Reykjavik Accommodation Recommendation: Reykjavík Residence Hotel, an Ideal Stay in a Central Yet Quiet Location

Post date: 2025-08-17 | Categories: Iceland Travel

Reykjavík Residence Hotel was where we stayed during our summer trip to Iceland for a self-drive tour. This hotel consistently ranks among the top 10 in Reykjavik on various booking platforms, thanks to its excellent quality and prime location—offering the perfect balance of convenience and tranquility, making it a highly recommended accommodation choice in Reykjavik.

One of the reasons we chose Reykjavík Residence Hotel was because we watched the 2016 Korean variety show “Youth Over Flowers: Iceland Edition,” where the four celebrities—Jo Jung-suk, Jung Woo, Jung Sang-hoon, and Kang Ha-neul—stayed at this hotel during their first stop in Iceland. This inspired us to book it for our first Iceland trip.

Table of Contents

Agoda Booking Deals!

【Agoda 10% Discount Code (incl. taxes)】(Valid worldwide, with discounts applied to taxes and service fees.)

【Bonus Guide: How to Use Agoda Promo Codes? | How to Avoid Agoda’s 5% Service Fee?】

Tips for Choosing Accommodation in Reykjavik

Before diving into the details of Reykjavík Residence Hotel, let me share some insights on selecting accommodation in Reykjavik. Reykjavik, the capital and largest city of Iceland, is home to many tourist attractions and the only place where you can find a concentrated selection of Icelandic souvenirs. Since the country’s sole international airport is nearby, most foreign visitors to Iceland will inevitably stay in Reykjavik.

The downtown area of Reykjavik is compact, with the liveliest spots centered around the streets between the Icelandic Parliament building near Lake Tjörnin and Hallgrímskirkja (Hallgrímskirkja Church). Whether you’re sightseeing, shopping, or dining, this is the place to be, so I highly recommend staying in downtown Reykjavik.

↓ View of Reykjavik’s downtown area from the top of Hallgrímskirkja ↓

Downtown Reykjavik offers a variety of hotels, hostels, and guesthouses. However, since most buildings in the area are only two or three stories tall, many hotels are small in scale. Additionally, most do not have elevators, which can be inconvenient for travelers with heavy luggage or those traveling with elderly family members or children. That said, some downtown hotels do have elevators. To check whether a hotel has one, I recommend looking it up on Trip.com.

Another thing to note when choosing accommodation in Reykjavik is the noise level. The busiest street in downtown Reykjavik is Laugavegur Street, lined with shops selling Icelandic souvenirs, restaurants, and bars. Locals love to party here on weekends (Friday and Saturday nights), so the area can get quite noisy. If your stay falls on a weekend, it’s best to avoid hotels directly on Laugavegur Street, as the noise might keep you awake.

>> Search for Reykjavik Hotels

Reykjavik Accommodation Recommendation: Reykjavík Residence Hotel – Review

______________________________

Hotel Name: Reykjavík Residence Hotel (Reykjavík Residence Hotel or Reykjavík Residence Apartment Hotel)
Check-in Date: Late June 2018

Duration of Stay: 2 nights

Room Type: Superior Studio Apartment

Cost: HK$4,350 (approx. HK$2,175 per night)

Website: https://reykjavikresidence.is/

Booking Channels: Klook | Trip.com | Hotels.com

______________________________

1. Location and Transportation of Reykjavík Residence Hotel

Reykjavík Residence Hotel is located on Hverfisgata Street, which runs parallel to Laugavegur Street and is just over 100 meters away. Since it’s separated from Laugavegur Street by another street and Hverfisgata is primarily residential and commercial with no bars or restaurants, it remains quiet even during weekend nights.

In addition to being close to the shopping district on Laugavegur Street, Reykjavík Residence Hotel is also within walking distance of major attractions like Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavik City Hall, Lake Tjörnin, Harpa Concert Hall, and the Sun Voyager sculpture. The farthest of these is just a 10-minute walk away. This makes the hotel’s location ideal—close to the bustling tourist and shopping areas yet peaceful due to the lack of nearby nightlife.

