Hilton Reykjavik Nordica

The Hilton Reykjavik Nordica is a steel and glass contemporary hotel on a busy road in the city's business district. It's clean and equipped to suit contemporary tastes with a hip, open-plan lounge bar. For the business travelers who consist of a big share of the hotel's clientele, the property's 11 meeting rooms and chic event space plus massive and comprehensive gym are perfect; there's even an indoor and outdoor hot tub for relaxing after a day in meetings. Other guests, generally on the older side and typically prosperous, are there to explore the city. The restaurant, sophisticated and spare in design, offers all day dining, but some guests buy a takeout sandwich from the refrigerated case in the lobby and whisk it up to a high floor; just off each elevator are club chairs with mountain views.

The Hilton Reykjavik Nordica is on a highly trafficked road in the business district where there are a few restaurants. It's removed from most tourist attractions, however, the Asmundur Sveinsson Sculpture Museum is five minutes away on foot. For those who want to play golf at midnight (a feat made possible by Iceland's ample daylight in the summer), the Golf Union of Iceland is eight minutes away on foot. The Reykjavik Botanical Garden is a 15-minute walk from the hotel. Still, it takes about 30 minutes to walk to the city's center and its sights. By car, depending on traffic, it's about 10 minutes. The much visited Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Center and the Solar Sun Voyager Sculpture are each a six-minute drive. The Hallgrimskirkja, an exquisite church, and the National Museum of Iceland are each seven minutes away by car. Reykjavik International Airport is 42 minutes by car without traffic. Free parking is offered, and there's an electric charging station for electric cars.

Rooms at the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica are sparklingly clean and minimalist. The floors are finished in a glossy honey wood and the beds, on simple frames with fabric headboards, have white duvets. Windows are covered in sheers and blackout drapes. Extra seating is found in neutral toned canvas upholstery, and little dots of color can be found in the wall art -- prints showing Reykjavik's colorful houses. Larger rooms have extra chairs and dining tables. Climate controlled rooms have flat-screen TVs, docking stations for MP3 players, and many outlets. Amenities include coffee- and tea-making facilities, irons and ironing boards, and safes. Wi-Fi is free and fast. The bathrooms are quite plain with fluorescent lighting and off-white tiles. Each is outfitted with a magnifying mirror, a wall-mounted hairdryer, and paper cups out of a dispenser. Toiletries are by Peter Tomas Roth. Shower/tub combos or full soaking tubs are available. Club-level rooms may be worth the extra money for their better views and all-day free snacks and drinks in the club lounge. Upper-floor rooms in the front of the hotel look onto the mountains, and, in the distance, the sea.

People traveling for business will find the amenities offered at the Hilton Reykjavik Nordica suitable for working on-site, exercising in its big fitness center, and relaxing at the spa or lounge bar. The fitness center has rows of Technoygym treadmills, elliptical machines, and stationary bikes, overlooking flat-screen TVs and floor-to-ceiling windows. There are free weights, machines for circuit training, mats, and a yoga and Pilates studio. The spa has several treatment rooms and offers body wraps, facials, and various massages plus an indoor and outdoor hot tub and a sauna. The bar -- dark wood with chartreuse green club chairs around coffee tables -- is open-plan and in the lobby, where there are clusters of other plush seating in carpeted nooks. Guests will find a well-attended happy hour in the high-ceilinged lobby lounge; some complain about the long wait for one of the half-priced drinks. The VOX restaurant, whose Scandinavian menu gets mixed reviews from guests, has a sophisticated, neutral decor with contemporary gas fireplaces. The breakfast buffet isn't included in the room rates. Guests can purchase grab-and-go items from a refrigerated cooler, and room service is available 24 hours. There are 11 meeting rooms and chic event spaces, including a wine cellar and others with fireplaces and exposed stone walls and views. Audiovisual equipment is available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property. The lobby also includes a gift shop. The front desk, staffed 24 hours, provides luggage storage, tour planning, and car rental arrangements.