Exeter Hotel

Style

Ice-cool industrial

Setting

Hipster harbourside

The Old Harbour was once the beating heart of Reykjavík, and Exeter Hotel is right at the centre of this reviving – and already thriving – waterfront district. The concrete-dominated interiors tick most of the boxes on any converted warehouse check-list, with a cool colour scheme of charcoal and gun-metal grey. Although the hotel is distinctly urban in look, feel and location, you’ll also be well placed (and well rested) to discover Iceland’s many natural wonders on land and by water. And, with the promise of hearty street food in the hotel’s casual eatery, and freshly made sweet treats from the in-house bakery, there’s all the more reason to work up an appetite on your glacier-scaling, geysir-crossing adventures.

Facilities

Rooms

106, including seven suites.

Checkout

11am, but flexible, subject to availability and a fee. Earliest check-in, 3pm.

More Details

Rates usually include a continental buffet breakfast, plus home-baked doughnuts, bagels, and Icelandic pastries. Breakfast can be purchased at the property for room-only rates for €35 per person, per day.

Also

All rooms are wheelchair-accessible and some have specially adapted bathrooms.

Hotel Closed

Exeter Hotel is open all year round.

Fitness Center

Free Internet Access

Laundry

On-Site Restaurant

Spa

At the Hotel

Bakery, lounge, courtyard, sauna, gym, charged laundry and dry-cleaning services, and free WiFi. In rooms: Bluetooth speakers, TV, Nespresso coffee machine with Sjöstrand coffee capsules, tea-making kit, mini-fridge, steamer, bathrobe and slippers, and Sóley Organics bath products.

Our Favourite Rooms

Take a moment to pause when drawing back the curtains from the floor-to-ceiling windows in the hotel’s Harbour Suite. The Snæfellsnes Peninsula unravels in all its lava-encrusted, basalt beauty before you, and Mount Esja looms in the distance. This spacious, upper-floor suite brings the volcanic views to you, so it’s tempting to spend an extra few minutes sightseeing from the terrace or the low-slung bed (and the mattresses are remarkably comfy, by the way).

Spa

Hitting the sauna is practically a rite of passage in Iceland, and is a tried-and-tested way of warming up from the wintery wilderness. Work up a sweat without raising a finger in the hotel’s wood-panelled wellness area, or do some heavy lifting in the small yet sleek fitness room.

Packing Tips

Swimwear might not immediately spring to mind for sub-zero temperatures, but it will come in handy if the Blue Lagoon is on your list. You’ll also see locals wandering the streets in ski-gear during the winter, because it’s just that cold (and windy).

Also

The works of Reykjavík-born artist Hrafnkell Sigurðsson add a vibrant pop of colour to the concrete walls. Ask the hotel staff about where to view his photography, as it’s often on display in some of the city’s off-beat galleries.

Children

The Exeter crowd is young, but you’ll generally find it’s cosier for couples than little Smiths here.

Gallery

Food & Drink

Top Table

It’s a bit of a free for all, but that adds to the fun of it. Grab one of the booths for a bit of extra room.

Dress Code

Layer up but dress down – the temperatures are as cool as the crowd that hangs out here.

Hotel Restaurant

The hotel’s quirky restaurant LeKock is always abuzz with locals swapping stories over street food (the ‘smashburgers’ and sesame-sprinkled chicken wings live up to the hype). The all-day menu is unpretentious yet delicious, and the chef strives to put his childhood memories on a plate. Stock up on the homemade pastries from the hotel’s bakery Deig, where you can build your own bagels and dunk doughnuts in your piping hot kaffi.

Hotel Bar

Evenings tend to spill over next door into the hotel’s casual bar, Tail, which has a cool-as-it-comes craft beer selection on tap, along with a tongue-in-cheek ‘kocktail’ list.

Last Orders

Breakfast is from 7am to 10am, with all-day dining options from 11.30am to 11pm. The bar pours from 11.30am to 11pm.

Room Service

Room service is available for Junior and Harbour suites and Urban Deluxe and Harbour Deluxe rooms.

Planes

Keflavík International Airport is just a 45-minute drive away, and the hotel can help to arrange taxis and private transfers for an additional charge – or organise a shuttle service.

Trains

There are no public railways in Iceland, but the capital’s bus services run regularly and are easy to navigate.

Automobiles

Lunar-like glaciers, bubbling blue lagoons, and thundering waterfalls draw adventurous day-trippers out from Reykjavík – taking a car a must for exploring the Golden Circle. The hotel has seven underground parking spaces (for €35 a day) which guests staying in Junior Suites and the Harbour Suite can use free of charge. There is also an electric vehicle charging station available for €40 a day.

Worth Getting Out of Bed For

Slightly set back from the main coast road, Exeter Hotel’s Old Harbour location invites guests to get a little bit wet (and wild) by diving into the port’s water-based activities, including whale-watching and puffin-spotting cruises which depart from the pier just across the street. Back on dry land, the glittering, glass-fronted Harpa Concert Hall, the city’s cathedral, and the rainbow-painted Skólavörðustígur Street are all just 10-minutes away on foot. Urban sights aside, Reykjavík stands as the gateway to Golden Circle adventures, and the hotel’s hands-on reception team have all the most knowledgeable local guides up their sleeve. If you don’t mind the crowds, the milky waters of the Blue Lagoon are worth a soak, but the clifftop Sky Lagoon is far less of a tourist hotspot and guarantees a quieter geothermal experience – plus it boasts a swim-up bar. Also within day-trip distance are Skógafoss Waterfall, Langjökull Glacier, and the Great Geysir in Haukadalur Valley, and longer Icelandic itineraries should include the black-sand beach at Reynisfjara, and going off-grid in the Snæfellsjökull National Park.

Earn or Redeem Points with World of Hyatt

This Mr & Mrs Smith hotel participates in the World of Hyatt loyalty program. As a member, you can earn and redeem points and enjoy exclusive benefits for qualifying nights. .