Sport Hostel Reykjavík

It feels relaxed and homey, and it’s easy to meet people. The manager was great and had useful Iceland tips. The rooms are small but neat, and the hostel has a maximum of 30 people, with two showers, three bathrooms, and a small kitchen. I went in spring, so it was less crowded. Pro tip: remember your country’s calling code when you phone the manager to let you into your room. He’s often out. For the USA, it’s 01 followed by the number posted on the door.

The owner was helpful with any request, and the hostel was clean overall. There’s a 24-hour supermarket right around the corner, which I used many times to save money, and it’s affordable by Icelandic standards. The issue was getting into the rooms. When I arrived, as with some guests in the following days, we had to call a specific number. Not everyone can afford an expensive international call, so I think they should reconsider that policy. Otherwise, I’d highly recommend the hostel.

I gave it five stars because the manager moved me to a room without a smoker, and the gym, shops, and restaurants nearby are hard to beat. Reebok Crossfit is a 5-10 minute walk away, with plenty of good places to eat and a café on the way. The 24-hour Iceland grocery store is two minutes away, and the kitchen has pans, a refrigerator, a microwave, and other basics, so you can save on meals. Staff aren’t around often, so you’re mostly on your own. The bathroom ventilation fans are tied to the mall’s central air, so the manager has to turn them on. There’s a loud bar downstairs that sometimes plays music until 2 in the morning, which isn’t great for competitive athletes. Some people who smoke were checking in as hotel guests, and I didn’t welcome having to deal with that. There’s no laundry facility and no towels. Some hand towels were old and smelled funky. I washed some clothes by hand, and the drying racks made that manageable, so you could get by with two changes of clothes.

This was an okay four-night stay, and your experience depends partly on the manners of the people sharing your room. Some of my roommates lacked basic consideration, but things went well overall. Keep your expectations in check: it’s low-cost accommodation. The location is very convenient. The hostel is inside a shopping center with a 24-hour Iceland supermarket, restaurants, a bakery, a pharmacy, and other businesses. Across the street are more fast food places, including KFC, and a bus stop right outside. Bus 14 towards Hlemmur gets you to downtown Reykjavik in minutes. Finding the entrance took a little effort even though Google Maps led us to the building. Walk around the back, past the supermarket and restaurants, and look for the 'Sport Hostel' sign. Nobody greeted us; keys were in name-labeled envelopes on the desk. We were all given keys to room two. It had three bunk beds on one side and two on the other, separated by a half wall. There was a sink, mirror, and wardrobe on the right, two wardrobes on the left, plus shared coat hangers and shoe racks on the divider. Each side had its own light switch, but either one lit up the whole room. Every bed had a reading lamp, and blackout curtains covered the windows well. The big annoyance was the self-closing doors, which slammed loudly enough to wake people. There are two regular bathrooms with showers and one wheelchair-accessible bathroom, all shared with the other guests. Bring your own towel and soap. The small kitchen has a mini oven, microwave, fridge, two-burner cooktop, and assorted cooking tools. It would help to have a staff member around during office hours.