Kimkim Trip Reviews for Iceland

We loved our trip to Iceland. The hotels were very nice and the lagoons were amazing. Breakfasts were convenient as they were included in the trip cost.
Information on the itinerary needs to be updated. Some parking lots were described as free but our experience was that they all were pay through Parka.
Finally, the last activity on our second to last day while driving back to Reykjavik was to hike Fjaorargljufur Canyon. However, that activity was already planned for on our itinerary 2 days before.

Hotel Review

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

the room was immaculate

Activity Reviews

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk

Iceland

Þingvellir National Park

Iceland

Gummi set up a terrific itinerary. He was great - always available, incredibly responsive and always helpful. He went above and beyond to make the trip memorable.

Hotel Reviews

Hótel Framtíð

Djúpivogur

Friendly staff and nice location. Rooms are small and not well appointed. Shower was small and difficult to access. Breakfast was just ok.

Landhotel

Hella

Great hotel, beautiful rooms

Authenticity & Character

Very Scandinavian

Location

Quiet setting

Staff

Staff was terrific - responsive and friendly

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beautiful rooms

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Fantastic hotel - private cabin, nice location. The restaurant was excellent.

Authenticity & Character

Beautiful cabins with nice amenities

Location

Cabin was on a lake with lovely views

Staff

Friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cabin was beautifully appointed

Activity Reviews

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

This is a great experience, however the climb to the cave can be strenuous and difficult according to conditions. If you have any difficulty with balance or heights you might skip this outing. Guides are great

Quality of Experience

Terrific guides who work with you

Guides, Drivers and Staff

They are more than willing to help those who need help

Transport

The super jeep was bit worn and the quality of the ride is very much based on the weather and conditions

It was a great trip. One that my family will never forget. The scenery is other worldly. The plan was excellent. Our pictures are amazing. Highlights were Blue Lagoon, Sky Lagoon, Ice cave.

We had a fantastic time exploring Iceland! Starting off at the Blue Lagoon was a great idea, from there we explored Reykjavik (parking and restrooms were a bit of a challenge), the city is a fun mix of new and old with great street art.
I felt like I was driving in a video game as we traveled from one beautiful site to another. My favorite waterfall is a toss up between the Gullfoss and Seljalandsfoss (these were very crowded with bus tours).
The Katla Ice Cave adventure was a blast! We had the best tour guide, Alex, he was full of information and entertaining for all.
We also took a boat tour of the JÖKULSÁRLÓN GLACIER LAGOON, we had never seen anything like this, it was spectacular! We arrived at high tide for the diamond beach but it was still very beautiful.
In Húsavík we all went for a whale watching trip, we saw a humpback whale, this was also very fun.
We had great meals throughout the week we all tried some new things and really enjoyed the hospitality of all of the restaurants we visited.
The hotels were also great, my favorite was the Hrafnavellir Guest House. The owner and host was wonderful, she served the best breakfast as she is also the chef. The single unit cabins are beautiful and offer great views of the mountains and sheep, just wonderful!
We hope to return and explore again, we would like to see some things that are not so “touristy” and less crowded. Thank you Gudmundur Oli for guiding us on our adventure.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Bifrost

Borgarnes

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Húsavík Cape Hotel

Húsavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

While the rooms were clean, the towels were small and worn, the shower water was difficult to control, switching from hot to cold randomly. I would stay here again though as the central town location made up for any small inconvenience.

Hotel Hallormsstadur

Egilsstadir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hrafnavellir Guest House

Hornafjörður (Hofn)

Private, clean, comfortable, beautiful property with an amazing hostess/owner. My favorite accommodations, also had the best breakfast!

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Gullfoss

Tungufell

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

CenterHotel Klopp

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

We had the best tour guide, Alex, he truly made this a once in a life time experience! Alex was knowledgeable, courteous and entertaining to all of the people on the small group tour.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Ford van was a little tired, but cool…

Overall, we had an amazing trip! Here are some highlights for Kim Kim…
Gummi was great to work with, Thor was absolutely fantastic and knowledgeable. The walking tour with Bonnie was a 10 out of 10 Bonnie is way underrated! The rental bus was perfect size and comfortable.

