities
- More quiet than staying in city centre
Cons:
- The distance from city centre means that you are picked up and dropped off last on tours and excursions. It is also a long way to walk in the cold, rain or snow
- Although you can get a free bus into town, the bus only comes every 30 mins
- The spa isn’t free for all hotel guests
Thank you Hotel Reykjavik Natura for having us, we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would definitely recommend it to people looking for a quieter place to stay. It is also perfect if you are going to rent a car in Iceland! This hotel is great for couples as well as families.
*Disclaimer: We stayed at Hotel Reykjavik Natura at a reduced rate for the purpose of this review. However, all photos and opinions are our own*
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