Icelandic Elegance: Reykjavik Edition Review

For the past 8 days my friends and I were driving the Ring Road around Iceland, in campervans living with limited showers, and real food (in a good way). We wanted to spend one night in luxury before we left, so the Reykjavik Edition was the only way to go. 

The hotel’s architecture and interior design pay homage to Iceland’s natural beauty, with sleek lines and minimalist aesthetics that reflect the country’s unique landscapes. Warm earth tones, inspired by the Northern Lights, create a cozy and inviting atmosphere that complements the cool Nordic surroundings.

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Situated in the heart of Reykjavik, the Reykjavik Edition offers guests an unparalleled vantage point to explore the capital city and its surrounding wonders. You are pretty much within walking distance of everything including the Old Harbor, and the iconic Hallgrímskirkja church. 

The Reykjavik Edition is about an hour away from Keflavík International Airport, so it is a bit of a drive. Be cautious if you are trying to take a taxi, it will cost over $100 USD for a one-way ride. There are buses that will transport you from the airport to Reykjavik city center for a third of the price.

My friends and I were coming from the western side of Iceland, so we had our own rental vehicle. Parking at the Reykjavik Edition is about $50 USD/night. While parking is always notoriously expensive in cities, we decided to just street park and it only cost us $10 USD/night.

The Reykjavik Edition is considered a luxury 5-star hotel and it comes with that price tag as well. One night at the hotel was coming out to $460 USD per room, a little bit steeper than we wanted to pay. We decided to book on points at 60,000 points per room, which using the NerdWallet point valuation this is almost the same price as the cash rate. 

We were checking in on a Saturday and it must have been a large departure day as many buses were waiting outside to pick up passengers. It was early in the morning, we arrived around 10:00 am. We had reservations at the Sky Lagoon, but wanted to drop off our luggage. To our surprise they said that one of the two rooms was ready and that we could head up if we wanted.

We dropped our luggage off, freshened up a bit, and headed to the Sky Lagoon to relax

Upon return to the hotel, the second room was ready and to my surprise they had upgraded the room from the base level that was booked to superior king room for being a titanium Marriott Bonvoy member. Keep in mind that Edition Hotels currently don’t offer most of the elite benefits that Marriott provides, so don’t expect to enjoy those perks during your stay

When we arrived at our upgraded room and formed our initial impressions, it still appeared relatively small, especially considering the room size was only 291 square feet. The two queen size beds took up a large portion of the room. I must admit though, I loved the neutral color layout and the pop of color added by the throw blanket on the bed. It was a nice touch to see.

The staff at the Reykjavik Edition were nice enough to leave us a small pastry and a bottle of champagne. The only hiccup we encountered was a welcome card left for us, but with an incorrect address. A quick call down confirmed the mix-up – it turned out they had mistakenly delivered the welcome card to the wrong room. We just laughed it off as were drinking our bubbles.

The bathroom featured a unique layout, divided into three distinct sections. Walking into the bathroom the main area was a hand sink. To the left was the shower and to the right a separate room for the toilet. The bathroom boasted a warm ambiance with tan-colored tiles adorned with stylish black accent pieces. My favorite part you may ask, the heated floors were the best feeling in the early morning.

The Reykjavik Edition has 5 restaurants and bars, yes you heard that correctly. Unfortunately, due to Edition Hotels not being part of the Marriott Bonvoy membership program, breakfast was not included. Although not mandatory, I highly recommend securing a reservation if you intend to dine at any of these sought-after establishments, as they are popular destinations for delectable food and beverages.

Known as The Roof, this bar sits on the 7th floor of the hotel overlooking the ocean. It is quite small, but honestly one of the best places in Reykjavik to see the Northern Lights in the winter. We all had a drink here and the bartenders were really friendly. Upon hearing about the hotel’s speakeasy, our curiosity naturally stirred. They rang up one of their counterparts and told us that they would come get us.

Located behind the Lobby Bar is TÖLT, the speakeasy. The staff quickly guided us to our table, where we were handed a drink menu. It had a completely different vibe and menu from The Roof, which was nice to see. This is an excellent spot for after-hours drinks, although it’s worth noting that food options are quite limited.

The Lobby Bar is located right in front of the main doors with a nice decorative fireplace. This is a very relaxing place to grab drinks and small snacks. There is usually a projector show that is providing visuals of the Icelandic landscape.

Sunset is an underground nightclub located in the basement of the Reykjavik Edition. It was closed for the season during our visit. During the peak months of visitors to Iceland this nightclub hosts some of the biggest name DJs in the world. If I could describe it in one word, it would be red. Red lights illuminate the entire room.

Tides Restaurant and Café is the main restaurant within the Reykjavik Edition, and it serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you are looking for a nice steak or seafood dinner, this is the place to visit. 

The hotel boasts both a spa and fitness center as well. We had plans to visit one of the lagoons and were not able to visit the spa. I did make time to visit the fitness center. The fitness center is quite small with mostly free weights and treadmills. The room has all walls painted black, which I think make the room feel ever smaller than it is. However, I do have to say I do like the aesthetic, and I was still able to get a decent workout in.

After 8 days of living in a campervan the Reykjavik Edition is just what I needed. A nice luxury accommodation to finish my gorgeous trip to Iceland. While a small blunder with getting the wrong welcome card may cause an upset for some, for me it was just a good chuckle. If I found a good price or points redemption rate I would return in the future.