The Lava tunnel was just ok- cool but we found it a little boring and expected more of a challenge. The glacier ice cave was also very cool to see but also a little under whelming. The road in to the ice cave was a very long drive, once parked we expected to walk more once we arrived.
My advise would be to ask about your groups physicality level and understand how much walking/ hiking you group would like to achieve per stop. Iceland is stunning and so beautiful but requires significant drive time from thing to thing.. more than we expected (with not enough steps inbetween). We were cracking up that everything takes at least a hour to drive too. BUT because we spent less time on foot we were able to see some many beautiful spots so maybe I’m wrong, but we could have walked more.

Sky lagoon and blue lagoon were fantastic. Sky was our favorite. Fontana was just ok it was under construction during our visit. The wine bar tomato restaurant is something I’ll dream about!! The food and drinks were unreal and delicious. We were soooo happy to be in the wine bar area as a group not the actual greenhouse restaurant.

Lastly our weather was perfect. We were soooo happy & lucky. We made so many memories, thank you for keeping our group together as one unit! We all live in different locations & multiple cars would have been a huge challenge. All reservations went smoothly and we were grateful to have Thor translate for us. I will definitely use and recommend kimkim in the future for group travel! Well done

Activity Reviews

Glacier Ice Cave Experience as part of a Multi Day Private Tour

Iceland

Poor advertised. Instagram photos may have created false expectations. Also, it was unclear that it was an hour ride in. In an hour ride out. The ice cave itself took us five minutes through and out of since it was so incredibly short. It’s incredibly cool and beautiful, but we expected more and wanted more once we got out of the van.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Poop

Transport

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

We were expecting to walk more. It was a quick walk in and out. Interesting but felt like a tourist

Quality of Experience

Mo

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Icelandic Food Walk

Reykjavík

Bonnie was amazing!!! Completely underrated!!

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

My husband gave Noga an idea of what we like to do on vacation and the level/length of hikes we enjoy. Noga gave us terrific suggestions. The hikes were stunning and got us away from the tour bus crowds. We also enjoyed the accommodations KimKim booked for us.

Bessi, our guide was amazing. He was very knowledgeable about the area, a native icelander, kept us intrigued with history and stories about certain places.
He made sure we were safe wherever we visited.
He also made sure we got footsteps and restrooms stops in timely manner.

Hotel Review

Reykjavík Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk - Part of Multi Day Tour with Private Driver Guide

Iceland

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Zodiac Boat

Iceland

Glacier Ice Cave Experience as part of a Multi Day Private Tour

Iceland

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Our guide Bessi was excellent , he was very knowledgeable and funny , he had a lot of anecdotes that we can relate and share,Bessie bent backwards to make sure we enjoyed our time in Iceland , kimkim you have an excellent guide. We arrived in Reykjavík late after long hours of flight delays and the Blue Lagoon help invigorate us all , the food was excellent . We enjoyed all the spectacular waterfalls and zodiac boat trip, our boat captain Christian took us closer to the glaciers , what a marvelous sight !! Our journey up the glacier was one of a kind experience for our age group , Bessi made it very easy for us all . Overall , we have enjoyed our trip immensely .

Everything went smoothly. Hotels , car rental and bookings for adventures. Weather issues unfortunately resulted in 3 cancelled outings which was disappointing but overall we were very pleased with KimKim and would definitely use their services again.

