Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton
by the TopOfHotel team
Konsulat is a Hilton boutique inside a former consulate building that feels more like a Nordic home than a hotel chain — the walking-everywhere location, the wood-and-wool warmth, and a location score of 9.7 you rarely see in Reykjavík.
Konsulat is a Hilton boutique inside a former consulate building that feels more like a Nordic home than a hotel chain — the walking-everywhere location, the wood-and-wool warmth, and a location score of 9.7 you rarely see in Reykjavík.
In-Depth Review
Rooms and decor
Picture a soft-grey heritage building with tall sash windows standing on Hafnarstræti, right in the centre of Reykjavík. The same walls once housed a working consulate and trading post back when Iceland was first opening to the wider world more than 100 years ago. Today they've been carefully turned into Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton, an 89-room 4-star boutique that wears its history without showing off. Thick walls, tall windows, an old wood staircase, and the kind of quiet a century-old building does naturally. Open the lobby door and you walk straight into a warm fireplace, leather sofas, wool throws on the chairs, and soft lamplight that makes the place feel like a well-off Icelandic friend's house rather than a chain hotel. Rooms are modern Nordic — pale wood, calm grey tones, wool textiles, warm yellow lighting that lifts the room the second you step in from Reykjavík's cold wind. Some rooms open onto the coloured old-town rooftops; others look out toward Mt. Esja with its snow-line in the distance. Beds are plush, linens are thick, toiletries lean Scandinavian, and guest after guest uses the same word in their reviews: warm. It's the right one.
Food and amenities
If there's a heart to an Iceland stay, it's soaking somewhere warm after a day in the wind, and Konsulat gets that. The building has a small Icelandic-style bathhouse on site, so you don't need to drive out to the Blue Lagoon every day. Quiet light, the smell of wood, the relief of warm water after hours of walking. Next to it is a 24-hour gym with the basics for guests who want to work out on days when the wind makes outside training a non-starter. The lobby and lounge below stay open with hot drinks all day, a good spot to plan tomorrow's route, read, or meet a friend before dinner. Breakfast leans local: fresh-baked bread, Icelandic Skyr, smoked fish, good eggs, big cups of hot coffee. Reviewers call it honest and filling rather than showy, exactly what you want before a full day outdoors. As part of Curio Collection by Hilton, frequent-flyer travelers love that you can still earn Hilton Honors, claim late check-out, and enjoy the usual member benefits — while sleeping in a boutique with a character you won't find at any other Hilton.
Location and getting there
The single strongest card here is location, scored a remarkable 9.7 by guests, a number that's rare even in Reykjavík. Step out the door and you're on Hafnarstræti, a half-pedestrian heritage street lined with shops. Three minutes downhill brings you to the Old Harbour, where seafood restaurants and whale-watching boats line the water and Mt. Esja sits across the bay, snow-capped most of the year. Another 5 minutes on foot and you're at Harpa Concert Hall, the hexagonal glass icon on the waterfront designed in part by Olafur Eliasson. Hallgrímskirkja, Reykjavík's signature church, sits at the top of Skólavörðustígur — the famous Rainbow Street — a gentle 10-minute uphill walk away. Around the hotel you'll find the best of 101: Reykjavik Roasters for coffee, Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur for the legendary hotdog, knitwear shops selling Lopapeysa sweaters, small galleries, and craft-beer bars that wake up late. You don't need to rent a car to stay here, since almost everything is within a 15-minute walk. For airport access, Keflavík International (KEF) is about 50 km south; the Flybus or Airport Direct takes 45-60 minutes and picks up nearby.
