Front of property – evening/night

Reviews of Reykjavík Downtown Hotel

3 out of 5
Reykjavík Downtown Hotel
Skólavörðustígur 42, Reykjavik

Reviews

6.8
Rating 10 - Excellent. 37 out of 165 reviews" "
Rating 8 - Good. 52 out of 165 reviews" "
Rating 6 - Okay. 35 out of 165 reviews" "
Rating 4 - Poor. 21 out of 165 reviews" "
Rating 2 - Terrible. 20 out of 165 reviews" "

7.4/10

Cleanliness

8.0/10

Staff & service

7.0/10

Amenities

6.4/10

Property conditions & facilities

6.8/10

Eco-friendliness

Reviews

2/10 Terrible

Cian

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
THIS BUSINESS WAS CLOSED BY THE POLICE AND EXPEDIA NEVER INFORMED ME! Shame on you! I WAS SERIOUSLY INCONVENIENCED
Stayed 1 night in Apr 2024

2/10 Terrible

Ellen

Stayed 1 night in Mar 2024

10/10 Excellent

Shiela

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
nice view and nice staff

8/10 Good

stephanie

Liked: Staff & service
The hotel is centrally located and very close to bus stop #8 which is next to one of the most visible landmarks. Its perfect for a short no frills stay. The owner is kind. When choosing a place to stay in Reykjavik either you splurge and be far away from downtown or you compromise and be centrally located. I only stayed 1night and it worked for me.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

4/10 Poor

Angela

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities

10/10 Excellent

Chelsi

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved staying here! We got a large room and it's so convenient being next to a little grocery Mart and right in the middle of Downtown
Stayed 3 nights in Feb 2024

2/10 Terrible

Rama

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
No phone services. The rooms has a disgusting audor Roaches. We changed the room but did not help. New changed room is noisy and has bad odour. No 24/7 at reception. The hotel is open only 9am to 9pm. No late checkout allowed.
Stayed 1 night in Feb 2024

10/10 Excellent

David E

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Very kind and helpful staff. Perfect location to walk anywhere. Right across the street from the Hallgrimskirkja church and a beautiful sculpture garden.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2024

8/10 Good

MARIANO IGNACIO

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Stayed 5 nights in Dec 2023

10/10 Excellent

Joan

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Loved the location. Was very happy I could get into my room earlier than normal check-in. They helped me make arrangements to get to the airport. However that bus never came so I was lucky a stranger helped me. No fault of the hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Nov 2023

6/10 Okay

Elvia Isabel, El Paso

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Front desk staff friendly and helpful Water does have strong egg smell But overall great location!!
Stayed 3 nights in Nov 2023

6/10 Okay

Balikis

Liked: Cleanliness
Not as bad as other reviews suggest however, reception is a little strange. Staff have very little English which is fine but difficult to check in. No knowledge about nearby parking even though parking is mentioned during booking online. Elevator is broken, room was clean, spacious and well equipped. However one of the main downfalls was the lack of heating in the room. We had one small electric heater which failed to heat the large room. Location is brilliant and staff are smiley :) Main door locked at night, very safe and secure.
Stayed 2 nights in Oct 2023

10/10 Excellent

Elizabeth

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
They were incredibly accommodating and helpful. Made our trip so much easier!
Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Kent

Travelled with partner
We liked that you could walk to Downtown and restaurants were close.
Stayed 4 nights in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Jacky

Stayed 1 night in Oct 2023

8/10 Good

Elaine

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
I did not have high expectations but for one night it worked for me. Since elevator was not working we were impressed with the fellow carrying baggage up and down stairs for everyone.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Alma

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location
Hotel is in a great location, and easily accessible to the city and not too far from the main road. The bathroom needs some acrobat abilities due to its compact nature.
Stayed 3 nights in Sep 2023

4/10 Poor

Mohini

Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

bradley

Travelled with partner
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Great location. Staff was excellent..great price. Had wonderful experience.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

6/10 Okay

Benjamin

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Great location
Excellent location! That's what saves the place. It's otherwise mediocre.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

10/10 Excellent

Greg

Travelled with family
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
The owner was very welcoming upon our arrival. He helped us with directions, including walking us to a meeting spot we needed to find.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2023

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Would not recommend
We stayed here in August and left in the middle of the night because we couldn’t get over the fact that there were bugs in the bathroom which was right beside the bed. The toilet was not affixed firmly to the floor so it shifted when being used, and the bugs that were scurrying around the floor creeped us out. While the location of the hotel was good, we would not recommend staying here.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Eric

