Dyrhólaey Hótel

A large complex of buildings, but it was still quiet. Our room and bathroom were very spacious, and the staff were great. Breakfast was delicious, parking was convenient, and the location worked well for trips around the area.

Breakfast had lots of choice, and the views while eating were unbeatable. The hotel is well placed for exploring Vik, about 2.5 hours from Reykjavík. We had dinner at The Soup Company, and my family went to the Icelandic Lava Show. They found it incredibly informative. Our room was comfortable and clean, with spectacular views of the mountains and ocean. The carpeting and a few other things felt a little dated, but the stay was pleasant. The front desk staff were kind and accommodating. They offered coffee or tea while we waited and checked on our room status. This was a beautiful, convenient last stop before heading back toward Reykjavík. It was one of the bigger hotels we stayed in, but still felt welcoming and well managed. That night, we finally saw the Aurora Borealis, an unforgettable way to end the trip. It was faint to the naked eye, but showed up beautifully in phone photos, and we could make out wispy, ribbon-like shapes in the sky. A scenic, relaxing finish to an incredible trip.

The staff were really nice and the service was excellent, but I had quite a few problems with the hotel. There were school groups staying there, and the children ran up and down the halls screaming and yelling. It wasn’t peaceful at night or even during dinner. The room design was poor. The bedroom light stayed on for a bit after I switched it off, and the hotel card slot by the door let in even more light. The curtains weren’t blackout curtains, so outside light came in too. The room and bathroom were cold, with poor heating. The shower was the worst part. Its head was fixed very high up, hard to reach, and pointed at a bad angle, so the water ran near the wall instead of onto you. The tiles were slippery, and I nearly fell while trying to reach it. The shower head should be on a pole so its height can be adjusted. Shorter people and elderly guests could have trouble with it. There wasn’t even a shelf for soap or shampoo, so you had to leave bottles on the floor. This is unacceptable and a serious liability for the hotel. Someone could slip and badly hurt themselves trying to pull the shower head down, leaving the hotel facing a huge lawsuit. Parking was poor too, with bad signs and not enough space. This is a two-star hotel, no more.

The location and views were good, but the place gave us retirement or nursing home vibes. The rooms were old, and at breakfast it felt like we were eating with a big seniors’ group. The food was very basic, the juice wasn’t cold, and nobody offered ice. We also found it unsettling when someone tried to unlock our door and come into the room. We each only got one flat pillow, which wasn’t very comfortable.