Things to know before booking
Honest talk to help you decide. First: room sizes vary. Because this is a restored heritage building from more than a century ago, the layout doesn't have the uniformity of a new-build Hilton. Classic rooms in particular can be tighter than the brand average; some reviews flag this. If you want real space, book a corner room or a suite, which usually come with the better views too. Second: high-season pricing climbs hard. Both summer (June-August, for midnight sun) and the aurora season (October-March) push rates up; top dates can hit around US$485+/night. Book months ahead, or shift to shoulder season (September, April, early May) for far better value. Third: street noise. Hafnarstræti is lively, especially Friday and Saturday nights, when Iceland's traditional runtur bar-crawl culture is real. Rooms facing the street can pick up that buzz; courtyard-facing rooms are noticeably quieter. Light sleepers should request the inner-facing option at booking. Fourth: no on-site parking. If you've rented a car, you'll need to park in nearby public lots at extra cost. But honestly, if you're sticking to walking-Reykjavík mode, you barely need the car in the first place.
Our take
After working through hundreds of real guest reviews, our read is this: Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel, Curio Collection by Hilton sells Nordic-home warmth inside a heritage building in the heart of 101, and it sells it convincingly. If your dream Iceland trip looks like waking up 5 minutes from Harpa, walking the harbour with a coffee, climbing Rainbow Street to Hallgrímskirkja, then coming back to soak in the bathhouse before heading out for the aurora, this is the best base in Reykjavík for that exact image. Add the bonus of earning Hilton Honors inside a boutique with real character, and the value case is strong. But if you're expecting the airy room sizes of a new-build Hilton or full resort facilities, you'll feel the heritage-building constraints; small rooms and quirks come with the territory. Overall 9.0/10 — ideal for couples, Nordic luxury fans, and Hilton Honors members who'd rather sleep in something that feels like a Reykjavík home than another anywhere-in-the-world chain room.
Score Breakdown
Assessed by our editorial team from data and real guest reviews
The Honest Verdict — pros & what to know
- Heart of 101 Downtown on Hafnarstræti, with a guest location score of 9.7 — 5 minutes on foot to Harpa Concert Hall, 3 to the Old Harbour, and a short stroll up to Rainbow Street, the cobbled spine of Reykjavík's walkable centre.
- The building is a century-old former consulate and trading house. Restoration kept the tall windows, thick walls, and old wood staircases intact, so it feels closer to staying in a stately Reykjavík townhouse than in a chain.
- Part of Curio Collection by Hilton — you still earn Hilton Honors points and use status perks, but the rooms have their own character rather than the identical look you get at a standard Hilton anywhere in the world.
- Public spaces lean warm and Nordic: a lobby fireplace, leather sofas, wool throws draped over chairs — the right place to drink coffee on a windy day. There's also an Icelandic-style bathhouse in the building, plus a fitness center.
- Staff get consistent praise for being warm and attentive. They remember names, help arrange aurora chasing and Golden Circle tours, and point you to local restaurants the way a friend in town would, not with the scripted service of a big chain.
- Because it's a restored heritage building, some room types — especially the classic category — run noticeably smaller than what you'd expect from a modern Hilton, and the floor plans vary room to room. If you want space, book a corner room or suite instead.
- High-season rates (June-August for midnight sun, and October-March for aurora) climb sharply, topping out around US$485+/night. Best value comes from booking months ahead or visiting in shoulder season (September, April, early May).
- Hafnarstræti is a lively pedestrian street that stays busy into the evening. Rooms facing the street can pick up weekend bar noise from nearby spots — light sleepers should request a courtyard-facing room when booking.
Who It’s For
Match Score by travel style
Amenities
Location & Nearby Spots
Things to do near Reykjavík
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Insider Tips
- On weekdays, ask for an upper-floor room facing Hafnarstræti — you'll get old-town rooftop views and a glimpse of Mt. Esja in the distance. On weekends, flip to a courtyard-facing room to dodge late-night bar noise.
- Use the in-house bathhouse on arrival evening before heading out aurora-chasing — it loosens up the long-flight stiffness and your body handles the cold air outside far better afterwards.
- Have concierge book your Golden Circle or South Coast tour rather than booking online yourself. They tend to land small-group minibus operators, plus pickup happens right at the hotel door — no scrambling to a meeting point in the cold.