Travelled with family
Liked: Amenities
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
Room had cockroaches in it.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

6/10 Okay

Jie Rong

Travelled with family
Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
It’s just steps away from the landmark church, convenient to downtown restaurants, pubs and shopping. Check-in through a Vietnamese restraint to its entrance at the back of the street. The young man is friendly and helped us to lift our luggage to the 2nd floor. The elevator was not in function. The property is old and things inside the room look worn out. We had a kitchenette in our room with microwave and hot water kettle. We travelled around Iceland and stayed in 9 other accommodation, found this one is the least we like.
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

8/10 Good

Alex

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2023

4/10 Poor

Jerry, Madison

Travelled with family
Disliked: Amenities, property conditions & facilities
You enter via a Vietnamese restaurant, very odd. Difficult to find back way into the building. It’s not a Hotel. No thermostat to control heat. 5 TV channels.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Tom

Travelled with group
Liked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Fine for a stay in a great location
Was actually dreading this one as I’d arranged the accommodation for four of us and only really read the reviews the day before we arrived Turned out fine. Bagged a free parking slot in the big church car park, one minute walk to hotel You actually check in via a Vietnamese Restaurant underneath - the guy couldn’t have been friendlier and took all our bags to our rooms. Rooms themselves deffo not the best but not the worst either. We had two economy rooms. Decent size Comfy beds Little kitchen area and own bathroom Bathroom wasn’t great but shower worked fine - what else do you need? Could do with some glasses for drinks as only two small coffee cups but the location made up for it Nowhere near as bad as some of the other reviews have said
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

4/10 Poor

Michael, Glenside

Disliked: Cleanliness, amenities, property conditions & facilities
Do NOT stay here. There is no reception area. It was a hassle to get into the hotel and track down someone to assist you. This rotten hotel is in a Vietnamese restaurant, which is how you enter. The setup and layout is extremely bad. The hallways to get to the room are filthy, old, and need to be updated. The room iteself was old, outdated, and plenty of imperfections. The water from the shower was leaking downstairs and maintenance needed to come, burden me, and fix tbe water issue
Stayed 3 nights in Aug 2023

8/10 Good

Ylva

Liked: Staff & service
The shower wasn't great, water ran all over the bathroom floor almost immediately. There weren't great locks on windows. It felt dingey.
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2023

6/10 Okay

John

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Strange room layout
Probably the strangest hotel I have ever stayed in. Could not sit on the toilet without having the door open, because there was no room in front of you. This could make things awkward if traveling with someone you don’t know well. To make it even worse there was a full length mirror in front of you, so anyone else in the room can see you sitting on the toilet. We were in room 23, not sure if other rooms have the same issues. The beds were comfortable and the room was relatively clean but everything is old and worn out. Checkin was easy, and the location is perfect for sightseeing. The owner was friendly and nice enough to let us store our luggage after checking out.
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

6/10 Okay

Koo

Liked: Staff & service
Hotel wise is basic , location is strategies , nothing to comment with this price
Stayed 1 night in Jul 2023

8/10 Good

Nino Ace, Arncliffe

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Room was spacious but a bit rundown.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

10/10 Excellent

heather

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Lovely Spot Downtown
We loved our stay. The hotel has a lot of unique character. Our room was spacious with a large bathroom, gorgeous balcony view and a kitchenette for easy cooking.
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

2/10 Terrible

Verified traveller

Travelled with group
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Stayed 1 night in Jun 2023

8/10 Good

Verified traveller

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Good for solo travel
This was my second stay at this hotel, and it’s exactly what I’m looking for on solo travels - a decent room and not too expensive. It’s not the most luxurious place, but I wouldn’t expect that for the price. The location is great too, as it’s very close to bus stop 8, and you can reach the city centre on foot.
Stayed 7 nights in May 2023

6/10 Okay

Krzysztof

Travelled with family and small children
Disliked: Cleanliness, property conditions & facilities
On the good side it was location, location and location and - that’s it…. Very outdated, dirty, multiple fixes with duct tape, etc. You can survive one night there…
Stayed 1 night in May 2023

6/10 Okay

Michael

Liked: Staff & service
Disliked: Property conditions & facilities
Not really an expert on Iceland lodging, but it seems to me this particular location can upgrade the room and it’s furniture with little effort. It’s not cheap so I believe they should improve the place! Having said that I do t have much to compare to!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