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Berg

Keflavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

Close to airport

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Magma Hotel

Kirkjubæjarklaustur

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Grímsborgir by Keahotels

Ásborgir

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Eyja Guldsmeden Hotel

Reykjavik

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms a bit small

Activity Reviews

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat

Iceland

We ran out of time so didn’t get to experience

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Transport

Whale Watching & Northern Lights Boat Experience from Reykjavík

Reykjavík

This was cancelled due to high winds. Sky lagoon was fantastic. Amazing experience!!! Didn’t experience northern lights though

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Self guided

Transport

Self guided tour

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

This event was cancelled due to high winds

Quality of Experience

Not sure . We couldn’t go

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

Overall, we had the absolute most magical trip to Iceland. Hanna helped to book all the necessary restaurant reservations and they were all fabulous! The snorkeling at the Silfra fissure was a must. We also visited Fridheimar Tomato Farm and the dinner was fantastic - as a plus it was walking distance from our hotel (Blue Hotel Fagrilundur). Both Seljalandsfoss (where you can walk behind the falls - just do it!) & Skogafoss (forest waterfall) were some of our favorites. Reynisfjara beach (black sand) was magnificent - it wasn't hard to imagine the scenes from Game of Thrones being filmed there. The Katla ice cave tour was super fun as well - you'll hike the Myrdalsjokull glacier, then visit the amazing blue and black ice cave of the Kötlujökull glacier on Mt. Katla. If we had to pick our favorite canyon it would be Fjadrargljufur canyon - just stunning. Another must see spot was Jokulsarlon & Diamond Beach where you could see the very blue chunks of glacier floating and the diamond beach appearance - we also saw some seals during our stop. Vestrahorn & the Viking Village also offered some unique and stunning views of the mountains and the beautiful water. The Hverir geothermal area was super cool (all be it a bit overwhelming with the sulfur content in the air). Hotel Laxa was one of our favorite spots for lodging and we lucky enogh to have a spectacular showing of the Northern Lights while there. Our whale watching in Husavik was canceled due to weather but luckily we were able to re-book for Árskógssandur and we couldn't have asked for a better outing - the gear they provide was very warm and we were able to see lots of whale activity. The Forest Lagoon was one of our groups favorite stops for relaxation (better than Blue Lagoon as it wasn't near as crowded and the water is clear with no silica - wish we had a bit more time to explore Akureyri and maybe stay over a night. Our last nights in Reykjavik were fun exploring the city, shopping and eating (get the hot dog at Baejarins Beztu Pylsur). Dinner at Fiskfelagid Fish company was so delicious as well.

Overall, I offer the following insights: 1. Buy waterPROOF gear (jacket and pants and an extra poncho if you really hate being wet) - not water resistant. 2. Bring layers- you will ABSOLUTELY need them no matter when you visit. 3. Comfortable waterproof hiking shoes or boots are a must. 3. The food was so much BETTER than we expected, although bringing snacks for the drive was essential especially if you wanted to limited your stops during the day.

Also, Hanna and her colleagues were super helpful and timely in responding to last minute requests during the trip. Hihgly recommend them and highly recommend visiting Iceland.

We had a wonderful trip through Iceland. Gummi took care of EVERYTHING for us. The daily driving map routes he prepared for us made our 2800 km total drive simple. All reservations were perfect. He was always available if we needed help or had a question. His additional inputs during our drive suggesting good viewing places to see the northern lights were spot on. The hotels he booked for us were wonderful. His advice for tourist spots and restaurants were great. I'd really like to give Kim Kim, and especially Gummi, 6 stars, but the system limits this to 5. We have already recommended Kim Kim to several of our friends who have expressed an interest in a similar trip.

Hotel Review

Sigló Hótel by Keahotels

Siglufjörður

My favorite little town by far. Brightly lit streets (we went for a walk late at night and had no concerns). Quaint little fishing village. Everyone we met was super friendly. I had a smile on my face the whole time I was here - and the hotel personifies this town. Wonderful spa. Great food. Nice rooms. They seemed to pamper us for our short stay. If I go back to Iceland, I just may spend my whole time here!

Authenticity & Character

perfect fit for the village. Felt like I was in an New England fishing village, but up to date.

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Víðgelmir Lava Cave Experience

Iceland

Guide was educational and lots of fun. Amazing underground formations.

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

RATS - due to 10 foot waves, this was cancelled. Only flaw (beyond anyone's control) of out whoel trip. Did get a prompt refund.

The entire process of planning the trip to Iceland was so overwhelming to me I just couldn’t get started. I am so happy to have found kimkim. Gummi was amazing and so helpful with getting everything organized and booked for us! When an excursion was cancelled due to weather conditions he quickly informed us and helped us to find some alternative activities for the day.

