1912Guest House

The location is very good, and the rooms were clean. For Reykjavik, the prices seemed reasonable. It's a very basic guesthouse, though, with shared facilities: one bathroom and a small kitchen with a two-ring hotplate and microwave.

We made breakfast in the kitchen each morning, picking up skyr, bread, juice and other things at a grocery store. There was plenty of fridge space, plus a microwave and coffee maker, which I really liked. The location is great for getting around on foot. It's near the Dom Kirkja, the Althing, Tjorn and the weekend Flea Market, with lots of restaurants nearby and places like Harpa within walking distance. We stayed last June, and I'd stay here again.

The building felt like an old house with beds put in, rather than proper private rooms. There were doors between rooms, partly hidden behind beds and closets, and the handles were still there. We could hear people next door and upstairs. When my friend and I first walked in, we both thought “Ghosthouse.” The whole building was dark and empty, and we'd already had to drive to another hotel to collect the key. The cleaning lady was a sweetheart, but she came early and asked us three or four times if we were checking out. Before we'd even left the room, she was already inside cleaning.

Check-in was extremely disappointing. We'd been told someone would come when called, but instead we had to find the main Hotel to pay, get a key, and then were left to help ourselves, at 2 a.m. Our room was in the cellar, across from the laundry room. It had mold and tiny windows. The shared bathroom had a broken light and nowhere to hang or put our things. The advertised wooden floor, small garden, and tea or coffee available at all times weren't there. I wouldn't recommend it.