best cheap hotel in reykjavik

• A thread on Reddit with the title “Reykjavik Hotel Suggestion” and posted on r/VisitingIceland
• A user and his wife will be making their first trip to Iceland next August and are looking for suggestions on hotels in the downtown area that are very walkable to the downtown area sites and restaurants. The couple plans on doing a couple of full-day tours as well. (Golden Circle and South Coast.)
• The post was made 7 months ago and received 4 points.
• A user comments that the central downtown area where 99% of tourists go is very small (AKA 101), but Reykjavik as a whole is quite spread out, and there are hotels on the outskirts that would be inconvenient without a car. The comment received 5 karma.
• Another user comments that there are electric scooters all over the city and it’s easy to cruise those to downtown. The comment received 1 karma.
• Yet another user responds to the previous comment and says that OP wanted a hotel in the main downtown area. The comment received 3 karma.
• Another user suggests Sunna Guesthouse and mentioned that they got a private apartment for two nights for a total of around $340. The comment received 3 karma.
• A user responded to the previous comment and agreed with the recommended location, stating they also stayed there for two nights as well. The comment received 2 karma.
• Another user suggested Reykjavik Lights by Keahotel and mentioned that it was nice and not too expensive. The comment received 3 karma.
• Another user suggested using a booking engine like booking.com or hotels.com to narrow down choices and look at reviews on TripAdvisor and Google Maps as well before making a decision. They also suggested that Airbnb might have some good options. The comment received 2 karma.
• Another user recommended staying away from Reykjavik Edition, stating that it was overpriced for the size and amenities they received. The comment received 2 karma.
• A user asked the previous user who they saw at Reykjavik Edition. The comment received 1 karma.
• Another user recommends Midgardur by Center Hotels, mentioning that it’s a very nice hotel with a bar and restaurant, and it’s an easy walk to everything in town. The comment received 2 karma.

• Another user agreed with the recommendation for Midgardur by Center Hotels and, in fact, was currently staying there at the time of posting. The comment received 1 karma.

• Post about finding cheap hotels in Reykjavik with shared bathrooms from 4 years ago on r/VisitingIceland
• User asking if there are any cheap hotels with private bathrooms in Reykjavik
• Response explains that most cheap guesthouses have shared bathrooms
• Guesthouses and hotels in Reykjavik can be upwards of $200/night
• Guesthouses usually have only one bathroom that is used by multiple rooms
• The user asks if they are sharing the bathroom with 15 other people and the response is that the size of the guesthouse will determine it.
• Guesthouses can have three or four rooms rented out which may result in fewer people per bathroom than a larger guesthouse or hostel
• Guesthouses only rent the bedroom and may have shared bathrooms, kitchens or living rooms
• A guesthouse is a half-step away from a hostel as both have shared spaces
• Hostels have public washrooms with stalls or a few private washrooms that are accessible to all guests
• The user was encouraged to read reviews to ensure the bathroom facilities were in good condition
• The subreddit gets suggestions for hostels and Airbnb’s in addition to guesthouses and hotels which may offer more affordable private bathrooms
• Further discussion addressed the merits of choosing Airbnb over a hotel in Reykjavik
• Mention of private bathroom recommendations in locations outside Reykjavik for the user’s consideration
• User is recommended to use hostelworld.com to look for affordable options
• A comparison was made between the price of a one-night stay in Reykjavik and the price of a week-long stay in Spain
• A user shared their positive experience staying in Akureyri which offered a more affordable stay than Reykjavik.

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• User wants to know the best affordable places to stay in Reykjavik
• Is a solo female traveler staying from December 15th-23rd without a car
• Asks for recommendations that are reasonably priced and around other things
• Multiple users recommend Kex hostel as a great place to stay with a low budget (2 karma)
• Other users recommend other places to stay that also have good prices and locations:
  • Reykjavik Downtown Hostel (3 karma)
  • Kvosin Downtown Hotel (no karma noted)
  • Guesthouse Sunna (1 karma)
• One user recommends looking at Airbnb for better value (1 karma)
• Users recommend Kex hostel for benefits besides price:
  • Potential to meet others going on trips
  • Has stuff on like gigs in the hostel bar
  • Has private rooms as well
• One user recommends Reykjavik Downtown Hostel for its perfect location if available (3 karma)
• One user recommends Kvosin Downtown Hotel for its beautiful location with proximity to attractions (no karma noted)
• One user recommends Guesthouse Sunna for its nice place with a kitchen and two bedrooms (1 karma)
• One user suggests checking nightly budget, as it could influence recommendations
• One user offers a link to their personal adventure blog with favorite spots to visit in Reykjavik