This was my first time using Kim Kim, and the experience couldn’t have been easier. When planning our trip, their feedback and response was extremely timely and very helpful. They made accommodations when requested and the properties they suggested were wonderful. We loved the lava cave experience and the Húsafell hot springs. All hotels were excellent. The links with suggestions and directions on the app provided excellent guidance! Unfortunately our whale watching tour was canceled because of weather, but they refunded our money immediately.
We had hesitated traveling on our own with a car, but they made the experience very easy. We would definitely use them again!

Gummi was very attentive to our needs both in planning the trip and during the trip. He was accessible 24/7. The hotels and excursions he booked for us were fantastic. The pace of the trip was just right. We did not feel rushed at all.

The trip was mostly fantastic; a magical place. A couple things would make the next trip even better. The hotels were both wonderfully high - such as Sand Hotel, Foss Hotels - and unfortunately low - like the Hotel Kea, Gistihusio Lake Hotel. We showed up in Vik without instructions for checking in to the apt and would have preferred a hotel. Some pre-booked timing for activities didn't work with the long drive times so we had to make changes on the fly with the tour companies to accommodate.

Other than those little issues, we had a grand time and look forward to a trip back soon!

We had a really fun 10-day holiday with friends in Iceland traveling the Ring Road, and overall, Iceland itself was amazing and easy to navigate. While the trip was enjoyable, the experience with KimKim felt inconsistent and lacking attention to detail. Some of the specific issues we ran into:
Inconsistent accommodations: Some hotels had breakfast included while others did not (we had assumed this would be standard). A few hotels were wonderful, with amenities and great locations, while others fell flat, especially our last hotel in Reykjavik which was a disappointing way to end the trip (the first hotel in Reykjavik was amazing and great way to kick things off). At one point, instead of a hotel we were booked into an apartment — it felt like this may have been a late booking workaround since other options in town were sold out, despite the fact we started planning months in advance. Again no breakfast and when you're on the road changing hotels almost every night that becomes more of a challenge and expense than it should.
Booking practices: We were surprised to find some of our hotel reservations had been made through Expedia, which led to confusion at check-in when staff had trouble locating them.
Car rental & connectivity: While it worked out fine, we were never told that the rental car came with Wi-Fi. That would have been a very helpful detail, especially since they strongly advised us to rent directly from the airport and then we had to try to get the company to refund us.
Activity planning: The suggested activities were often unrealistic in terms of timing and order, which made parts of the itinerary difficult or impossible to execute in the way they were presented.
Local expertise: The program didn’t feel curated by someone with boots on the ground. It felt more like it had been assembled with generic recommendations or even AI, without the logical flow or insider touches we had expected.
To be clear, we had a great trip because Iceland itself is extraordinary and I was with my best friends, but the planning support didn’t live up to what we’d hoped for. With more consistency, realistic sequencing, and local insight the trip could have been seamless.

Hotel Reviews

Fosshótel Mývatn

Myvatn

Loved this hotel partly because it was nice, modern and we stayed 2 nights (vs. 1). Also we saw the Northern Lights - we had a great waitress who woke us to tell us they were out....vs. the hotel staff that seemed uninterested. Good location to do a lot of the local activities in the area.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Our waitress woke us to tell us about NL = there is a button on the phones asking guests to press it if they want to see NL - it goes to a recorded service and when we asked about it at the front desk they said "oh that doesn't work" so they shoudl fix that as it seemed cool but I guess was de-activated.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Kea by Keahotels

Akureyri

This hotel is very serviceable. Not anything special. Kim Kim could have done better for independent travelers - this seems like a big bus/group hotel.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Gistihúsið - Lake Hotel Egilsstadir

Egilsstöðum

This is a local hotel which is always nice. Tho it did smell like cow poop even though we didn't see any cows. Met the owner and she said they renovated 2 years ago. Ask for a room overlooking the lake vs. the parking lot. Kim Kim didn't indicate that on our reservation so some on us had better views than others.