6/10 Okay

A V

Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

10/10 Excellent

Lindsey

Travelled with group
Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, amenities, property conditions & facilities
This spot was perfect for 2 friends on the go...we didn't hang in room. Great location and price . Cramped bathroom and noisy at night. (Noise expected for central location). We had a good experience!
Stayed 3 nights in May 2023

4/10 Poor

Martyn

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Staff & service, property conditions & facilities
No reception TV didn’t work no tea or coffee no bedsheets dirty radiator Terrible experience
Stayed 1 night in Mar 2023

2/10 Terrible

Wilfried

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Never again.
The hotel did not have a reception. I think that it should not be labeled a hotel.
Stayed 2 nights in Mar 2023

2/10 Terrible

Alison

Best part about this hotel is the location otherwise it’s no frills and the proprietor has no regard for your belongings (baggage left at desk is left unattended for anyone to grab) or your time. It was made clear that check in starts at 15:00, but then the proprietor didn’t show up until 16:00 without any apology and made it clear he didn’t care.
Stayed 3 nights in Jan 2023

6/10 Okay

Rohith

Stayed 1 night in Dec 2022

2/10 Terrible

Walter Eugene

Travelled with family
Disliked: Staff & service
No one was onsite at 8am for check in until 9 Main entrance was thru Vietnamese restaurant Elevator broken Check out Monday 11pm no onsite
Response from Joe on 2 Dec,2022
Dear Walter,Thank you for your review. We're sorry for your uncomfortable experience. We'd like to correct some information that you mentioned as below: - The opening time of our Front desk is from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. This information has been published on Expedia.- The elevator isn't included in our service. We informed this with Expedia. At our end, Expedia shows that there is no lift in our hotel. The hotel is on the way to set up a new lift. Please be aware that it's not included in our service at the moment.- Check-out time is until 11:30 AM. When you checked-in, our receptionist introduced this to you and gave you a flyer with the information of the check-out time. We corrected this information on Expedia.We hope you will feel satisfied with our reply.We wish you all the best!Best regards,Reykjavik Downtown Hotel

4/10 Poor

Verified traveller

Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities, room comfort
Not worth the price. Photos definitely misleading. Nothing worked during the entire stay: elevator, TV, internet, refrigerator. very shabby, hallways filled with unused items. Water leaked in during a rainy day and it was clear it has happened before. Zero hospitality. The only positive thing I can say is it was a good, central location.
Stayed 6 nights in Sep 2022

2/10 Terrible

Jonathan

Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

4/10 Poor

Sheil

Travelled with group
Disliked: Staff & service
NEVER AGAIN
I booked this hotel bcoz of it's location. I wasn't too impressed with it starting with the check-in. The assume the guy who check us in was the owner bcoz I don't think an employee will be that rude. He called us LAZY AMERICAN bcoz since the elevator was NOT WORKING and we have to carry our bags to the second floor!! The room is so small for 3 people. We can hardly move around in the room. Shower you gotta leave the door open so you can move. The second room seems a bit bigger. The bathroom door was broken and when I asked one of the worker he tried to fix it but still can't fix. THe hallway smell like someone been puking all over the carpet. It's said open from 9am-9pm but some day it doesn't open until after 10am. I tried to talk to few to asked questions they seem friendly but can't speak. Room was clean enough. Bed only have fitted sheet.
Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022
Response from Joe on 3 Oct,2022
Hi Sheil Merrill, the story was: some months ago, there was a lady who came to stay and describe herself as a ''lazy American''. I told you that story on the way that maybe it was not clear enough to understand. About the elevator, could I ask you a question: is elevator service included in your booking? If yes, we will refund the cost of your reservation. If not, is there any way to correct the information in your review? For other things, we will try to do as much as we can. Thank you!

10/10 Excellent

Dennis

Stayed 2 nights in Sep 2022

2/10 Terrible

Joshua

Travelled with partner
Disliked: Cleanliness, staff & service
Location of the property was nice but that was really it. As others have stated the staff is no where to be found and check in is not 3-10 as stated. It’s whenever they decided it is. There is a separate passcode needed to enter the building outside of the room key. We lost the paper with the code on it after coming back from dinner around 8:30pm. Our fault, however, reception was no where to be found and we were locked out of the main “office” which is a side cubby in the restaurant under the hotel. Luckily another guest came home eventually otherwise we would have been locked out for the night and most likely missed our flight early the next morning by the time someone could let us in. We also found someone else’s hair in the bed so we don’t think the sheets/cases were actually changed either…
Stayed 1 night in Sep 2022

4/10 Poor

John

Liked: Cleanliness, staff & service, property conditions & facilities
Good position
Stayed 1 night in Aug 2022