Apotek Hotel Reykjavik by Keahotels

Rooms and decor

Picture a grey stone building on Austurstræti in the heart of Reykjavík's 101 district that operated as one of the city's main pharmacies from 1917. That's the bones of Apotek Hotel Reykjavik by Keahotels. The building was designed by Guðjón Samúelsson, Iceland's first State Architect and the same man who later designed Hallgrímskirkja, so every stone here is essentially national architectural heritage. Apotek means pharmacy in Icelandic, and the 2014 renovation team kept the story carefully — you see it in lobby details like black-and-white photographs of the old shop and brass pendant lamps that nod to the 1917 era, blended cleanly with contemporary Nordic furniture. The 46 rooms run a dark grey and brass palette over the building's original plank floors, with leather headboards, brass reading lamps, and thick blackout curtains for the white-night summer. Beds are soft enough that several reviews single them out, and the bathrooms are tiled in dark stone with rainfall showers and heated floors — a small mercy on a winter morning. Standards run compact by historic-European measure; Deluxe and Junior Suite rooms add real breathing space and are worth the upgrade for couples planning long lazy mornings.

Food and amenities

The downstairs Apotek restaurant and bar is the heart of the building and a genuine Reykjavík hangout — not a hotel dining room hoping for foot traffic. The menu is Icelandic-Mediterranean fusion, and many guests rate dinner here the best meal of their trip; the pan-fried Arctic char and lamb tenderloin get the most repeat mentions in reviews. Locals fill the room on Friday and Saturday evenings, which is great for atmosphere and slightly less great if you're a light sleeper booked on a low floor right above the bar. The hotel runs a buffet breakfast each morning, Wi-Fi is free throughout, the front desk is staffed 24 hours, and the concierge can book whale-watching, Northern Lights cruises and Golden Circle tours at small discounts. There is no spa or pool on site — standard for a 46-room downtown boutique — but Sky Lagoon is about 15 minutes by car and the concierge can arrange a transfer.

Location and getting there

If location is the star of any Reykjavík trip, this hotel is standing centre-stage with the microphone. You're on Austurstræti in the heart of 101 — the locals call it Hundrað-og-einn — the liveliest district and the one that packs every decent restaurant, cafe and boutique into walking range. Turn left out of the door and it's 3 minutes to Laugavegur, the main shopping street lined with wool-sweater shops, vintage stores and coffee bars. Five minutes brings you to the Old Harbour, the launch point for whale-watching boats and winter aurora cruises. Seven minutes more and you reach Harpa, the hexagonal-glass concert hall on the waterfront. Twelve minutes and a short uphill and you arrive at Hallgrímskirkja, the basalt-column church that anchors every postcard. Couples score the location 9.6/10 on Booking, which tells you how little you'll use a car. From Keflavík International Airport (KEF), the Flybus stops right at the hotel and the ride runs about 50 minutes for around 3,300 ISK (~$24) — simpler and far cheaper than a taxi.

Things to know before booking

Straight talk to help you decide. First, Standard rooms can feel small by modern hotel standards — the building is over a century old and the footprint shows it. If you're travelling as three, or you want room to spread out a winter wardrobe and oversized luggage, jump to a Deluxe or Junior Suite. The price bump is modest and the comfort gain is real. Second, the ground-floor restaurant and bar is a hotspot for locals on Friday and Saturday nights, and you can sometimes hear the buzz from rooms directly above. If you sleep light, request a floor-3 or floor-4 room facing the rear lane — noticeably quieter, and you get a colourful old-town rooftop view as a bonus. Third, rates climb sharply in the aurora high season (September through March). Weekend nights can push past $700. If you're on a budget, late May or early September give you better pricing with the sky still putting on a show. In high summer the sky barely darkens, but the blackout curtains here are heavy enough to handle that.

Our take

Reading through hundreds of guest reviews, Apotek Hotel Reykjavik by Keahotels earns its place on three things: the 1917 building (a piece of national architectural history you actually get to sleep in), the downtown-101 address that puts every Reykjavík landmark within a 12-minute walk, and the downstairs restaurant that locals book before tourists do. If your idea of a Reykjavík trip is morning coffee on Laugavegur, an afternoon whale boat from the Old Harbour, dinner at Apotek, and a late-night aurora hunt, this is the cleanest base in town. Overall 8.8/10 — best for couples and history-leaning travellers who want to soak up the 101 district without ever needing a rental car or a taxi.