↓ Map showing the location of Reykjavík Residence Hotel and nearby attractions ↓

Location Map of Reykjavík Residence Hotel

View the location of Reykjavík Residence Hotel on a larger map

Hverfisgata Street, where Reykjavík Residence Hotel is located, is quieter with fewer pedestrians since it’s not a main shopping street.

Just over 100 meters from Reykjavík Residence Hotel, the parallel Laugavegur Street is the oldest and liveliest street in downtown Reykjavik. Parts of this street are pedestrian-only, and the buildings along it are mostly shops, restaurants, and bars.

Hallgrímskirkja is Iceland’s largest church and one of Reykjavik’s main attractions. It’s about 500 meters from Reykjavík Residence Hotel, just a 7-8 minute walk.

Skólavörðustígur Street, in front of Hallgrímskirkja, is another main street in downtown Reykjavik, connecting to Laugavegur Street at its end.

↓ Intersection of Laugavegur Street and Skólavörðustígur Street ↓

A 10-minute walk from Reykjavík Residence Hotel takes you to Reykjavik City Hall, which houses a tourist information center. Nearby Lake Tjörnin is a gathering spot for swans in winter and ducks in summer.

The Harpa Concert Hall, a landmark by the waterfront, is about 600 meters from Reykjavík Residence Hotel, an 8-minute walk.

The Sun Voyager sculpture, another must-see attraction near Harpa, is just a 4-5 minute walk from the hotel.

The Kolaportið flea market and the popular hot dog stand Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur are also just 600-700 meters from the hotel.

Bónus is Iceland’s most budget-friendly supermarket, frequented by locals and tourists alike. In downtown Reykjavik, there are two Bónus locations—one on Laugavegur Street, just 300 meters from Reykjavík Residence Hotel.

(Google Street View)

The other Bónus is larger and located on Ingólfsstræti Street, about 500 meters from the hotel.

Traveling to/from Keflavík International Airport

If you’re not renting a car for your Iceland trip or plan to pick up a rental in Reykjavik, you’ll need to take an airport bus to get from the airport to Reykjavík Residence Hotel. Currently, there are two airport bus services between Keflavík International Airport (Keflavíkurflugvöllur) and Reykjavik: Flybus and Airport Direct, with Flybus being the more popular choice.

↓ Flybus Airport Bus ↓

Both Flybus and Airport Direct operate on the same shuttle system. Airport buses cannot drive directly from the airport to downtown Reykjavík because the city center is located in the old town area with narrow streets that cannot accommodate large buses. Therefore, airport buses first travel from the airport to a central bus terminal on the outskirts of Reykjavík, where passengers transfer to smaller shuttle buses to reach the city center. For trips from the city to the airport, passengers must first take a shuttle bus to the central terminal before transferring to the airport bus.

↓ Flybus Central Terminal ↓

↓ Flybus Shuttle Bus ↓

The shuttle bus does not drop passengers directly at hotel entrances but stops at designated bus stops. The nearest stop to Reykjavík Residence Hotel is Bus Stop 7, located on Hverfisgata Street, approximately 150 meters from the hotel. It’s a 2-3 minute walk from the hotel toward Reykjavík City Hall.

Tips: Flybus tickets can be purchased at the service counter in the arrivals hall of Keflavík International Airport or booked online in advance and exchanged at the same counter upon arrival. Alternatively, tickets can be purchased through KKday or Klook. During the off-season (November to May), KKday often offers lower prices than the official website, especially when discount codes are available.

Tickets from the airport to the city are not time-specific; passengers can board the next available bus upon arrival. However, tickets from the city to the airport require a specific departure time. The selected time when purchasing the ticket refers to the pickup time at the shuttle bus stop. The shuttle bus driver follows a passenger list and will not allow boarding for earlier buses, even if space is available.

If you’re embarking on a self-drive tour of Iceland and picking up a rental car immediately after landing, driving from Keflavík International Airport to Reykjavík Residence Hotel is convenient, taking approximately 45 minutes.

Parking

Reykjavík Residence Hotel appears to have three private parking spaces on a small street called Veghúsastígur behind the hotel. However, these spaces are often occupied by staff vehicles.

There are numerous street parking spaces in downtown Reykjavík, which are generally free from 6:00 PM to 9:00 AM the following day. The closest parking spots to Reykjavík Residence Hotel are the metered spaces on Hverfisgata Street in front of the hotel.

Additionally, the Pay and Display parking spaces on Vatnsstígur Street and Klapparstígur Street, located on either side of the hotel, are also conveniently close.

For long-term daytime parking, you can use one of the two indoor public parking lots near Reykjavík Residence Hotel. The closer option is the Traðarkot parking lot, located about 200 meters from the hotel next to the Flybus stop, though it is more expensive.

The more affordable Vitatorg parking lot is approximately 450 meters from the hotel, near the waterfront.

For more information about parking in Iceland, refer to the detailed guide in Section 8, “Parking and Fees,” of the article “Iceland Self-Drive Guide: Traffic Rules, Road Conditions, Parking, Fueling, and Important Considerations.”

2. Reykjavík Residence Hotel: Environment and Facilities

Reykjavík Residence Hotel is an apartment-style hotel converted from residential buildings. Due to the limited size of the original houses, the hotel has a small number of rooms. To increase capacity, the hotel has repurposed four nearby buildings into guest accommodations, all located within 250 meters of Hverfisgata Street.

The striking white building at Hverfisgata 45 serves as the main hub of Reykjavík Residence Hotel, housing the reception. The room featured in the “Youth Over Flowers” Iceland episode is located here, as was our room on the third floor.

↓ Rear view and back entrance of Hverfisgata 45 ↓

The Hverfisgata 45 building has three floors. The second floor, elevated half a level above the street, serves as the entrance with a few steps leading up to the reception. The first floor is half a level below the street but still has windows overlooking the outside. The building houses a total of 10 guest rooms.

↓ Entrance from the street to the second floor ↓

↓ Floor plan of Hverfisgata 45 ↓

Inside the building is a small reception area.

Since the building only has three floors, Reykjavík Residence Hotel (Hverfisgata 45) does not have an elevator. Guests staying on the first or third floor will need to carry their luggage up or down one flight of stairs, which can be tiring.

In addition to Hverfisgata 45, the other three buildings are located at Veghúsastígur 9 (behind Hverfisgata 45), Hverfisgata 21 (across from the Traðarkot parking lot), and Lindargata 11. Guests cannot choose which building they will stay in when booking. Since we stayed at Hverfisgata 45, we are unfamiliar with the layouts of the other buildings. However, given that they are only two to three stories tall, it is likely they also lack elevators.

Veghúsastígur 9

Hverfisgata 21

(Google Street View)

Lindargata 11

(Google Street View)

Breakfast Recommendation: Early in the Morning

Behind Hverfisgata 45 at Veghúsastígur 9, there was a small breakfast-only restaurant called Early in the Morning, operating from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM. Early in the Morning was not owned by Reykjavík Residence Hotel, but the two had a partnership. Hotel guests could make reservations through the reception or even pay there directly, though no discounts were offered.

Update: Early in the Morning has permanently closed. The location now houses a bar called Port9.

The breakfast at Early in the Morning was one of the best we had in Iceland. If you’re staying at Reykjavík Residence Hotel, we highly recommend trying it. Even if you’re not a guest, you can walk in for breakfast.

Early in the Morning was easy to find. Follow the footprints painted on the ground along Veghúsastígur Street behind Hverfisgata 45.

3. Reykjavík Residence Hotel: Rooms

Reykjavík Residence Hotel offers several room types, including Studio Apartment, Superior Studio Apartment, Junior Suite, One Bedroom Apartment, Two Bedroom Apartment, Three Bedroom Apartment, and the Christian X and Alexandrine Suites. All rooms feature open-plan kitchens for self-catering.

Our room was on the third floor of Hverfisgata 45, which houses four guest rooms. Reaching this floor requires climbing a flight of over a dozen stairs, making luggage handling during check-in and check-out somewhat strenuous, though daily use is manageable.

We booked a Studio Apartment through Hotels.com. According to the hotel, Studio Apartments measure 20-25 square meters, but upon arrival, the room felt larger. After comparing it with photos on the official website, we realized we had been upgraded to a Superior Studio Apartment, which measures 29-33 square meters.

Our Superior Studio Apartment was Room 303 on the third floor, divided into three areas: a living space, sleeping area, and bathroom—more than enough space for two people.

The living space near the entrance featured a small open-plan kitchen and a dining table.

The dining table was small but sufficient for two to three people.

A wardrobe stood beside the door, along with wall hooks for hanging clothes and a full-length mirror.

The kitchen was compact but well-equipped, though it lacked cooking oil, salt, and other condiments.

In addition to the induction cooktop, the room also comes with a microwave, toaster, and electric kettle.

With a kitchen, there’s naturally a refrigerator, and it offers ample space to store groceries bought from supermarkets. The milk and orange juice in the fridge are complimentary, while other drinks and snacks come at an additional cost.

Icelanders seem to love coffee, so almost all hotels and guesthouses in Iceland provide a coffee machine in the room, allowing guests to brew a free cup of coffee at their leisure.

The bathroom features a minimalist design with a white color scheme. The sink and toilet are simple, and the shower is designed for standing use—personally, I prefer this over a bathtub. However, the hot water in the bathroom has a strong sulfur smell. I’ve heard that Icelandic households directly use geothermal water for their hot supply, hence the sulfur odor, though the cold water is odorless. Interestingly, during my stay in Iceland, only Reykjavík Residence Hotel had this sulfur-smelling hot water; other hotels and guesthouses provided odorless hot water.

Shampoo, conditioner, and body wash are provided in Icelandic hotels and guesthouses. However, in many Nordic hotels, shampoo and body wash often come as a combined two-in-one product. Reykjavík Residence Hotel, on the other hand, offers them separately. Additionally, toothpaste and toothbrushes are not provided in any Icelandic hotels or guesthouses, so remember to bring your own. But don’t worry if you forget—you can easily buy them at supermarkets at reasonable prices.

A hairdryer is provided, along with bathrobes. However, slippers are generally not offered in Icelandic hotels or guesthouses.

The sleeping area is designed simply, embodying a distinct Nordic style. Traditional Icelandic houses often feature pointed roofs, so the top-floor rooms have slanted ceilings, which feels quite unique.

In addition to a double bed, the sleeping area also includes a sofa.

A wall-mounted curved TV—apparently, many TVs in Iceland broadcast programs from British channels.

The double bed is actually made by pushing two single beds together, not a true double bed.

Besides the slanted ceiling, the top-floor room also features a skylight right above the bed. In winter, you could probably stargaze from bed, but in summer, when the sun barely sets, the room remains very bright. To sleep, you’ll need to pull down the skylight’s curtain.

In addition to the skylight, this room has two windows—one in the kitchen area overlooking Hverfisgata Street, and another in the sleeping area.

Even though June to August is summer in Iceland, the temperatures are colder than our winters. If the room feels chilly, you can adjust the wall-mounted heating unit.

All hotels and guesthouses in Iceland offer free WiFi with fast speeds. At Reykjavík Residence Hotel, the room’s free WiFi typically reaches 60~70Mbps, which is quite impressive.

4. Reykjavík Residence Hotel Stay Summary

The main reason I chose Reykjavík Residence Hotel was because I fell in love with this white house while watching the Iceland episode of “Youth Over Flowers.” So, without comparing other hotels in Reykjavík, I booked Reykjavík Residence Hotel directly. However, when I later compared it with other downtown hotels while planning my return trip, I realized that Reykjavík Residence Hotel is indeed one of the best options in terms of both location and quality.

The only downside of Reykjavík Residence Hotel is that it has no elevator. So, if stairs are inconvenient for you, I’d recommend choosing another hotel we stayed at in Reykjavík: Canopy By Hilton Reykjavik, or another hotel with an elevator.

If you’d like to book Reykjavík Residence Hotel, you can do so through the following platforms: Klook | Trip.com | Hotels.com.