The Capital-Inn

Good place for the money

I was a little concerned booking this hotel since there was no review about it when I booked it. The hotel turned out o.k., better than I thought. It’s a bit out of the way, so you’ll need a car (or rent a bike) to go to downtown Reykjavik. Driving to downtown is easy, and parking is free after 6:00 pm (Monday - Friday). Our room was clean, the staff was very friendly and helpful (all spoke good English), the breakfast buffet was good. Our room faced a main road, so it was a bit loud during the day and early part of the night. But we were so tired and the bed was very comfortable, so we slept through at night anyway. There is only one bathroom (toilet,shower) for men, one bathroom (toilet, shower) for women, plus a bathroom with only toilet for either men/women per floor. I can’t remember for sure, but I think there is 8 rooms on our floor, not fully occupied during our stay, so we had no problem using the shared bathrooms. There was a sink in our room too, so we can brush teeth, wash hands inside.

Traveler's tip on dining

Perlan is 5-10 minutes walk from the hotel. 3-course dinner cost less than 7,000 ISK, not bad for a fancy restaurant. Even if you are not eating there, take the elevator to the 4th floor (observation deck), the view is nice, and it is all free. We ate at "Icelandic fish & chips" and "Sea baron", across the street from each other near the harbor. The food is good and cheaper, no frill inside.

It was Truly Perfect!

My hub & I had already stayed downtown 2 days & were ready for a less expensive room & visiting other sites in Iceland. When I called to see if we could extend our reservation, Arni answered the phone, & from that moment on he set our hearts at ease & helped us make the most of our visit. We took day tours with Iceland Excursions (who picked us up at the hotel & had the cheapest rates this summer) & rented a 4x4 to go to Landmannalaugur. For each, it was like we had concierge service from Arni. He is wonderful, even to less than gracious visitors. The location is good for fit, walking folks - close to a thermal beach, the Perlan, a bus stop (we never used, always enjoyed the 15-20 min. walk to Hallgrimskirkja & environs) & it’s in the middle of a nice residential area. Cabs come quick, too. The room was simple but nice, with a television, a pleasant view, a sink, & plenty of space. Downstairs, a washing machine & a large well-stocked (appliances & dishes) kitchen was available, & the overall atmosphere of the place was friendly. Breakfast was typically European & included (greenhouse grown!) fresh vegetables & melons, cheeses, breads & crackers, marmalade & jam, boiled eggs, granola, yogurt, sliced meat, tuna, coffee, tea, juice, & milk. The breakfast room & staff were nice, & I looked forward to it every morning except when we’d stayed out til dawn at NASA. If I ever come back to see the Hallgrimskirkja sans scaffolding, I’ll look this place up. Cheers!