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• User explains that they are going to spend two nights in Reykjavik and wants to explore the city
• They mention landing in Reykjavik at 4:45 AM and plan to visit Blue Lagoon at 8 AM before heading to the city by bus
• User has a cheap accommodation booked at Hlemmur Square, which is in the middle of things
• A user recommends taking City Walk tour which can cost whatever the user feels like paying
• Other users recommend the same city tour and provide the name of the guide
• A user recommends visiting the two main roads leading out of Reykjavik
• User also suggests visiting swimming pools, trying local ice cream shops, visiting the National History Museum, and several interesting museums. These include the phallological museum, the Perlan museum, and the settlement/cultural museum (Þjóðminjasafnið)
• Other activities suggested include walking around the shoreline, visiting Sun Voyager, Harpa Concert Hall, and Hallgrimskirkja
• User plans to do the Puffin Express tour
• Parking meters can be found everywhere and some areas have different rates for the meter so it would be best not to park on the main street
• A user recommends trying fish and chips while down at the harbor and suggests Apotek for dinner
• One user didn’t find hot dogs to be worth the hype, while another user recommends trying Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur
• Users recommend several craft beer pubs to visit, including Micro Bar, Session craft bar, Skúli Bar, and Bjórgarðurinn
• A user recommends downloading the Reykjavik Appy Hour app for good deals on drinks
• Another user recommends a moscow mule at Vedur
• Drinking age in Iceland is 20, so the legal drinking age is higher than in other countries
• A user suggests the whale and puffin tours while visiting Reykjavik.

Notes:

• Reddit post titled “Best location to stay in Reykjavik?” discussing where to stay during the Airwaves Festival in November.
• Redditor is looking for a nice place to stay that is not too far from the festival venues but is also quiet.
• Recommendations include areas such as Hlíðar, Teigar, Tún, Holt, and the old Vesturbær.
• Reykjavik Residence Hotel is a recommended hotel on a parallel street to the main drag, so it is quieter.
• Hotel Fron is a budget-friendly 3-star hotel with good studio flats on the main street but not too noisy and has a decent breakfast.
• Hotel Skuggi is a small but comfortable hotel close to the seafront, with really good breakfast, and is likely to have rooms available.
• Sif Apartments is a quiet 3-star apartment with storage rooms to leave luggage if you arrive before check-in.
• Some Redditors recommended checking out Airbnb locations near Harpa within 1 km.
• There is one negative comment telling the original poster to do their own research, but it was downvoted by the community.
• Some Redditors highly recommended the breakfast at Hotel Skuggi.
• The poster expresses appreciation for the recommendations and plans to look into Hotel Skuggi and Sif Apartments further as well as having not ruled out getting a hotel if the breakfast is good.
• Recommendations were made a year and one month ago.

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Notes:

• One user asked for recommendations on things to do on a budget in Reykjavik for a 7-day trip in June

Comments

• One user stated that there’s no such thing as a budget in Iceland.
• Another user listed out their budget for a 4-day trip to Iceland consisting of Flights from JFK (x2) $212, AirBnB Apartment (x4 nights) $75, Rental car (x4 days) $9, Fuel $100, Food $200, etc. (walking tour, museum entries, souvenirs) $300. They had a few nice meals but mostly bought groceries and/or had gas station hot dogs which were quite good. They drove the Golden Circle and saw all the highlights, drove to diamond beach, had great fish stew at a truck stop in Jokulsarlon, did a walking tour, went to the punk rock museum (small and not awesome) a Viking museum near the air port, a whale museum and a shipping and industry museum, saw the church, some live music. They recommended being careful to make Iceland doable on a budget. Other things to note - food is more expensive than you’d expect, roads are better than you’d expect, and everything else is European average in cost in their experience.
• One user said that the budgeted set amount of money was around $1200-1500.
• Another user recommended going to other communal pools in Iceland like the thermal beach and Laugardaslur(?) which are very cheap in comparison to popular tourist destinations like the Blue Lagoon.
• One user recommended staying at Reykjavik Downtown HI Hostel for around €43. They also recommended taking a shuttle to and from the Blue Lagoon for around €36, doing free walking tours, and trying local fish and chips.
• Another user suggested renting a car or taking a bus tour to explore outside of Reykjavik. They discouraged bus tours, as there are too many places that just beg for you to pull over and you will not be able to do that on a bus.
• One user recommended trying to camp and backpack in Reykjavik, suggesting some really gorgeous places to do so.
• Other comments suggested not spending the entire 7-day trip in Reykjavik, as 1-2 days is sufficient to explore the city. They recommended getting out of the capital to see Iceland’s natural beauty and to consider a guided tour or renting a car and exploring on your own.

Here are my notes:

• Reddit post from r/hotels discussing hotel prices and quality.
• Some users suggest that higher prices generally mean better quality.
• Others argue that there is no set price threshold for good versus bad hotels.
• Price variability can be high, and some have suggested looking at reviews and hotel chains for guidance.
• The pandemic has caused quality to drop for some hotels, regardless of price.
• Special events (e.g. concerts) can cause pricing fluctuations.
• Users suggest that pay level corresponds to service level.
• Major hotel chains often offer consistent quality, albeit sometimes cookie-cutter.
• One user suggests the “superchains” of hotels (e.g. Hilton, Marriot) often have reliable standards.
• No consensus on what the “magic number” is for getting a nice hotel.
• One user suggests using funds to book at a lower star rating in a higher price area, as this may yield better quality for the price.
• One user suggests using the Hilton Garden Inns brand as a good baseline for quality.

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Comparison of hotels by price in Reykjavik

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Top 5 Cheap hotels in Reykjavik under $100 a night