Seeking sushi and northern lights in Iceland
With Iceland now on the green list for UK travellers, Jennifer Morris recommends a stylish stay at the Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel for those planning a trip to the land of fire and ice
Running as behind schedule as ever, I bustled into the reception of Iceland’s Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel to find my late-evening pick-up to seek out the northern lights, and timidly asked where I could grab a “super quick bite” locally – well aware the hotel had a beautiful restaurant of its own.
“No problem, Mrs Morris, follow me!” I was led into the bar adjoining the lobby – a twinkling Art Deco-meets-contemporary lounge, with coloured leather seats punctuated by burnt orange velvet cushions – and advised that each evening guests can help themselves to an extensive array of sushi freshly laid out on the bar top.
Sushi is a favourite dish of mine, and after chomping through platefuls of it and sipping on complimentary chilled dry white wine to go with it, I headed off to Aurora Basecamp happy – and witnessed the famous aurora borealis to boot.
I visited Reykjavik in pre-pandemic times so was pleased to hear the hotel that took such good care of me back then is set to reopen to guests on 1 July. The Konsulat, part of the Curio Collection by Hilton, makes the perfect base for a visit to Iceland’s capital. It stands in the oldest part of the city, where the first settlers to Iceland were said to have made their home 1,150 years ago, and the old shoreline where they first tied up their ships is thought to be right under the hotel lobby.
Six minutes from famous music and conference centre Harpan, the hotel describes itself as “at the junction of Icelandic history and style”, and some of the city’s most popular bars and restaurants are also just minutes away.
There’s plenty to do at the hotel though if you feel like staying put – especially during the winter months when daylight is at a minimum. There’s a small 24-hour gym and a bathhouse, open to all guests to recharge “the Icelandic way” (in a hot tub and sauna that takes its heat from geothermal activity) from 7am to 10pm.
The bathhouse features an original 19th-century stone wall, and the hotel’s historical features don’t stop there. The reconstruction of the building, which in the 19th and 20th century housed a grand department store run by Consul Thomsen, a prominent Icelandic merchant and entrepreneur – was completed in 2018.
Thomsen welcomed the first foreign dignitaries to the country in the 19th century, establishing a legacy of international hospitality in Iceland. The hotel’s new interiors pay tribute to this, including black and white photography throughout, and the 50 rooms and suites are filled with eclectic vintage furnishings.
The hotel’s GOTT restaurant is where chefs Sigurdur Gislason and Berglind Sigmundsdottir create healthy food using all local ingredients, and that speedy sushi session wasn’t the only culinary quest I had, sampling the breakfast buffet brimming with fresh fish and cold cuts, as well as vegan and gluten-free options.
General manager Brynhildur Gudmundsdottir tells me the hotel staff are itching to welcome back guests.
“My team and I have used the time wisely by joining forces with other hotels under the Curio Collection by Hilton umbrella to plan for the re-opening,” she says. “We have focused on being positive and holding on to the light and warmth of hospitality that characterises us, and we cannot wait to welcome guests to our beautiful hotel.”
Good to know
- The hotel offers a “grab and go” breakfast option from 4am-6.30am upon request, for early risers.
- Popular nearby eateries and bars include Slippbarinn, Geiri Smart Restaurant and the famous Baejarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stand, established in 1937.
- The hotel follows the Hilton CleanStay Program, with Covid protocols including increased cleaning of public areas, more antibacterial hand sanitisers, and the “continuing adjustment of food and beverage services” in accordance with the latest food safety recommendations.
- There is a 24-hour off-site garage available (at a charge) for parking, for those conducting a self-drive trip, as I was.
- Reykjavik has two international airports, with Keflavik (to which most UK carriers fly in approximately three hours), a 50-minute drive from The Konsulat.
How to book it
Rooms at Reykjavik Konsulat Hotel start from approximately £230 per night for summer, including a continental breakfast.
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Place of registration: England and Wales.
Company number 08723341.
Registered address: 6th Floor, 2 London Wall Place, London EC2Y 5AU
