Check out this Reykjavik Lights by Kea Hotels review: the perfect hotel for Iceland in winter (although it’s suitable for any season!).
Finding somewhere to stay in Reykjavik in winter can be a little challenging, especially if you’re keen to not spend too much money!
Luckily I have a perfect solution for you – the comfortable, minimalistic and charming Reykjavik Lights by Kea Hotels which is located just a short journey from the city centre.
It has cosy rooms with beautiful mountain views, fresh pastries, bread, cheese and fruit served for breakfast every day and very helpful staff (who answered all of the many questions that we had about our trip!).
Here’s my full review of the hotel.
The room
The room had chic nordic vibes; it was dedicated to the first day of Haustmánuðr, which was the last month of summer in the old Norse calendar.
The walls were pale blue and the whole place was minimalist but functional; there was a desk for working, a TV, tea and coffee-making facilities, a wardrobe and an en-suite bathroom.
The en-suite bathroom had a power shower that got really warm (heated by thermal water, of course!). Reykjavik was really snowy when we were there, so this was very much welcome!
Plus, there was a radiator in the room that heated the place up quickly and conserved the heat really well.
That being said, buildings in Iceland are so well-insulated that it was never cold in the room, I just turned it on for some extra warmth.
The room had gorgeous views over Reykjavik’s nearby mountains (which I didn’t notice until the afternoon of the third day, as we’d not spent any time in the hotel in the daylight!), and there was some interesting information on the walls about Viking traditions.
My only complaint about the room was that, for me, the bed wasn’t quite soft enough. I like comfy, memory foam mattresses, and this one was a little hard! However, this is totally down to personal tastes; some people prefer harder mattresses!
Breakfast
We absolutely loved breakfast at Reykjavik Lights by Kea Hotels – check it out on Booking.com.
Fresh pastries, including cinnamon swirls, pan au chocolate and apple turnovers, were put out onto the buffet every day, along with crusty bread, fresh Icelandic cheeses (along with ham and other meats) and cereals which I had with soy milk, but there was also dairy milk on offer.
There were even toppings like goji berries and dried apricots available!
There’s also a coffee machine and plenty of teabags of different varieties.
The food was fresh and delicious and it was the perfect start to the day, every day!
The bar
While the restaurant was breakfast-only, there was a bar in the reception area that served a few cocktails, beers and some glasses of wine.
We didn’t drink when we were in Iceland, but lots of people enjoyed drinks here in the evening.
There was a fridge with snacks, where we purchased chocolate and crisps; these aren’t cheap (it cost me the equivalent of about $5 for a small tub of pringles and a bar of chocolate!), but they are useful if you’re particularly hungry!
Services
The reception staff were friendly and helpful.
As you’d expect in Iceland, everyone speaks perfect English, and they answered all of our questions, everything from where we could fill out water bottles to booking an airport transfer.
As we booked a package holiday with Iceland Air, the hotel helped us with any queries that we had about our pre-booked excursions and day trips. We were picked up from the hotel when we went to the Blue Lagoon and for the northern lights tour.
The room was cleaned perfectly every day; but one thing that I appreciated was that they didn’t change the towels every day, which made it much more sustainable.
Location
The only thing that did let Reykjavik Lights down a little was the location.
We were aware of this when we booked the hotel (I think it was cheaper due to its distance from the city centre!), so this isn’t something that can be complained about – but it’s important to be aware of before you book!
Reykjavik Lights is about a 30 minute walk to Hallgrimskirkja, and 40 minutes to the Harpa Concert Hall. I didn’t find the walk too difficult and I enjoyed getting my steps in, but in icy and snowy conditions others may find it a little taxing to walk this far.
It’s a 10 minute drive to either, depending on the traffic.
Reykjavik Lights is close to Laugardalslaug, which is one of the best-value thermal pools in Iceland and one of my favourite things to do in Reykjavik in winter.
It has a heated outdoor swimming pool (which is still warm enough even on the coldest winter days!) and hot tubs along the side.
It sits on one of the main roads going out of the city, and there are regular buses that plough the route. You can pre-book tickets for buses in advance on the KLAPPID app; just authorise them as you get on the bus and then scan the QR codes on the bus.
There are also car parking spaces out the front of the hotel.
There are a variety of restaurants close to the hotel, including Pho Vietnam which serves authentic Vietnamese food and La Madre Pizza which is directly next to the hotel and does incredible pizzas with a mouthwatering base.
How to book the hotel
We booked the hotel as part of a package with Iceland Air, but you can also reserve it on hotel booking sites like Booking.com.
The advantage of booking on Booking.com is that, if you loyally reserve hotels on the website, you can become a booking Genius, where you can get discounts and perks like included breakfast.
Full Reykjavik Lights review!
Hopefully, this Reykjavik Lights by Kea Hotels review has helped you to plan a trip there! Whether you’re visiting Reykjavik in January or in the middle of summer, it has excellent services, modern decor and friendly staff.
Click here to go to Reykjavik Lights by Kea Hotels’ page on Booking.com – and check out the rest of my articles about visiting Iceland in winter here.
