Hotel VON — Hotel in Reykjavik

Hotel Von is a lovely, well-situated hotel in the middle of Reykjavik. I had two one-night stays on the bookends of my trip to Iceland. I arrived very early in the morning. The receptionist, Gatis, graciously found me an available room for a (very) early check in. I was so grateful for his hospitality as it had been a long travel night from the West Coast of the US. The room was clean and well-designed. There was tea and a hot water kettle in the room (coffee machine was in the lobby and Reykjavik Roasters is a 3 minute walk away). The mattress was very comfortable. I stayed on the main floor the first night and had the 5th floor the second night (and had a stunning view of Hallgrimskirkja!). The location could not have been better - I walked everywhere and there are many restaurants and sites within a few minutes walk (and bus stops are within a 5 minute walk as well). Do note that if you arrive later in the evening or very early in the morning, you will have to check in with a sister property about a 5 minute walk away. I was notified in advance that I would need to do this so it was not a surprise, and I did not find it to be an inconvenience. I’m not sure why Google classifies this place as a 2 star hotel because it’s definitely more than that. I would gladly...

hotel management and staff use manipulative tactics and are not transparent about what they actually provide.

Starting with the parking—nowhere on their website do they clearly mention where to park. After I received the confirmation email, they vaguely stated that you “park in the streets,” but failed to explain that there are multiple parking zones with different prices. The closest option, P1, is very expensive, while the more affordable P3 is about three blocks away—uphill and not ideal when you’re carrying luggage. They clearly withhold this information to take advantage of tourists unfamiliar with the area.

Second, the checkout policy is unreasonable. While checkout is at 11:00 am, I requested just one extra hour and was told the hotel was fully booked. I checked online and found that there were still plenty of rooms available that day. When I pointed this out to the front desk, the staff member started making excuses and backpedaling. This just shows how dishonest and manipulative the management is.

The room itself had poor sound insulation—I could hear street noise all night long. They claim the room is 16 square meters, but it felt very tight, with barely enough space to move around.

Overall, it felt like a glorified and overpriced...

Spent a night at Hotel Von and found its location unbeatable—right in the heart of Reykjavik, with plenty of shops and restaurants within easy walking distance. The only real challenge was parking; be ready to cruise around a bit before landing a spot. I eventually found parking at Skulegata (P3 zone), which was easier on the wallet since it's free from 6pm to 9am.||Check-in was friendly and efficient, though I was surprised to discover my room was on the first floor—meaning I had to take the elevator down, not up. The room itself had that minimalist Nordic vibe: everything you need, nothing you don't, but a bit on the simple side if you're hoping for something especially cozy.||A few things could have been better—there was quite a bit of hair in the shower from previous guests, and the windows were so dirty I barely wanted to look out (not that the view or small patio were inviting anyway). Still, the bed was comfy, and the room worked perfectly for a city stopover. All hotels are expensive in Reykjavik this time of year, and Von is no exception, but I'd consider staying again for the location alone.||All in all: a functional, central hotel—just not quite a "home away from home."|Would recommend, especially for solo travelers...