More like a stylish apartment than a hotel, staying at Kvosin Hotel is like having your very own place in the center of Reykjavik.
Iceland has no shortage of boutique hotels and beautiful accommodations. A quick google search will show you what I mean. But for this trip, we wanted something that felt a bit more like home than a hotel.
Maybe it was the snowy weather, or the 18 hours of darkness the covers Reykjavik each day during the winter, but I wanted our trip to Iceland to be cozy. I envisioned us curling up on comfortable couches, drinking hot tea, while hoping to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights. Idealistic right? Well, apparently not! When I came across the Kvosin Hotel, I just knew this was the place for us!
The Kvosin Hotel is tastefully furnished with 20th-century modern and contemporary pieces, giving it a chic and cool look — but without being trendy. The rooms are spacious, and furnished in a way that makes you feel as if you’re staying in a stylish apartment rather than a hotel.
This boutique hotel only has a handful of rooms, so we were able to get a lot of personalized attention from the staff, and the 24 hour concierges were always friendly and helpful with anything we needed. From the quirky details, to the well packaged grocery items available for sale (pastas, sauces, jams), to the handsome outfits the concierges wore, Kvosin was like my awesome cool friend with slight hipster tendencies.
“The Kvosin Hotel is tastefully furnished with 20th-century modern and contemporary pieces, giving it a chic and cool look — but without being trendy. ”
Our Room at Kvosin Hotel
Coming home to Kvosin after a busy day of Glacier Walking or Horseback Riding, was always such a welcome thought. We knew we wouldn’t have to go through busy crowded lobbies, deal with tons of guests and more importantly - a small un-interesting room.
Out of the three different types, cheekily named “big”, “bigger” and “biggest,” we stayed in the “bigger” room and loved how open and spacious it was. Even with just a few hours of sunshine each day, our room always felt warm and welcoming. The soft glow from the lights, the blue sky coming through the windows and the cozy touches made us feel at home.
Maybe it’s because I have a hospitality background or a slight obsession with furniture, but everything felt as if the hotel was designed to make the guests happy and comfortable, without sparing any expense. We were in a well-designed apartment with no Ikea furnishings in sight, and it was wonderful. I just wish I would have had space in my bag to buy one of the cool yellow celtic knot pillows they had on the sofa!
Klauster Bar
I am a firm believer that every great hotel, needs an equally appealing bar - it just makes sense! There is nothing better than having a place where you can have a few beers or a couple glasses of wine, just steps from your room — and even better that you don’t have to leave the hotel and brave the cold Icelandic winters to do it!
The bar at Kvosin Hotel, the Klauster Bar, is cozy and relaxed and has a great selection of craft Icelandic beers and a pretty extensive wine list. We popped into Klaustur a few times and instantly felt right at home. Chris enjoyed discussing the in’s an outs of Icelandic craft beer with the bartender, while I simply took in the beautiful decor over a glass of Einstok white ale. You’ll find locals, industry people and a few quests intermingling the night away. Whether, wine, beer or cocktails are your thing, Klaustur is a fun place to grab a quick drink and snack, or spend the night relaxing with friends.
The Team at Kvosin Hotel Really Made Us Feel at Home!
Even before we arrived at the hotel, the concierge team was helpful as we planned our trip to Iceland. Since we’re not a fan of guide books, we weren’t sure what sights we should to see, where we should to eat, or what type of clothes we needed to pack. But after a few email exchanges, I knew what to expect and had several great ideas of what to do. They even sent me an article from their blog on the best new restaurants in Reykjavik — and we ended up eating at 3 of the 4 places they recommended! This is a team that knows what they’re doing and isn’t afraid to give their honest opinion.
As soon as we arrived we were welcomed by laid back and friendly attitudes from the team. We got the perfect amount of help without the annoying banter that can sometimes come when talking to concierges. When we needed help with transportation or tickets, they were on it and not once did they try to push touristy excursions on us or give us a 20 minute spiel on things we have to do or see. They even kept us company while we waited for our 4:30AM pick up to head back to the airport. Thank you Kvosin Hotel!
Tips & Notes About The Kvosin Hotel
- To get to the Kvosin Hotel we took the Gray Line bus which we easily booked at the airport upon arrival. They coordinate departure times with the airlines so you never have to wait long, and they will drop you off right in front of the hotel.
- Daily breakfast is included in your room rate and is around the corner at a cute little cafe. It was nice to have a change of scenery form the typical breakfast buffets we’re used to.
- All of the rooms are meant to feel like apartments, so expect to have little kitchenettes in each room.
- The bath water does smell like sulfur sometimes, but I promise you’ll get used to it and the Aveda bath products help mask the smell.
- Don’t be afraid to drink the water from the kitchen faucet. It is seriously the best water you will ever have!
- For those of you that are digital nomads, you will be really impressed with the speed of their WiFi. We were able to upload really huge files and stream movies without any delays or interruptions.
To visit the Kvosin Hotel make sure to visit their website: