Reykjavik EDITION

“ The Reykjavik EDITION brings the first 5-star modern luxury experience to one of the world’s most sustainable capitals.” I rarely write reviews, but I feel it is important to give future guests a clear and fair account of our experience. I recognise that Iceland is expensive, and I have no objection to paying premium rates for a genuinely exceptional hotel. I have happily paid for stays at other 5-star and higher-end boutique hotels where the quality of the room, service, attention to detail, and overall experience justified the price. The issue here is not simply cost. It is the very large gap between this hotel’s five-star positioning and pricing, and the experience actually delivered. The central Reykjavík location is undoubtedly excellent. However, there are many hotels in the city centre, and location alone cannot justify this level of pricing/experience disparity. In our view, the property felt more like a four-star hotel, with a number of aspects falling below even that standard. Le Labo bathroom products and an attractive lobby bar do not by themselves create a five-star experience; that rating should be reflected consistently in the room (even if like us, you are in a lower category), housekeeping, comfort, staff service, and the way the hotel operates day to day. Room and housekeeping Our room was basic and disappointingly small for the rate charged. Although more of an entry-level room, because we needed 2 beds, it didn’t feel like the room of a luxury hotel. I have stayed in the most entry level rooms at 5-star hotels before and they still feel special - this did not. Having just come from a 3-star hotel elsewhere in more rural Iceland, the room felt like a let-down. It also had several details that made the experience feel poorly maintained rather than polished. On opening the mesh window drapes when we arrived, we found a substantial mound of dust on the windowsill. We also came across what appeared to be hair from a previous guest in various areas of the floor. On our final day, (used) dental floss was left in the corridor near our room for many hours without being removed. None of these points alone would necessarily define a stay, but together they gave the impression of inconsistent housekeeping and weak attention to detail. The curtains while good quality were not blackout curtains, which limited their effectiveness (for long summer days and travellers with jet-lag). In addition, service or fire-exit doors close to the room were used regularly by staff and banged loudly when closed. These doors did not appear designed to shut quietly, causing avoidable disturbance near guest accommodation but otherwise noise insulation between rooms appeared good. Housekeeping timing was another disappointment. On the second day, we had been out since 7:45 a.m. and returned after 1:00 p.m. to find the room still had not been made up (similar timing on Day 1). A tray left outside the neighbouring room also remained in the corridor for hours before it was collected. This is not the level of room servicing or corridor presentation I would expect . The bathroom was very basic and the shower was particularly disappointing. It included both an overhead shower and a handheld attachment, but the water pressure was among the lowest I have experienced in a hotel. At a property positioned and priced as five-star, one would reasonably expect a strong, comfortable shower with adequate water pressure. Instead, the flow was so weak that my son described it as being “like literally standing out in rain”—and not in the sense of a properly powerful rain shower; the pressure was low enough to make washing an effort. This may sound like a small point, but it is a basic part of a hotel stay and another example of the gap between the advertised standard and the actual experience. Restaurant and Service The disconnect was especially evident in the main restaurant, Tides. A man who appeared to be a maître d’ was often seen walking around looking anxious holding his mobile phone as if it were some kind of authority badge and then at lunch when we were there became involved in a visibly raised-voice exchange with staff gathered around the pass. The team looked confused, and there was discussion about missing tickets. This was taking place only around 10 feet from the wall displaying the hotel’s three Michelin signs for 2023, 2024, and 2025 (the waiter told us our first night “…the food is not big - more Michelin-style - you see we have four Michelin stars”. Red flag right there…). The food was ok but at dinner the first night, the lobster/langoustine croquettes we soggy and lukewarm and we had to ask repeatedly for our water glasses to be re-filled and cheque at the end of the meal. Note - they should have just left a carafe on each table as this was a recurring theme when we ate in Tides: water glasses filled on arrival but no follow-up. Also cleaning windows (inside) with mops and buckets during lunch service seems like bad planning… It was uncomfortable to watch as the maitre d’ clearly stressed each time we saw him, over 3 services, and seemed entirely at odds with the calm, competent service one would expect in a hotel and restaurant marketed at this level. We also overheard another guest at the neighbouring table describe the experience as feeling like being “in the twilight zone,” in relation to the disparity between the hotel’s positioning, and what was occurring around them. We overheard this only because they were seated directly next to us; it was not a conversation we sought out or participated in. Their reaction appeared to reflect our own surprise at the visible confusion among the kitchen or service team. We did not use the spa, so this review is limited to our direct experience of the room, housekeeping, restaurant/service areas, and other parts of the hotel we encountered. Overall view I get it, we booked late and had limited options, so this stay was largely a matter of necessity. Had we had more time, I would not have selected this hotel, and I would not choose to pay this rate again. For those that do stay though, don’t overlook the short walk outside the front door to the Hafnartorg Gallery - a lively food hall/bar area with good food choices if you want something close to the hotel.

