Hlid Fisherman Village — Hotel in Garðabær

I always try to give a subjective and honest review for any hotels I stay at and I list the good and bad in respect of expectation vs price paid vs actual experience. Firstly the location is lovely, it is on a small peninsula surrounded by the ocean, but you do absolutely need a car as limited public transport would make it an issue. There is plenty of parking and allocated parking in front of each lodge. Some others lodges in the terraced area you need to use main car park but it is only 100m away. Check-in is either at Viking Hotel or will be emailed to you. Please read any booking notes with whoever you book through, it’s clearly stated so I don’t know why people complain. First impression of the room was nice but the layout was different that the one we had thought we were booking, specifically the sofa was at the door, then the internal toilet, then the beds. So the sofa was largely redundant as the TV was at the bed side of the room. There were two chairs and small table also. General upkeep needs improved, two lightbulbs were not working, the bathroom sink was leaking from waste (we tightened it and it was OK) and due to the high winds the WiFi and then TV signal went out. Luckily the restaurant was open (at weekends only) so we went and talked to manager who did then phone to Viking Hotel to ask their maintenance man to help fix the electrical problems. This was duly done and WiFi and TV back on in around 30mins. The restaurant looked nice but no one was there and it was a buffet but was serving Thai chicken curry, noodles and pizza. Not very Icelandic so we decided against it but it did look OK. The beds are very comfortable and lots of hot water in shower. Small fridge and kettle provided. Fridge was obviously a replacement as the door would not close on the wooden cabinet which just made it look untidy. It was dark and cold outside so we just had a quick look at the hot tubs and then found the sauna was not working (no heat or lights). Next day we planned to go out so I tried the wall safe to put our valuables in but found it locked already and not able to access. I noted these items on a quick message to Viking Hotel but got no reply so next day (Sunday) as we were passing hotel we went to reception. The manager was very helpful and apologetic, he said he had actioned the items in my message but had forgotten to reply to me. He offered us a complimentary breakfast in the hotel which was very unexpected and therefore appreciated. Breakfast was good so give it a try there. In general the stay was good, but I should mention we stayed 5 nights and no housekeeping ever made up our beds. Towels were replaced daily. Tea and coffee supplies were refilled only once, when I would have expected daily. Overall it was a good stay and the staff were helpful and polite when approached. The sauna was repaired on the Sunday evening although lights still didn’t work and it was dark in November! The location also is quite exposed and subject to the fun Icelandic winds, but the heating was great so no complaints but just be aware of wind noise sometimes could...

I booked this hotel because it’s a short drive to Reykjavík, and the price plus free parking were definite perks. However, there’s no breakfast included, so plan to head into the city for your morning coffee.

They moved my room at the last minute, and since there’s no front desk, all communication is done via email. I booked a double bed for my daughter and me, which ended up being a bunk setup with a queen bed and a twin. Totally fine and cute! The room itself is quaint – it’s an older hotel, weathered by the sea, which gives it some charm.

Unfortunately, the sauna and hot tubs are located directly above the room, so you hear every footstep and every person stomping around. Not exactly the relaxing atmosphere I was hoping for. To make it worse, when the neighbors arrived, we could hear every nagging word she yelled at her partner. Again – not relaxing.

I wanted a quiet, peaceful end to my Iceland road trip, but instead, I’m leaving frustrated and annoyed by the constant noise and lack of privacy. Because the rooms are right along the parking lot, people think it’s perfectly fine to walk right up to your window and look inside. I had to close the shades on a woman who literally walked up to look into our room.

Other things to note: • The cups for coffee or tea looked like they’d just been wiped out, not properly washed. • The blackout shades barely block any light. • There’s no restaurant on-site, so stop at the store beforehand. At least there’s a fridge in the room. • The shower door was off its rollers, so we had to fix it ourselves just to use it. • The hot water is geothermal, so expect a strong sulfur smell. Pro tip: Remove any silver jewelry or it will tarnish. • The water temperature isn’t consistent….it goes from scalding hot to cold on rotation, making showers a bit of a survival exercise. • There’s only one outlet in the room, located on the opposite side from the beds, so our devices sat on the floor while charging. • They don’t provide shampoo or conditioner, just generic soap in the shower, so bring your own.

The only real positive is that the beds are very comfortable. Otherwise, this place was a disappointment. If you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing stay, this likely isn’t it. IMO

*I’m not sure if that’s mold or the metal in the shower, but I’m not touching it...

Located on a peninsula about 20mins out of Reykjavik - the scenery is fantastic!

Water lapping the shore and birds singing and calling to each other. It's idyllic.

The room (ours was number 17) was big enough for 2 and clean (ish).

The house keeping staff were friendly and polite.

We had an accessible parking spot just outside the room. You really do need to hire a car to get here - it's quite out of the way.

We didn't get chance to use the hot tub and sauna as we were out most nights - it's upstairs and not accessible via a lift.

Some minors niggles The black out blinds in the bathroom were broken and even though the glass was frosted you could still see if someone was sat on the loo (right next to the window )

There is nowhere to place your toiletries when using the shower - which would be helpful if you have mobility issues.

Bed bugs! I've never come across bed bugs before, after the first night I had a few bites on my arm and just thought it may have been a flying insect, either in the room or when out and about. After the second night - I had bites all over my arms, legs, back and abdomen.

All that aside - we would still come back here because the location really was superb.

Access to the room is via a ramp from the parking space (it's steep for an independent manual chair user). There is a ramp to the front and back door. Wooden flooring throughout. There is a small threshold to the shower room - smooth tiled flooring . Shower room has good space and cupboards underneath the sink if you can't access the one above it. Mixer tap - normal length handle not extended.

The bed - 2 twin beds secured together and sturdy. Usual bed height - you may need to move the bed / furniture a little to access the sides of the bed to transfer in.

Small fridge located at chest height (for chair users). Small amount of hanging space and a collapsible stool for your luggage.

We were able to see the Aurora Borealis from the car park and back door of our room. Really was a highlight of the trip.

Definitely coming...