Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura

The Icelandair Natura Hotel, housed in a 1966 glass and steel building, is a tasteful setting for guests seeking proximity to the airport, including business travelers taking advantage of its 12 meeting rooms as well as tour groups. Renovated in 2011, the hotel has contemporary Scandinavian-style interiors. The bright and airy lobby is illuminated by floor-to-ceiling windows and features a blonde wood reception desk, fieldstone fireplace, and bright pops of color amid neutral hues courtesy of orange and turquoise mid-century Saarinen chairs. The hotel's restaurant is full of blonde wood -- from floors to tables to wood-paneled walls -- as well as an inviting bar area with cozy orange chairs, low tables, and wooden shelves lined with books and knickknacks. The pool, sauna, and steam rooms, contemporary in style, provide additional relaxation sites. Even the fitness room has a wall-spanning photo of a waterfall. Tourists who stay here complain about the long walk to the city center, particularly in the cold weather (though the hotel does offer free public bus passes), but business travelers praise the hotel's pragmatic offering, like its super fast Wi-Fi. 

The hotel Natra is located right next to Midborg Airport, Reykjavik's domestic airport, and under a 10-minute drive or about a 25-minute walk to the downtown area. There are a couple of sites within closer walking distance, such as Perlan, the city's revolving, domed restaurant (12-minute walk), and Nautholsvik Geothermal Beach (15-minute walk). The National Museum of Iceland is a five-minute drive away, as is the National Gallery of Iceland and the Hallgrimskirkja cathedral. It takes eight minutes to drive to Harpa Reykjavik Concert Hall and Conference Center. The Blue Lagoon is about a 45-minute drive, while Keflavik International Airport can be reached in about 50 minutes.

Rooms here are small and space can be tight, but they're pleasant, with a clean, IKEA-esque look that includes blonde wood floors and simple furniture. Some of the furnishings show signs of wear and tear, however, whether a chip on a table or a stain on a carpet. The hotel offers several different room types, including Art and Poet Rooms that are dedicated to Icelandic artists and poets and feature their work on the walls, plus some have more old fashioned details like damask wallpaper and tufted wingback chairs. Otherwise, most rooms have plain, birchwood headboards and white linens -- hypoallergenic bedding is available -- with plaid or bright colored throws. There are spare nightstands and desks with contemporary chairs in plaid or bright upholstery. Black-out drapes frame the windows that overlook the airport or the city. Each room has a flat-screen TV, tea- and coffee-making facilities, a mini-fridge, safe, and free Wi-Fi. An iron and ironing board are available on request. Bathrooms are small, but clean and pleasant, with contemporary fixtures and attractive green mosaic tiling in some. Hairdryers and the spa's own Soley organic toiletries are provided. Guests who book the Gimli Suite with its two bathrooms, one bedroom, and seating area, will be staying in the same room as former guest Bobby Fischer; chess boards are available upon request.

The hotel offers an array of amenities that are geared toward business travelers and visitors in transit utilizing the nearby airport. The spa includes a kidney-shaped, saltwater pool as well as a sauna and steam room, and it offers treatments like hot stone massage and body scrubs. There's also a fitness center with treadmills, elliptical machines, free weights, and a large yoga studio. There are several inviting public spaces guests can gather in, including a lounge area in the lobby with a fireplace. There's even an auditorium where the hotel screens movies several times a week.

The hotel's Satt Restaurant has a comfort food menu, including pizzas from its wood-burning oven. Breakfast, served for a fee, includes Icelandic specialties like smoked salmon and pickled herring, and there's a daily happy hour at the bar. Room service is also available. Some rooms, such as the Art and Poet Rooms as well as Flora Deluxe Rooms, get access to the 4th Floor Lounge where free snacks and non-alcoholic drinks are available throughout the day.

Business travelers are well catered to with 12 meeting rooms as well as a business center with computers, fax machines, and printers, plus Wi-Fi is free throughout. Laundry and dry-cleaning are provided for a fee. Parking is free and the 24-hour front desk can arrange car and limousine service. The hotel also gives each guest a free bus pass and discounts to some of the city's art museums, plus bicycles are available for rent.