Reykjavik’s only boutique hotel, named after the city’s 101 nightlife district, will provide you with a slick infusion of style of the minimalist variety. Cut throughout in volcanic black, white and ash grey, with American oak floors, there's little fussy about this five storey 38-room hotel. Its creator, Ingibjorg Palmadottir, one of Iceland's movers and shakers, has delivered faultless contemporary design and comfort.
Don’t be fooled by its austere eastern-block style exterior. Inside, expect an art gallery with every design and detail carefully worked to relax you: corridors are lit especially dimly to create a sense of calm and deter noisy guests; by contrast all the bedrooms are light, airy and open plan, flowing straight through to bathrooms. Just beyond the ground floor reading lounge, the restaurant-bar with its vast length of polished granite and white leather stools looks up through a glass ceiling to an extraordinary white baubled wall. The place to be seen.
Highs
- Central location, close to the best restaurants, bars and shops, and harbour
- Stylish minimalist décor with intriguing artwork
- Large guestrooms with luxurious beds, great bathrooms and well-stocked maxi-bars
- Professional, helpful staff attend to your every need
- Basement Jacuzzi and steam room fuelled by geothermic heat
Lows
- The grim exterior belies what lies within
- Rooms don’t come cheap, and are compounded by pricey extras, but they’re still the best in town
- On weekend evenings, the area can be noisy until the early hours; rooms overlooking the park or courtyard are quietest
- Some rooms have open-plan bathrooms, perhaps good for lovers, but not always for friends
Best time to go
Although most will come in the summer (when daylight is almost 24 hours) or spring/autumn (when prices are generally cheaper), the cold and rainy winters have their thrills especially if you see the Northern Lights, and New Year's Eve is a big deal in Reykjavik.
Our top tips
If you're keen to party, come on Friday/Saturday when Reykjavik's bars and clubs stay open until 6am. Weekdays are quiet and on Sundays the city centre is like a ghost town. Note that you can probably see the sights of the city in a day, so you will want to book day excursions, or stay elsewhere on the island to explore more.
- Design Hotel
- 38 rooms
- Restaurant and bar (open daily)
- All ages welcome
- Open all year
- Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
Rooms
The 38 light and airy rooms have matt black locally made furniture, American oak floors and big beds covered with cosy mohair throws and the finest Italian linen. Palmadottir's open-plan minimalist style creates space. Bedrooms flow into sleek glass bathrooms, featuring mirror walls, walk-in showers with huge showerheads, and toilets in opaque cubicles. All have bathrobes and Aveda freebies; our Double Deluxe room also had a gleaming free-standing bathtub with plentiful piping-hot geothermal water.
Storage comes as quirky open shelves and hanging racks. In a diversion from the overall monochrome scheme, the entertainment cabinet has a duck egg blue interior. Within are a DVD/CD player, satellite TV, up-to-the-minute B&O Beoplay speakers, a well-stocked maxi-bar and host of extras (you'll have to pay for the eye mask, intimacy kit or Blue Lagoon spa products). We felt that tea/coffee makers would have been a nice addition in the rooms. The higher you go, the better the views: Junior Suite 501 has a balcony and view of Mount Esja across the bay, while Apartment Suite 101 has a cool sitting room overlooking the main square.
Features include:
- Minibar/fridge
Eating
Central to 101 is its glam bar-restaurant, where you can either enjoy classy cocktails while perching on white leather stools at a sleek long counter, or be tabled for something more substantial. It’s calm and collected during the week, but on Friday and Saturday nights you’ll find yourself vying for space with a trendy Reykjavik crowd.
Try the signature fish skin and beetroot crisps while you wait for the small plates: tasty appetizers such as flat bread and gravadlax or goat's cheese with parma ham. From the Icelandic bistro-style menu we devoured asparagus with soft-boiled eggs and delicious langoustine soup with lemongrass and brandy. For the main event, we chose Arctic char served with lemon parsley butter and baby potatoes, followed by a creamy panna cotta and warm chocolate cake.
For breakfast (not included in the room rate) there's a marvellous help-yourself-buffet with the full gamut of the usual suspects plus Icelandic smoked salmon and Skyr yoghurt.
Features include:
- Children's meals
- Minibar/fridge
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
Activities
- In Reykjavik: 101 Hotel is within easy walking distance of everything: the National Museum, National Gallery, Settlement Exhibition, Reykjavik's modernist Hallgrimskirkja cathedral (take the lift to the top of the bell tower for a great view of the city), interesting craft and designer clothes shops
- Out-of-town excursions: day trips could include The Blue Lagoon where you can soak outdoors in Iceland's famous geothermal spa (best done on the way to or from the airport), or The Golden Circle which takes in Gullfoss waterfall, the hot springs of Geysir, and important geological and historical Thingvellir National Park
- Local thrills: try snowmobiling or hiking on the southeastern glaciers, or ride across lava fields on a stocky Icelandic pony
- Fly fishing: Iceland's lakes and rivers are well-stocked with wild brown trout, arctic char and salmon; permits are expensive mind and the season runs from April - October for trout, June to September for salmon
- Boat trips: whale-watching and birding tours leave from Reykjavik's harbour April - September in pursuit of minke, orcas, humpbacks, dolphins and puffins
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Fishing
- Golf
- Horse riding
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
- Skiing
Kids
Iceland is a cool (pardon the pun) playground for kids of all ages. Although a swish boutique hotel geared to adults, children are welcome in cots and extra beds, which are available on request. The top suite can fit a family of 5.
Best for:
Babies (0-1 years), Children (4-12 years), Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
All rooms can fit a baby cot, extra beds can be added to Double, Double Deluxe and Junior Suite categories too. The Apartment Suite on the top floor can sleep up to 5 on a sofa bed and cot or extra bed. For larger families or extended family parties, a door can close across the corridor thereby creating a Family Suite consisting of a Standard Room and Apartment Suite.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
Babysitting:
Available with advance notice
Baby equipment:
- Baby cots
- High chair
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
Children's meals:
Mini-burgers, fries, sandwiches and small plates are all available
Kids Activities on site:
- Colouring books and crayons
Kids Activities nearby:
- Nauthólsvík - a family friendly geothermal beach with golden sands, slides, ice-cream kiosk, and small pool for kids & adults to bask in warm water
- Boat tours in the harbour
- Maritime museum
- Playground opposite and downtown near the Maritime museum
Distances:
- Airport: 45 minutes
- Hospital: 5 minutes
- Shops: 1 minute
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
101 Hotel is located in Reykjavik's town centre.
By Air:
Keflavik (50km) is the closest.
From the Airport
The airport is about a 45-minute drive from the centre of Reykjavik; taxis wait outside the terminal. Most Icelanders take the Flybus from the airport – it costs ISK3900 one-way and takes about 45 minutes to the central bus station, from where you can take a taxi to 101 Hotel or the hotel can arrange a transfer (enquire when booking).
By Car:
See our car rental recommendations.
Please note that the 101 Hotel has limited parking spaces for guests to use depending on availability. Otherwise you will need to pay to use the car park round the corner. If you plan to spend a few days staying put in Reykjavik and then going off on tour round Iceland, we suggest you hire the car on the day you leave the 101 Hotel.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.
Airports:
- Keflavik International 50.0 km KEF
Other:
- Beach 3.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.1 km