Expect 25,000 to 48,000 ISK for a mid-range hotel room and 6,000 to 12,000 ISK for a hostel bed. Stay in 101 Reykjavik for your first nights if you want to walk everywhere; every hotel is legally required to register you at check-in.
- Iceland is expensive and accommodation is where you feel it first: a mid-range hotel room is 25,000 to 48,000 ISK and a hostel bed 6,000 to 12,000 ISK.
- 101 Reykjavik is the obvious first choice - walking distance to Laugavegur, Hallgrimskirkja and Harpa, and where the Flybus drops you. Loudest at weekends.
- Vesturbaer is the quiet coastal alternative just west of the centre, with the geothermal pool locals actually use.
- You will be registered at check-in. Operators are legally obliged to record every guest, so a passport is required even at a hostel.
- Book far ahead for June to August. Supply outside Reykjavik is genuinely limited and the good rural guesthouses sell out months in advance.
Iceland is expensive and accommodation is where you feel it first.
| Type | Price per night |
|---|---|
| Hostel dormitory bed | 6,000 to 12,000 ISK |
| Guesthouse private room | 15,000 to 28,000 ISK |
| Mid-range 3-star hotel | 25,000 to 48,000 ISK |
| Boutique or luxury hotel | 50,000 ISK and up |
Where to stay in Reykjavik for the first nights
- Midborg (101 Reykjavik) - the downtown postcode, and the obvious first choice. Walking distance to Laugavegur, Hallgrimskirkja and Harpa, and where the Flybus drops you. Loudest at weekends.
- Vesturbaer - immediately west of the centre. Quiet, coastal, timber houses, good cafes, and the Vesturbaejarlaug geothermal pool that locals actually use.
- Laugardalur - east of the centre, family territory: botanical gardens, sports grounds and the large Laugardalslaug pool. Cheaper per night, needs a bus into town.
Practicalities
- Booking.com and Airbnb dominate, but Hey Iceland is the one worth knowing for farm stays and rural guesthouses outside the capital.
- You will be registered at check-in. Operators are legally obliged to record every guest, so a passport or national ID card is required even at a hostel.
- An accommodation tax (gistingaskattur) is charged per unit per night. It is usually inside the booking total, but some small guesthouses collect it in person.
- Book far ahead for June to August. Supply outside Reykjavik is genuinely limited and the good rural guesthouses sell out months in advance.
Comments
No comments yet. Share the first one.
Share a tip
Sign in to continue.