Castle House & Embassy Luxury Apartments - Reykjavik, Iceland 

Excelent location & made Reykjavik affordable
Posted: Sat, Nov 24 2007
I was a little amazed when I saw the almost perfect scores these apartments were getting, but after staying I can say they certainly deserve a strong recommendation. The apartments were very clean and well apointed having pretty much everything we needed, except strangely a kettle, but this was easy to get around as there was a coffee perculator or saucepans. The small kitchen was very good at reducing costs as eating out in Reykjavik can be expensive so a night of cheap homecooking can help with costs. The location is excelent right next to the Icelandic National Gallery on the bank of Tjörnin (pond). it was a short 2 or 3 minute walk to Bankastræti the main street, the apartments themselves are very much in central Reykjavik. We had a double room, there was a single bed when we arrived but it was pretty simple to convert we just pulled out the second part under the bed and it pretty much set itself up.The images of the rooms on the website give a clear indication of what each apartment looked like. If you have a car then there is plenty of street parking available infront of the hotel and it was not particularly expensive if I remember around €5 a day. We booked through ActiveHotels.com and we paid around 45% of the rate on the website which was an absolute steal for any accomodation in Reykjavik let alone a self catering city centre apartment. Would certain recommend.

Great Location / Great Price -
Posted: Sat, Nov 24 2007
Read the reviews on Trip Advisor before booking - apartments suited us as we have a 2 yr old girl and it gives us a bit of freedom in the evenings knowing we can sit in the living room and relax shile she sleeps in the huge bedroom (apartment 90). Place was clean and tidy and had everything we needed (except a microwave). They did forget to include sheets and blankets for my daughters bed but that was quickly rectified. The place does look a tiny bit scruffy from the outside compared with it's neighbours but don't let that fool you. Location to main square is a 2 min walk so position is ideal.

Home away from home... and it won't cost you an arm and a leg!
Posted: Fri, Nov 23 2007
Castle House Luxury Apartments is a gem for people that want a well located, clean, comfortable, homey place to stay that won't break your budget. (which is key because Reykjavik is super expensive, especially with respect to USD). The Castle House provides a nice alternative to a typical hotel environment -- it is more like staying at your friend's apartment who is out of town for the weekend. Not for the person looking for a full service hotel, but if you are looking for a comfortable and affordable place to stay that is close to the action, I'm happy to highly recommend the place! We were able to walk to the hotel from the bus station (BSI Bus Terminal) where the airport shuttles drop you off. It was about a 15 minute walk, so depending on how much luggage you have and how much you like walking, you can also take a short cab ride. If you decide to walk, make sure you visit their website and print out the map, it will be very helpful. Upon arriving, you use the call button on the outside door that will ring someone (somewhere) that is on duty and can buzz you in. If your room is ready, once inside the small foyer you will find your keys in an envelope and you can head right to your room. In other words, there is no front desk -- it is literally like a small apartment building. Our room wasn't ready until about 12pm, but they offered to hold our stuff in the lobby while we explored the city, and when we returned our stuff was magically in our room. We stayed in Room 50, a 1 bedroom unit up one flight of stairs with a living room, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, and nice outdoor patio. Everything was extremely clean and operated as it should. There was a television with a few satellite stations and a DVD player (keep in mind it plays European DVDs). The kitchen had a microwave, a small fridge, and a burner. We used this for one of our meals that we bought at the local grocery as a less expensive lunch option. The location was fantastic. The website says it best when it mentions it is in the heart of the city but in a quiet neighborhood. Both are true -- not far walking distance to anywhere downtown, but on a nice quiet street that is really peaceful at night. It seems quiet safe as well. The day of checkout, our invoice and credit card slip were left on our table and you just leave the keys in the apartment when you leave. Loved the place worked out great for us, we'd definitely go back -- great location, affordable, clean, comfortable, and like a home away from home!