Budget property with affordable rates
Higher-floor Superior Rooms have lovely harbor views
Buffet restaurant and lounge bar
Seventh floor conference room
Free continental breakfast buffet
Free Wi-Fi and parking
Quieter setting outside of city center (a con for some)
Far from the city center -- walks take at least 20 minutes
Dated decor and amenities (we spotted tube TVs in some rooms)
Standard Rooms are tiny -- even for Iceland
Some traffic noise in street-facing rooms
The 249-room Hotel Cabin is a budget hotel that's a five-minute drive from Reykjavik's downtown. It has views of the waterfront from upper floors, but walks to the city center will take 20 to 30 minutes. The utilitarian rooms are geared toward tour groups opting for affordable rates over amenities, and we saw some rooms that still have old tube TVs. A simple buffet restaurant and lounge bar provide the bare necessities, along with a free continental breakfast. For something closer to the city center, travelers might want to consider Hotel Holt, though rates are more expensive.
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Scene
Basic value hotel with simple interiors
This hotel was last renovated in 2007, with additional rooms added and some modest updates to the decor. A map of Iceland hangs on a wall opposite the wooden front desk, where guests can purchase postcards and snacks. Carpeted lounge areas with drop-ceilings have boxy furnishings and the lobby spills into a ground floor restaurant and simple lounge bar that both get a lot of natural light. Overall, decor is bland, making for functional, though uninspiring, interiors. The hotel is not too convenient for leisure tourists hoping to sightsee on foot, as it's a bit removed from the city center, yet the hotel still attracts plenty of tour groups and budget travelers seeking value rates.
Location
Alongside busy motorways -- drive downtown in five minutes
The hotel is located across the street from a gas station on a boulevard lined with office buildings and shops. Its position along the junction of two busy motorways that lead in and out of Reykjavik allow for easy access to the city by car. The drive into town takes about five minutes, though guests willing to take on an ambitious walk can reach shop-filled Laugavegur Street in 20 to 30 minutes depending on the destination. Keflavik International Airport (KEF) is about a 40-minute drive from the hotel.
Rooms
Simple, budget rooms with dated amenities; some with harbor views
Most of the hotel's 249 rooms are small, with simple, dorm-like furnishings. Don't expect much space in Standard Rooms -- they start at just 10 square meters (108 square feet) of space, which is small even by Icelandic and European standards. Standard Rooms have a pair of twin beds (they also come in triples) with wall-mounted reading lights, tiny wardrobe shelves, and bedside tables for minimal storage. Some include old tube TVs, while Deluxe Rooms add flat-screen TVs and mini-fridges along with small sitting areas. Simple framed photographs hang on white walls, and some of the light wood veneer furniture is worn. White-tiled bathrooms have tiny walk-in showers. Superior Rooms, on the hotel's seventh floor, offer the best views of the harbor and have coffeemakers, along with larger bathrooms that have walk-in rainfall showers. Deluxe and Superior Rooms also provide more space for guests to stretch out. Some traffic noise can be heard in street-facing rooms.
Features
Buffet restaurant, lounge bar, conference room, and free breakfast
Some snacks and refreshments are available for purchase at the front desk, where guests can also arrange bicycle and car rentals. For more substantial dining, the buffet restaurant has a big dining room and a salad bar with soup and other hot options, along with a free continental breakfast. There's also a lobby bar with a daily happy hour and plenty of seating in the adjacent lounge. On the top floor, a bright seventh floor conference room can accommodate up to 100 people. The hotel also provides free Wi-Fi throughout and free parking.