Authenticity & Character

Location

This hotel is in an OK location - but we think we could have been put in a more interesting hotel

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Jökulsárlón - Glacier Lagoon Hotel

Hofn

Very good modern hotel and excellent if you'll be doing glacier activities. Kim Kim didn't tell us that Breakfast wasn't included (this was toward the end of our trip so we were surprised...) and there aren't other local options so we got a bit hood-winked on this one by Kim Kim.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Holt—The Art Hotel

Reykjavík

Really bizarre hotel - lots of "art" which is kind of cool because it's Icelandic but the hotel is so dated and seems like a relic but not in an interesting way. Kim Kim shoudl make sure to check out these hotels before assigning them out. It was a STARK difference to the hotel they put us in at the beginning of the trip. This wasn't the way we wanted to end the trip. My friend's room (a single) literally looked like a cell. The Breakfast was good.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Vík Apartments

Vik I Myrdal

Bizarre location overlooking a number of parking lots and a main road. No breakfast. Nice design. Better for a family or longer stay. We were there a night and it wasn't a good option made by KimKim

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Sand Hotel by Keahotels

Reykjavík

Great location, nice rooms and good hearty & yummy breakfast.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Dimmuborgir Lava Formations

Lake Mývatn

We really liked this area - it has some simple wide paths but the lava is wildly formed and this is where you can see "the hidden people" a lot easier :). (you'll have to look that up). There are quite a few walking/hiking paths and you can go as far or not as you want. There is actually a path to a crater which we didn't do becuase it was about 2 hours round trip but others said it was a great hike.

Quality of Experience

Hike from Skaftafell to Svartifoss Waterfall

Iceland

Definitely take the time to do the 45+ minute walk to see this waterfall. It's very dramatic and in a gorgeous canyon. The path is well marked and traveled so you won't get lost but will be surprised and happy at the end! Great photo Op spot.

Quality of Experience

Sólheimajökull Glacier Walk

Iceland

This is a super cool experience and all of our first time being on a glacier. It was nice too that we had an actual Icelandic guide who grew up somewhat nearby. It was interesting to learn about the glacier and the relationship to the volcano. The crampons were totally necessary and there are some great views.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Explore Seyðisfjörður

Iceland

Very cute town - in fact we wish that Kim Kim would have booked us a room here as it was super local and charming vs. where they booked us. There is an arty flair. But by the time we got here it was end of day so many things were closed. We wished we could have explored this area more.

Quality of Experience

Mývatn Nature Baths

Lake Mývatn

Very skinny from the sulphur so know that and be prepared for that. There are a lot of other baths in Iceland and I think you can skip this one.

Quality of Experience

Whale Watching from Akureyri

Akureyri

Nice guide. We saw a whale which was great.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Forest Lagoon Pool Experience

Iceland

Really pretty spot in an otherwise not super charming town. Good thing to do at end of the day . Location is super.

Quality of Experience

Glaumbær Farm & Museum

Iceland

Good to do/see because you get some history of Iceland upfront.

Quality of Experience

Private Golden Circle Day Trip

Reykjavík

Could be a 3.5 star review. It was our first day so we were excited. The Golden Circle is a well-traveled highly touristed route so you'll see a lot of buses etc. but the sights are worth it. Nice to have a private guide so we could be flexible (i.e to see / go to Secret Lagoon). Guide was OK - but seemed a little bored.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

get a local guide.

Transport

nice van.

Sky Lagoon Experience - Saman

Reykjavík

Excellent way to start and end our trip. it's a very groovy, clean chic spot. highly recommend.

Quality of Experience

Vök Baths Experience

Iceland

Gorgeous and serene. We went at night which was really special. Also you can dunk in the COLD Icelandic ocean so you an sustain hot soaks longer.

Quality of Experience

This is a great bath -don't miss it.