My room was $1500 USD per night plus fees. When I realized the cost, I tried to cancel immediately after booking but something went wrong. When I received a notice from the hotel a week before arrival welcoming me on my stay, I contacted the hotel immediately to indicate I thought I had cancelled and the problem was an honest mistake. I was told I would be charged a one-night cancellation fee ($1500 USD) -- that is the rule and that they were unwilling to waive the feel out of good will and my Bonvoy membership. So I was able to cancel my more reasonably priced room at another hotel (they were very gracious) and kept the EDITION reservation so it wasn't a dead loss. When I arrived at the hotel late afternoon, I was told as a part of the destination fee, I would get a free dinner at the hotel's restaurant. I went right over to the restaurant, and they said -- "sorry, fully booked for the entire evening." I asked if I could use for room service, and they said no. Finally, the manager allowed me to use room service, which I appreciated, but the food was bad. My room was ordinary with poor lighting and acoustics, and seemed to need an update. No view. I could hear the guests in the neighboring room. To the hotel's credit, they found another room for me (but first stating there wasn't anything available). Overall, the experience was unpleasant and not at all worth the shockingly high price (with even breakfast not included like many of the hotels in Reykjavik).

We stayed at the Element Hotel in Reykjavík for three days this month, and our experience was exceptional from start to finish. Our Harbor View room was modern, spotless, and thoughtfully designed and the harbor view instantly set the tone for a relaxing and memorable visit. After a long flight from the US, it was the perfect place to unwind. The hotel’s central location was another major advantage. We could easily walk to nearby attractions, restaurants, and shops, making it an ideal base for exploring Reykjavík. Even better, the bus stops for our tours were less than a five-minute walk away. One of the highlights of our stay was the outstanding Breakfast Buffet at the Tides Restaurant. The selection was impressive, fresh, and delicious. The restaurant staff, especially John and Egor, made each morning feel warm and welcoming with their attentive and friendly service. Thank you Egor for the goodie bag you provided us with for our tour. We certainly enjoyed it! We also want to recognize the Front Desk team, particularly Eleanor and Christine, who went above and beyond throughout our stay. Their professionalism, warmth, and willingness to help made us feel genuinely cared for. Whether answering questions, offering recommendations, or assisting with arrangements, they handled everything with genuine hospitality. Overall, the Element Hotel provided a wonderful experience, and we look forward to returning.

The music across the hotel including at breakfast is completely intolerable - it is like a night club

My wife and I and our adult daughter stayed in a Two Queen Bed room for one night before flying home the next morning. The location down by the harbor and next to the Harpa concert hall is excellent. Upon exiting our car, a staff member immediately came to help us with our bags. Check-in was easy and the front desk staff person was welcoming and friendly. Our bags were brought up to our room, and the front desk staff member even offered to escort us to our room. The hotel was very neat and clean and smelled good. My wife is a Bonvoy Platinum member, so we received a complimentary upgrade to a “scenic view” room instead of a courtyard view. The view was of the side of the Harpa concert hall and a partial view of the harbor. The mattresses were a bit soft but comfortable and the bed linens were of good quality. Wifi worked well, and there was abundant hot water with good water pressure in the walk-in shower. The cost of our original room would have been $1600 ($2200 for upgraded room), which seems outrageously expensive, even by Iceland standards. It was 2 days before the solar eclipse, so I assume prices were higher than normal. We were able to use a free night certificate plus some Bonvoy points to pay for the room. There is a $50 (approximate) destination fee, but then you are given a $50 credit to use in the Tides restaurant only. We had drinks at the bar and the credit covered most of our bill. We were also given a coupon for a free drink in the lobby bar, but that turned out to be good from 9-10 PM only and for a specific drink selected by the hotel. So we didn’t use that coupon. We were told at check-in that once in our room we could dial 0 for someone to come to our room with a “surprise.” This seemed odd but we eventually did dial 0. A staff member came to our room with an Ipad. There was a digital wheel on the Ipad to spin for a prize. We received a prize of free valet parking, which is normally $50 per day. So that was a nice surprise. I did have to mention the prize at check-out to get it applied to our bill as it had not been communicated to the front desk. Our room was pretty small and tight with 3 people, but not a big deal for one night. The queen beds, as another reviewer has mentioned, are not US queen beds but more like double beds. So it was an uncomfortable night of sleep for my wife and me. The room had a thermostat but it didn’t appear to do anything. I turned the thermostat to 19 degrees Celsius, but we never heard the AC turn on. In the morning, the room temperature was 21 degrees, which was unchanged from when we checked in. It was hot in the room during the night, so we did open the window, which helped some. I will end on a positive note and say that all of the staff were friendly, helpful, and professional. I will also note that when I went to book a room for our last night, there were no other hotel options with two “queen” or even two double beds. So, I felt fortunate to be able to use a free night certificate at The Edition for our last night.