Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton

Rooms and decor

The first thing most guests say walking in is that it does not feel like a chain hotel. Reykjavik Konsulat hides inside a pale-brick building from the early 1900s on Hafnarstraeti, originally the trading house and department store of merchant and consul Ditlev Thomsen — built when Reykjavik was still a small port town first opening to the wider world. The restoration team chose to keep every bit of the original character: the soaring ceilings of the old retail floors, parquet that still shows its grain, timber staircases that smell of another century, and tall windows that flood the rooms with gold summer light and the soft grey of winter afternoons. The 50 rooms are dressed in warm Nordic earth tones — thick duvets, velvet sofas in the corner, oak desks and soft yellow lamps that make the place feel more like a classic Reykjavik townhouse than a hotel. The upper-floor rooms facing the inner courtyard get charming sloped ceilings and the quietest nights. A recurring image in reviews: pulling the curtains open in the morning to a row of old red roofs running down to the sea.

Food and amenities

Beyond the old-building atmosphere, the heart of staying here is the in-house wellness floor. The Icelandic-style hot tub is small but properly atmospheric — slide in and the cold outside vanishes. Pair it with the sauna and gym (all free for guests), and you have what many reviews call the thing that makes a Reykjavik winter trip noticeably easier. After a full day of battling wind on foot, soaking in warm water before bed feels close to essential. The in-house restaurant and bar lean local: cold-smoked salmon, dark rye bread, sheep cheese from Icelandic farms and slow-brewed coffee. Service is the thing reviewers agree on most loudly. The team is small, remembers names by day two, helps you book aurora tours on nights when the forecast index actually justifies the cold, points you to restaurants Icelanders eat at, and tips you off to the walking route to Hallgrimskirkja or the nearest public thermal pool the way a friend would. As a Curio Collection by Hilton property, you earn full Hilton Honors points — but none of the rooms look like the chain template.

Location and getting there

Location is the trump card. The building sits on Hafnarstraeti, in the centre of 101 Reykjavik. Step out of the lobby and you are 3 minutes from the Althingi parliament and Austurvollur square (ringed with cafes and bars), 5 minutes from Harpa Concert Hall — the city's iconic hexagonal glass cube that lights up in shifting colours at night — and another 5 from the Old Harbour, where whale-watching and sea-based aurora boats depart. Seven minutes brings you to the start of Laugavegur, the shopping street that climbs all the way up to Hallgrimskirkja. First-time visitors quickly realise you do not need a rental car — every notable cafe, museum and photo spot is inside a 10-15 minute walk. Reykjavik city airport (RKV) is about 10 minutes by car, and Keflavik International (KEF) is a 45-60 minute Flybus ride from BSI terminal. For Golden Circle or Blue Lagoon day trips, the concierge arranges everything and the bus picks you up at the door.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. The most common complaint in reviews is the variation in room shapes and sizes — because this is a restored historic building, rooms follow the original floor plan, so some attic units have sloped ceilings and tighter floor area than the website photos imply. Larger groups, families with kids or anyone who wants room to unpack a big suitcase should check the floor plan and request a lower-floor room with a flat ceiling before booking. The second issue is price — high-season and aurora-month rates (November to March) jump sharply versus shoulder season, and the Curio Collection cancellation policy is on the stricter side, so read it carefully if you are locking in months ahead. The third is noise — the building sits in a lively centre, and on Friday and Saturday nights you can hear the runtur (Reykjavik's late-night bar-hopping ritual) from the street. Courtyard-facing rooms are noticeably quieter than the Hafnarstraeti side; if you are a light sleeper, mention it when booking or at check-in. Finally, with only 50 rooms, it sells out fast in high season — lock the dates in early.

Our take

After reading through real reviews and comparing it against the other 101 Reykjavik options at this level, Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton is the boutique that tells the Reykjavik story without raising its voice. The historic Thomsen consul building keeps its soaring ceilings and classic floors, the centre-of-101 location puts every major sight inside a 10-minute walk, the in-house hot tub, sauna and gym make a winter trip measurably more comfortable, and the small team delivers warm hands-on service while you still earn Hilton Honors. If your trip vision is morning walks through 101, evening aurora hunts, and coming home to soak in an old building that feels like a friend's home, this place lands at a clean 10. If you need a big family suite, a full-scale spa or a proper swimming pool on site, it will feel a bit tight. Overall 9.0/10 — the standout pick for couples, history-leaning luxury travelers, and solo guests who want to feel the centre of Reykjavik from the inside.