Our third trip to Iceland was like the other two, great. The experience working with Guomundur was part of this great experience. If there is a fourth trip--and this is likely--we would be happy to work with Gummie and KimKim again. Gummy was accessible, professional and helpful when untangling several issues as they arose. The rental car experience was much better than the past two times. The vehicle was the right one for the roads and the company was the best one we dealt with thus far . The only small issue was that the Toyota Land Cruiser was quiet banged up: several major dents, two many scratches to count, and a distinct pull to the left when the brakes were applied in all but the lightest applications.
Below there are several things to mention that are in the "how could this be better" category.

Think through how providing and delivering directions and highlights might be more streamlined and how you might push read later people like me to prepare before the trip in this regard.

I would stress reading carefully all driving directions, both before and during the trip. We had one overnight snag when we thought we were to take a ferry to our destination without knowing it was not operating. This in part was our mistake as we were using Apple Maps (which worked fine in all other cases) and it directed us to the ferry. My only suggestion would be that a clear statement not to take the ferry would be a worthwhile bit of advice in the directions. We found a place to stay ( a good one) and learned while trying to alert the hotel we were assigned that we could not make it, they had made a mistake in allowing a two-night booking although they claimed they tried to cancel the second night in May but did not connect with the person who booked the hotel. They had to assign us to a sister hotel-a less upscale one--but went out of their way, apologizing and providing both a welcome baskett and a free dinner with drinks. They mentioned a refund would be made (for the night we missed) but not sure if this happened as we were told it would be through the Expedia site.
Our hosts and facilities were solid with these exceptions: Both hotel stays in Reykjavik had assigned us to poor rooms. One was on a second floor with a crane and work crew operating right outside our window and a window on the afternoon sun. This meant we had to keep the drapes closed and not be able to vent a very hot room. This hotel was a Center Hotel near the performance center. The final night spent at the Alda hotel also assigned a room that was on the second floor directly on the main street. Again, if we kept the window open or air we could not escape the noise from the street. In both cases I asked for a room change and received one. I believe they assigned us a poor room to see if we would simply accept the assignment without complaint. Clearly, they had other rooms. If I plan a fourth trip I would make sure it did not include these hotels.

The lodging Djupavik was terrible. I can be fine with a small room and shared bathroom facilities at times, but the place was dangerous for guests (terrible entry and stairs to the second floor--I'm surprised they get away with this--and the hosts were the most unfriendly ones, by far, that we encountered on the trip. Silly but meaning full things like never saying welcome or how is your stay going. They avoided eye contact and with they exception for the Polish Woman who seemed to do all the work, the owners and manager were simply rude and unwelcoming. I would scratch this place from any itinerary. They drive through the fjord was dramatic and beautiful but somewhat ruined by this experience. I would suggest staying at another place, before the 30 mile or so drive and make this part a day trip.

The items above stand in contrast to the overall quality of the trip. As asked for we spent time in some very beautiful and special places, spent a good amount of time in the West Fjords, had plenty of thermal pools to enjoy (and quite a variety but Sky Lagoon remains our favorite). In spite a poor road, the trip to the Highland Station (in the center of Iceland) was spectacular! If there is a trip four, I would want to spend at least two nights.

I want to make sure you that we convey how much we enjoyed the trip. It was particularly special as it was focused on a new part of Iceland for us and the predictable helpful and friendliness of Icelanders. It is the people of the country as well as its sheer beauty that keeps us returning. I worry about the number of tourists that arrive each year--if that will continue to grow. I can't help but contrast this fact with the solo experience I had in 1999. My first trip was the one that sent me back a second, third, and fourth time though no longer solo. It is likely there will be a trip four!

Hotel Reviews

Highland Base Kerlingarfjöll

Kerlingarfjöll

Facilities were great a varied from top end rooms to camping spots.

Authenticity & Character

Location

If you want natural beauty to be part of the experience--and you like isolation and don't mind a rough trip on a rough road this is a great place to have as part of a trip

Staff

Dining room staff less than welcoming and attentive--this stood our in our trip over three weeks. Spa attendant was not the friendliness guy I encountered.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Cleanliness and comfort solid but how to navigate in the hotel was confusing

Sigló Hótel by Keahotels

Siglufjörður

One of the hotels I will book for trip number five.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Only issue parking.

