Víðines Guesthouse

The guesthouse is right by the sea in what seems like an idyllic spot, but reaching it means driving past a landfill and recycling station, then along a bumpy road to a building that needs some care. It used to be a facility for elderly people, and the place still feels institutional, with nurses' stations and an industrial kitchen. There's also a stale old-person smell in the walls, and the furniture is a jumble from past decades: old Rococo pieces, 70s velvet sofas, and chunky 80s leather chairs. My room was a former patient room with just a bed, a little embroidered stool, a tiny table, and a stained chair. A flickering fluorescent ceiling light was the only lighting. The washbasin mentioned in the description was missing, there wasn't even a hanger for my jacket, and the bedsheet was dirty. On the second floor, more than a dozen rooms shared only two toilets, with the showers in them too. If someone took a long shower, everyone else had to wait outside. The worst part was waking up with bedbugs. I left with several clusters of itchy bites and the stress of figuring out how to handle my luggage so I wouldn't bring them home. There was nobody on staff to report this to, and neither emails nor messages through the booking site got a reply. The price is low, but even for a small saving, this place isn't worth it.

The main appeal is the very low price, and it works if all you need is somewhere cheap to crash for a night. My room was clean and had a bathroom. The exterior and shared areas felt a bit eerie and run-down, though, so I wouldn't suggest it if you're easily spooked. The kitchen looks like an operating room 😱.

The only real downside was the water's extremely strong sulfur smell. I know that can happen in Iceland, but it was really off the scale here. Once inside, the guesthouse was well maintained, with spacious, clean rooms and lots of clean bathrooms and showers. The kitchens were large and well equipped, and the common areas were nice. On arrival, the place gives a rather creepy impression.

It was quiet, with nothing else around, and the price was cheap. The kitchen was great and clean, and the room entry worked by key code. I didn't see any staff around, but the place was clean and I'd recommend it. The building is old and seemed to have been a hospital or a home for elderly people. There's a huge landfill on the way in, though you can't smell it, so that was fine.