Icelandair Nordica Hotel - Reykjavik, Iceland     

Booked through CentralR.com which was a ripoff because the hotel provides special deals if you book over the internet. Very clean but minimalistic. Then again, for a nordic hotel it was above the standard. A bit too stingy on toiletries. No cork opener in room but when asked for one they brought it immediately to the room. Food was brilliant. The breakfast was a very complete buffette with a bit of everything for all tastes. Went during the end of summer so it was too hot to keep the windows closed. Having the windows open was a bit too noisy, especially during the weekend.

This was the first hotel we visited on our first trip to Iceland back in 2001. At the time before the renovations to the Nordica it was called the Esja. The views from our room directly faced Mount Esja and it was overwhelming. Upon arrival after an overnight flight arriving around 7:30 am I was expecting to get our room maybe around 1pm but we were able to get to our room right away. We were able to sleep for a few hours before exploring the city. The rooms have duvets that are the most comfortable and the shower is Hot. After the renovations and the change of name to the Nordica its absoutely beautiful and would highly recommend the hotel unless you prefer to be around the nightlife downtown. You could walk to the downtown area about 20 minutes which we did several times but we then rented a car to get us around in the evenings. The wind can be cold walking and the quick change in the weather from Sun to Snow/Rain in minutes. The hotel has a spa which we have used 3 times now the massages are the best I have had. When you arrive to the spa you can hang out indoor hotpots where you will receive a neck massage while waiting for your massage or facial. Overall I would highly recommend this hotel for a first time visitor and for those who enjoy the spas & fitness facilities.