Bryggjan Boutique Hotel

The decor has so much detail, and the place feels homely. I loved the hot tub area for looking out for the Northern Lights. The location is amazing, right on the waterfront, and just a 5-minute walk from downtown without the disruption.

The room was spacious and clean, with comfortable chairs and two soft pillows per bed. The lighting was good once we worked out that it could be dimmed. The hot tub and sauna area looked nice, and the hot tubs seemed to be drained daily. But there are only blackout curtains, with no privacy screen, so the choice is a dark room or people on the street seeing in at ground level. The curtains do block the light well. Wi-Fi was very good, though having to click connect several times a day was annoying, and it sometimes cut out during a phone call. The ventilation unit is a bit noisy and changes direction every minute, so it isn't a steady sound, which might bother light sleepers. There aren't any large windows you can open to cool the room quickly, so be careful not to turn the radiators up too high. Our room wasn't made up after the first night, which feels a bit cheap for a luxury boutique hotel. There was no staff on site when we arrived in the afternoon, and there's no 24-hour front desk or concierge. There's also no room service, buffet dinner, phones or clocks in the rooms, wake-up calls, or laundry service. Those are all things listed on Google that don't seem to be available. Check-in details came by email with a pin for the property and our room, but our pin didn't work. Luckily, someone answered the phone and fixed it quickly. I'm not sure what we'd have done without phone roaming. The website promises a carefully prepared breakfast with fresh, local ingredients, including Icelandic dairy, fresh bread, and seasonal fruit. On the first day there were only small croissants and cinnamon rolls, no fruit, protein, or juice. On the second day there was no breakfast at all. When I asked, I was told, “no, sorry.” The rooms and facilities are very nice, around four stars or better, but the service and promises kept are closer to two. I regret choosing this expensive hotel. They didn't deliver what their website or listing promised, including breakfast and a 24-hour front desk. It was poor value, and I wouldn't stay here again or recommend it.

Breakfast is served upstairs, with a lovely view across the harbor, and there was a generous plate of fresh fruit along with everything else I wanted. The room also had a Nespresso machine, and the thick doors and good insulation meant I couldn't hear other guests. The whole place feels carefully restored. It's an old building from 1821, renovated with real care, from the shower and sink to the fixtures and flooring. The details feel elaborate and costly, and the entrance is welcoming too. The harbor location and view are fantastic.

The location, service, and rooms were all lovely. The mattresses are pretty soft, though, and my back gave out two nights ago. I didn't try the steam room or hot tub, maybe next time.