Hellatún Guest House

We stayed two nights, once before a really challenging hike with our kids, Landmannalaugavegur, and again on the day we got back. The clean, spacious layout made both stays comfortable. We really appreciated the laundry, the well-placed blackout curtains that actually worked, and the comfortable pullout couch and TV. We’d stay here again.

The apartment looks lovely, the views are outstanding, and during our stay the owner was helpful, friendly, and responsive. But we’re very disappointed by how she handled the problems we raised. We sent several pleasant, balanced messages and she ignored them. Then, after we left a review about it on the booking site, she managed to have it marked as spam and removed. I wonder how many other reviews she has done that to. For the price, this place just wasn’t worth it, and the owner’s response felt deceitful. The apartment seemed uncared for and badly in need of a deep clean. There was grime throughout the bathroom, our feet got dirty walking around barefoot, and someone else’s rubbish was still under the sofa. Netflix wasn’t there despite being promised, the mattress was painful and likely very worn out, and the freezer’s ice cube machine didn’t work. There were plenty of other issues too. So many of these things are fixable, but the owner doesn’t seem to care and instead appears to focus on getting negative reviews removed. For what this place costs, you can do a lot better with your hard-earned money.

From the outside, this staff-free place looks very modest, but there’s a lot waiting inside. The semi-detached building has a traditional look and would suit two families or a larger group of friends, while still giving each group privacy. We had a beautiful sitting room, well-equipped kitchens, superb bedrooms, and spotless bathrooms. There’s also a great thermal Jacuzzi on each terrace. It was the best place I stayed in Iceland this year, a real Icelandic experience, and I strongly recommend it.

A great place to stop for the night, especially as a midpoint on the way. It was peaceful, the room was warm and comfortable, and the host made check-in really easy. Loved this place.