City Center Hotel

The five-story, modern glass building tends to offer a quieter setting on weekdays, and is a great base for those wanting to explore the boisterous bars and nightlife in the area on the weekends. The hotel's compact lobby has a small, red reception desk and a lounge area with tables and chairs done in muted contemporary tones. In a decorative theme shared by the rooms, a dash of Asian artwork and furnishings add a bit of exotic color. At core, this is a simple hotel that makes a fine base for travelers not concerned with whiling away the hours at their hotel, though that doesn't mean there aren't comforts here that make for a youthful, lively vibe. Guests are mostly couples seeking centrally located, stylish accommodations, through some friends and families also stay here. Many gather for breakfast in the mornings and for local beers in the evenings at Microbar, a contemporary bar-cafe space where the walls are decorated with cartoonish paintings of Icelandic snow-capped mountains.

The hotel is located on Austurstraeti, one of the city's oldest streets, now lined with bars, restaurants, and shops. It's close to the old harbor and just an eight-minute walk from the striking Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall. The famous Sun Voyager Sculpture & Shore Walk is further along the waterfront, a 15-minute walk from the hotel. Many other points of interest are within 10 to 15 minutes' walking distance, including the National Museum of Iceland and Hallgrimskirkja church. Iceland's famous Blue Lagoon takes about 45 minutes to reach by car. Keflavik International Airport (KEF) is within around a 50-minute drive.

All 30 rooms have hardwood parquet floors and contemporary decor with a black-and-white color scheme accented by abstract art and modern, flock-patterned bed-runners in shades of cream and gray. Black-out curtains provide coverage for late sleepers, but street-facing rooms can pick up significant weekend traffic noise and some rooms, like the Single and Double Rooms that we visited, can be compact. Upper-floor rooms have views over Parliament square and some add balconies with glass railings. Black desks are paired with white chairs and wood armoires have an Asian decorative style that adds a little flair to the rooms. Free Wi-Fi comes standard along with flat-screen TVs, coffee/tea facilities, and mini-fridges. We found some mineral stains in the bathrooms, which are small, but otherwise clean and well-designed so they don't feel cramped. They have either shower/tub combos or walk-in showers with both handheld and rainfall showerheads. Some rooms have Nespresso machines, and/or robes and slippers. 

The lobby lounge has coolers with refreshments available, and free coffee around the clock. There's an internet corner with a single computer right by the front entrance. At the back of the hotel, the Microbar serves a continental breakfast that's not includes with room rates. Throughout the rest of the day it serves drinks and local beers but there may be plans to change the cafe into a restaurant, so guests should check ahead. There's also a small fitness room with a treadmill, exercise bike, weight-training machine, and free weights -- it's nothing special but fine for a quick and simple workout. Wi-Fi is free. There's no parking at the property. The reception desk can arrange for a variety of services, such as car rentals and tourist excursions.