Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
Do travel writers rely on recommendations from other travel writers? We certainly do. When I was planning a stay in Reykjavik after a cruise in Iceland’s Westfjords, I turned first to Hotel-Scoop to see what lodgings my colleagues had recommended. Thanks to this article, Cheap Hotels in Reykjavik, I was able to book a few days at the Grandi by Center Hotels for a reasonable price in this very expensive city.
Here’s the scoop:
Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik
Center Hotels operates several midrange lodgings in Reykjavik. The Grandi, in the neighborhood of the same name, is about a 10-15 minute walk from the city center and from the harbor where smaller cruise ships dock. It’s also a short walk from the whale-watching and puffin-spotting trips that depart from the Old Harbour. There’s a city bus stop a block away, and FlyBus, which operates shuttles to and from the country’s Keflavík International Airport, has a pickup and drop-off point three blocks from the hotel.
Mid-century modern style in the Grandi lobby
The curved five-story building abuts several apartment buildings on a street lined with colorfully painted houses, giving the hotel a more residential feel. Throughout the property, signs offer English translations of quirky Icelandic expressions. In my room, for example, a framed print declared, “I only pay with angry sheep,” apparently an Icelandic expression meaning “I only pay cash.”
Facilities and Services
A sign on the reception desk in the Grandi lobby says “Ask me anything,” and I found that the staff indeed could readily answer questions, whether it was advice about airport transportation or breakfast before an early morning departure; staff put out coffee and croissants in the lobby between 4 and 7 am — handy if you have an early flight or are heading out on an all-day tour.
With mid-century modern furnishings, the stylish lobby has multiple seating areas, including a long work desk with electrical outlets, and groups of chairs clustered around a fireplace, making it a comfortable spot to catch up on work or hang out with a friend.
Have to work? The Grandi has a lobby workspace.
Guests can also linger on the terrace outdoors behind the lobby, although during my early summer stay, the weather, which changed rapidly from springlike sun to drizzle to howling wind, wasn’t conducive to lounging outside.
If you need to store your luggage before check-in or after check-out, you can put your belongings in large self-service lockers near the reception counter at no charge.
The hotel spa on the lower level includes a fitness room, two hot tubs, and a sauna. There’s an extra fee to use this facility; during my stay, you could pay a flat fee for access throughout your stay or purchase a one-time admission. In either case, you have to make a reservation to use the facility. Massages and other spa treatments are available for additional charges.
Grandi Dining Options
The hotel restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Breakfast is a typical buffet with scrambled eggs, bacon, sausage, cold cuts, cheeses, and an assortment of breads and pastries, along with more Icelandic options — skyr, pickled herring, beets, and flatbread. There’s usually some fresh fruits, perhaps melon, oranges, or pineapple, and a choice of juices, teas, and coffee. Specialty coffee is available in the bar outside the restaurant, but isn’t included in the breakfast buffet.
TIP: If you expect to eat breakfast daily during your stay, book it online on the hotel website when you reserve your room. The hotel typically discounts the breakfast price by about 50 percent if you reserve it with your room booking.
Adjacent to the lobby is Hygge, an independently owned coffee shop where you can pop in for a pastry and a cappuccino or espresso in the morning or as an afternoon pick-me-up. I can vouch for this bake shop’s delicious cardamom buns.
Grandi guest rooms are simple but comfortable.
Guest Rooms and Amenities
The hotel’s guest rooms are decorated in simple, clean lines with dark wood paneling, white linens, and colorful artwork. Standard rooms aren’t large, measuring about 195 square feet, but have a work desk, an open rack to hang clothes, and an armchair. For a little more space, book a “standard plus” room with similar amenities, measuring just under 250 square feet, or a “balcony deluxe” unit, 225 square feet, located on the top floor with a private balcony. Deluxe Kings, at 325 square feet, have a small sitting area and include complimentary access to the hotel spa facilities.
Rooms all have kettles with packets of instant coffee or tea bags, irons, safes, and mini fridges. Bathrooms are basic yet modern, with rainfall showers. WiFi worked well throughout the property.
On the windows, which open, blackout curtains block out the nearly constant summer daylight. Front-facing rooms on the higher floors look out over the neighborhood with glimpses of the harbor. Rooms at the back of the building face the courtyard and nearby apartments.
City views at the Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik
Overall, the Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik, is a comfortable midrange option in a very expensive city. When I was looking at prices, a single room with a private bath and breakfast wasn’t cheap, but it was similar in price to simpler guest houses with shared bathrooms. So listen to your travel writer friends — we have solid recommendations, wherever your travels may take you.
Rates
Double room rates at the Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik, start at approximately US$250 per night, though summer rates can be much higher.
Check rates for Grandi by Center Hotels, Reykjavik online at Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda.com, or Hotels.com.
Hotel feature by Vancouver-based travel, food, and feature writer Carolyn B. Heller. Photos © Carolyn B. Heller. I paid for my own accommodations during my Reykjavik stay.
