Hotel Selfoss

About an hour and fifteen minutes away from Reykjavík lies the town of Selfoss, where Hotel Selfoss is located. I have to be honest. I had very few expectations of this hotel as it was more of a stopover for us to get over the jet lag, but when we arrived, I was pleasantly surprised.

THE PROPERTY

The lobby is decorated with cute modern decor and a cool, clear elevator in the center of it all. There is also a little restaurant in the back only open for breakfast (which is included) for a few hours and dinner for a few hours so in between you have to find something to eat, but there is a food court right across the street that is so cute and has lots of dining options and there’s a lot of things in the area so it’s very easy to venture out. I walked across the street to get some food, and it was easy and quick. 

What really sold me was the neighborhood. Selfoss is the cutest, quaint little town. I was completely obsessed. I love all the little shops, marketplaces, and cafés on the river. Last time we came to Iceland, we didn’t stop in Selfoss, and I can’t believe we didn’t because I really, really loved it.

There’s not much more to the hotel. It’s a very simple, no-frills hotel where you'll have a nice, clean, comfortable place to sleep. Our room did overlook the river, which was so gorgeous.

THE ROOM

I would describe our room as simple, cute, and functional. As I said, it’s no frills. It was a simple room with a sofa bed, a double bed, a TV, and a bathroom. It had some basic amenities, like tea and coffee, a kettle, a safe, and a closet. It was clean, and the bathroom had heated floors. Our view was spectacular, but otherwise, there wasn't much to it. When you walk down the hallway to your room, it kind of feels like a hostel, a very nice hostel, I would say,  or almost as if they were dorms. Each room is pretty much set up similar you can see as you walk by rows and rows of rooms. It definitely has a minimalist vibe, but really, it’s all you need. If you’re spending your whole day in the room in Iceland than you’re doing it wrong anyway.

THE FOOD

I can’t speak to the food much, as this was a stopover hotel for us, but I will say they offer a simple continental breakfast included in your stay. Having breakfast is a nice touch wherever you stay with kids, so it was convenient to get the girls fed and not have to think about their food. Their breakfast included oatmeal, cereals, fruit, a deli section, eggs, bacon, vegetables, breads, and other pastries, as well as tea, coffee, and juices. Just what you need to start the day. The restaurant is only open for breakfast and dinner. We did not have dinner here, but on the first night, we enjoyed food from the food court across the street. It offered many food options, and everything we got was very tasty.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Aside from the fact that Selfoss is a very cute town. This hotel is right smack in the golden circle or the golden ring, so you are really, really close to some of the top attractions in Iceland. It’s only 15 minutes to Kerid crater and Gulfoss waterfall, and also very close to the Geyser geothermal area. Staying here makes it really easy to see different parts of Iceland away from the capital.

If you’re looking for a simple, no-frills, affordable hotel, I definitely recommend Hotel Selfoss. It’s in a great location, and it offers everything you need. The only thing I would say is the customer service is not how us spoiled Americans would expect in the U.S. When we call down to the room and we asked for more sheets, they did not bring them up and we tried to call the front desk multiple times and no one answered so it’s kind of like you are on your own a little bit. We did track down the housekeeper and ended up getting the sheets, but you’re not going to get the things that sometimes people expect from hotels, where they cater to your every need. There is also no room service. These things are not deal breakers for us personally, but I wanted to mention that for some, this is important. Hotel Selfoss is really just a great place to lay your head at night and to be close to some of Iceland’s main attractions.

See pricing and availability for Hotel Selfoss HERE and use code MISSENOCHA for $$ off your stay.