Hotel Phoenix

Fabulous hotel in the center of Reykjavik. Beautiful rooms and very clean. The breakfast is fantastic. The hotel is on the main street in Reykjavik but in a quiet area. Our hosts were very friendly and gave us nice tips and information about Iceland.

If I had been able to interact exclusively with the friendly & extremely helpful other gentleman working there, who has also been referred to in other reviews as the “night guy” & “night manager,” & who I believe is a business partner/co-owner of this facility, I would have given this place a glowing 5-star review. He was very welcoming when checking me in the evening I arrived, & politely informed me about the multitude of guest “rules” (that I sensed he didn’t necessarily agree with). The only other time I was fortunate enough to interact with him, he voluntarily provided lots of valuable tips & pointed out important local idiosyncrasies relevant to flight departure from Keflavik Airport, use of the public transit system, as well as offering great recommendations. He always treated me with kindness, respect, & appreciation. Unfortunately, during the rest of my stay I was forced to deal with his partner (AKA "day manager") whose modus operandi is verbally terrorizing his guests.

Throughout my decades of travel to 60+ countries, I’ve never experienced such disturbing behavior from a lodging proprietor, to the point of feeling genuinely unsafe in the presence of the "day manager" (& self-described owner of this small 9-room B&B). Instead of treating guests with even a modicum of civility or respect, you are “greeted” in a most unwelcoming manner, & he becomes visibly upset by any reasonable request no matter how minor, which he then escalates to emotional hostility & vicious verbal abuse. If I had been able to find another place to stay, I would have immediately left. I was particularly concerned about his unpredictable unbalanced behavior at night, especially since he had a master key to the guest rooms. In retrospect, I should have paid more attention to the 1- & 2-star TripAdvisor reviews, & taken them more seriously, as they ultimately read like a script of was happening to me. They repeatedly & accurately describe a pattern of unwarranted behavioral instability toward numerous other guests. I have no doubt that he will angrily respond to this feedback in an attempt to discredit me, as he has done with every other unsatisfactory review (since at least 2012) that describes the same wildly inappropriate conditions. I take no pleasure in writing this review, as this man is obviously suffering emotionally, & I honestly hope he gets the gets the treatment he so clearly needs. As a healthcare professional & avid traveler, my only objective is to warn others of his terrifying & disrespectful conduct, so as to not become unwitting victims of his unbalanced, unprovoked, & unpredictable explosive outbursts & verbal attacks towards guests, who reasonably assumed they were paying for a calm & comfortable stay, with no inkling that they may be at risk of being subjected to this kind of abuse. Details provided upon request.

Oh my goodness! The breakfast was PHENOMENAL! It was wonderful having the opportunity to try different tasty dishes. The building is really cute on the outside and it is decorated beautifully inside. It was in a good central location between bus stops for the Flybus airport transfer to/from Keflavik as well as meet ups for any excursions in and around Reykjavik. My room was extremely comfortable, cozy and inviting with a luxurious bed! And the bathroom was a great size stocked with products that provided an in-home spa-like experience.

Being asked why I am at the property when I arrived. (Um....I am a guest.) It felt as though I was not welcome. And then having to deal with Xenophobia from one of the two staff members handling check-in when I was finally allowed to enter. It was infuriating having to deal with someone stating, "Well, Americans don't usually know how [this and this] is done" after I repeatedly explained that I did know. I informed the staff member of my frustration with how I was being spoken to. There was no concern at all - I guess because I had already paid my booking up front before my arrival, so they already had my money. This was a horrible introduction to Iceland. I will say the other staff member attempted to be apologetic when they showed me to my room.

Excellent location for the main central area plus round the corner for excursion pick up points. Accomodation very clean and comfortable. Staff very helpful and friendly and always available for advice and ideas for things to do in Reykjavík. Breakfast very tasty and filling. I would definitely stay here again.

There was nothing I didn’t like

The best hotel! I could not have been happier with my stay at Hotel Phoenix. My room was perfect. Clean as can be, very spacious, comfortable, quiet, and inclusive of all the amenities I needed. The two men that run the hotel are phenomenal hosts—I was always greeted with a smile and they were beyond helpful in providing information about the area. Breakfast was fantastic each morning and I looked forward to chatting with the owner. My room was freshened each day, and each night my blinds were closed and I had a chocolate on my pillow. The sweetest! I could not recommend this small hotel enough! When I visit Reykjavik again, this will be where I stay.

Everything was just perfect! The staff is very kindness, they clear the room everyday and change towels so when you come back to the hotel you feel as your first night staying there.

Three is nothing to complain.

Great hotel, run by lovely people. Spacious room, very clean and comfortable. Good breakfast, fresh products. Position is great too!

Nothing!

A small, quiet, cozy hotel just a few minutes from the city centre, with a charmingly old-fashioned decor but all modern amenities. Our room was surprisingly spacious, the breakfast options well chosen, and the staff very friendly and attentive yet unobtrusive. Outstanding.

Breakfast was exceptional. Location was perfect for downtown. Room was stylish with tasteful period type decor and had the most comfortable bed.

No tea or coffee facility in the room but this is quite standard for Reykjavik I believe.