Staff

Wait staff is uneven. From top-notch bar tender and magager to a couple of young men who had trouble communicating and unsure about booking a dinner reservation.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Large quiet rooms.

Hótel Kea by Keahotels

Akureyri

Good hotel in a central location.

Authenticity & Character

Not sure what the character is for this hotel

Location

Staff

Top-notch

Cleanliness & Comfort

What you would expect from a high standard hotel.

Fosshótel Mývatn

Myvatn

Loved this place.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Djúpavík

Djupavik

I would never recommend this place or stay in it again. Dangerous facilities and the most unfriendly people we encountered in Iceland

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

If they were not the only option this place would no longer be in business. Classic example of what happens when the wrong people have no competition.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Terrible and dangerous facilities--stairway and entry was as examples.

Center Hotel Arnarhvoll

Reykjavík

Plenty of better options in Reykjavik.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fosshotel Westfjords

Patreksfjörður

Would definitely be on the next trip.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Alda Hotel Reykjavík

Reykjavík

After getting a room change, the one night we spent was fine

Authenticity & Character

Location

Location is at the heart of the problem. Also a bit of snootiness that was encountered at the front desk and a poor room assignment--which I had changed.

Staff

Reception desk staff was uneven. One stood out like the hotel was doing us a favor, but another was friendly and helpful and managed the room change.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Laugarvatn Fontana: Geothermal Bread-Baking Experience

Golden Circle

I was skeptical of this experience but ended up loving it.

Seaside Horse Ride

Iceland

In spite of the challenging weather I loved this activity. As a former horse guy, it was great to get to ride an Icelandic horse. I would do a longer ride next time in Iceland.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

RIght tone for both experienced and novice riders.

Was a great trip. AND. I want to mention the people at the Magma hotel were the best ever. I left our passports and 5 thousand US dollars in our safe. And they had it driven to me 4 hours away at the airport hotel. Was very stressful situation I had created and they helped us and removed the stress and potential serious delays. My hats off to the Magma team !!!!!

Firstly, kudos to Gummi, our travel specialist. He was available, informative, personable and, most importantly, funny. With his assistance, we had a epic celebration of our birthday milestones and wedding anniversary. Enjoyed all the sites, especially Katla ice cave tour and kayaking in the Glacier Lagoon. He had great recommendations for restaurants and we went to many of them. Hotel stays were all very nice and, of course, the breakfast buffets were all amazing.

We want to go back!

Susan and Mark Speece
Lyons, OR USA

Hotel Reviews

Fosshotel Baron

Reykjavík

Authenticity & Character

Location

It was a good location for exploring the city on foot. We walked to restaurants and shops downtown. Had a nice walk to the National Museum of Iceland (approximately 1-1/2 miles).

Staff

Appreciated how friendly the staff were. When asked about being provided breakfast since we were leaving in the morning before the breakfast buffet would be available, we were both provided with portable breakfast items.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hotel Höfn

Hofn

Beautiful setting

Authenticity & Character

Location

We were able to see at least four glaciers from our room window.

Staff

Cleanliness & Comfort

Hótel Lækur

Hella

We stayed in one of the cottages three nights. The cottage was very comfortable. Being two individuals who appreciate country settings, enjoyed seeing horses and sheep from our window. On our way to breakfast, found two sheep on the lawn peacefully munching on greens. Bonus was seeing a border collie on the lawn playing with a soccer ball. Made us think lovingly of our own dog at home. Would definitely stay here again.

Authenticity & Character

Location

Staff

Were all friendly and helpful

Cleanliness & Comfort

Activity Reviews

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

Got to see several humpback whales which was way cool

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon Kayaking Excursion

Iceland

This was a very awesome experience! The guides did a great job instructing everyone in safety. It was pretty cool to kayak amongst numerous icebergs/chunks of ice of various sizes. Heartily recommend.

Quality of Experience

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

This was our favorite experience of our 14-day Iceland trip. Our guide "Magnificent" (Magnus?) was pretty awesome. The experience itself of walking up a glacier and into the cave was an experience we had never had before. Would strongly recommend for all. The one suggestion I have, being 5'2" and in my 60s, please provide a stool for stepping up in the tour vehicle.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Magnificent radiated joy and was delightful to spend time with.

