Guesthouse Aurora

I only needed a place to sleep before my flight, but there was loud banging constantly, about once every minute. I get that staff have work to do during the day, but the way they did it made no sense. It felt like they had complete control over making as much noise as possible, with no respect for guests trying to sleep.

A few minutes' walk gets you to the church, and the location is great. BSI Bus terminal is about a 15-minute downhill walk away. The room was small, and we shared a kitchen and bathroom with another room that slept four. The bed was a little too soft and on the small side. The breakfast space is cramped and gets crowded, especially early in the morning, though the bread tastes great.

The rooms themselves were clean, though one of our beds had scratches. The location is great, but it doesn't make up for how the place is run. There are at least two bathrooms in each of the two houses, but neither soap nor shampoo was provided. Towels are on a table in one house, and there's no reception desk, so you have to call someone. The staff came across as unfriendly and barely interacted with guests. We were also expected to take off our shoes, which isn't a style of guesthouse we like. Breakfast was a mess. The tables stayed dirty after people ate, and the woman managing breakfast took food away early even while the room was full. When I spilled a few drops of apple juice, she handed me paper to wipe it up, then aggressively wiped the spot herself as I lifted my glass. My girlfriend waited by the toaster while the same woman blocked it, then had to push her way in after being ignored. It felt like guests were treated as a nuisance. The price for what we got was awful.

The beds were comfortable, and the staff were pleasant. You're close to Hallgrímskirkja, with Rainbow Street (Laugavegur) and other sights only a short walk away. Breakfast is modest, and you may hear noise from other rooms if you're a light sleeper. For the price and location, it's a strong option for seeing Reykjavík.