Where to stay · Reykjavik, Iceland
Where to stay in Reykjavik
6 areas worth booking in Reykjavik, sorted by the budget each one actually suits — what the neighborhood feels like, and what a night there costs.
Budget — best areas
≈ $55 / nightThe city's recreation valley: the big geothermal pool, a botanic garden and a small zoo. Quiet, residential and cheaper to stay.
A leafy west-side neighbourhood around the university and the beloved Vesturbæjarlaug pool — local life away from the tourist strip.
Budget picks to book
Mid-range — best areas
≈ $180 / nightThe downtown 101 postcode: the Laugavegur shopping street, Hallgrímskirkja, bars, galleries and most of the city's hotels. Everything worth seeing is a short walk away.
Former working docks now home to whale-watching tours, the Saga Museum, fish restaurants and the Marshall House art space.
The seafront promenade past the Sun Voyager sculpture and the Harpa concert hall, with Mount Esja across the bay.
Mid-range picks to book
Luxury — best areas
≈ $450 / nightThe hilly streets of colourful corrugated-iron houses just above the centre, home to some of the city's most characterful guesthouses.
Luxury picks to book
Now pick the hotel
The Reykjavik guide carries the full shortlist for each tier, with why each hotel is on it.