Our guide, Guðmundur Óli (Gummi) was very thorough and responsive. We did a 12-day, Ring Road trip at the end of August/early September. Gummi set up our rental car with the excellent Blue car rental at the airport, reserved comfortable hotels along our route, and arranged for a number of once-in-a-lifetime experiences along the way. Standout experiences were the Sky Lagoon, the Silfra snorkeling experience in the Golden Circle, the Katla Ice Cave hike, the Jökulsárlón Glacial Lagoon Amphibian Boat ride, the Húsavik Whale Watching and Geosea Geothermal Bath, the Lava Tunnel near Reykjavik, and the gorgeous Blue Lagoon. In our itinerary, Gummi provided Google Maps directions to each destination which kept us from getting hopelessly lost! Highly recommend KimKim and Gummi if you are looking for a semi-curated, independent trip around beautiful Iceland!

Hotel Reviews

Hotel Von

Reykjavik

This multi-level hotel is located the busy Laugavegur street which puts you right in the middle of many Reykjavik attractions. It also puts you right in the middle of a lot of street noise if you are placed in a street facing room! Aesthetically pleasing hotel with a rustic/modern vibe. Easy walk down to the harbor, the church, or to the infamous Brauð bakery! A convenient grocery store is right next to the hotel if you need some snacks for the road.

Authenticity & Character

Not sure what the hotel decor represents, but is nevertheless pleasing.

Location

On Laugavegur street which is a prime area close to many attractions, but also very noisy.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Comfortable beds, upgraded bathrooms, and exceptionally clean.

Hotel Bifrost

Borgarnes

Located within a university with adjacent university apartment housing just off the Ring Road in West Iceland, this hotel had converted apartment house vibes. The room itself was spacious, updated, very modern, and clean with a gigantic shower! The area itself feels a bit residential with not a lot of restaurants but we had already had dinner in Borgarnes, 30 minutes away. Breakfast was plentiful with a good variety of both hot and cold offerings. Great coffee options!

Authenticity & Character

It doesn't really have much Icelandic flavor, but the hotel was beautiful.

Location

Good location if looking for a hotel on the Ring Road near Borgarnes and the Snæfellsness Peninsula.

Staff

Friendly and helpful on check-in/check-out.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Room was spacious, clean, and very comfortable.

Hotel Hvitserkur

Hvammstangi

This hotel was previously a boarding school purchased by a young couple a couple of years ago. It is in a very remote location (miles of gravel roads) on the way to Hvítsekur. The owners also run a horse farm adjacent to the hotel, so viewing the beautiful Icelandic horses from our hotel windows was a plus. However, the rooms really do give off a boarding school vibe and are in desperate need of some upgrading. The bathroom was really tiny with an exceptionally small corner shower with a "sticky" shower curtain. Due to the remote location, our dinner option was limited to the hotel restaurant with very limited offerings. Breakfast was a bit sparse with a lackluster spread.

Authenticity & Character

If looking for a truly rural setting on a horse farm and see what a boarding school in Iceland was like, this would be the place!

Location

Really off the beaten path, amenities not worth the effort.

Staff

Friendly waitress whose true love was working with the horses.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Finishes were just tired, bathroom shower needs walls.

Húsavík Cape Hotel

Húsavík

We were charmed by this hotel on the edge of downtown Húsavik. It is an easy 10-minute walk to the harbor front. Since we stayed two nights here, the hotel staff upgraded our room at no charge to a room in the front of the hotel overlooking the bay. This is a family-run hotel with extremely friendly staff. The hotel has an older feel, but that added to it's overall charm. The library (where breakfast is served) is filled with old books in Icelandic and decor that reflects the hotel's history. Check out the little elf house in the yard outside!

Authenticity & Character

Love the family-run vibe and the obvious love all things Icelandic!

Location

Close to downtown Húsavik (very walkable) and overlooks the harbor. Can watch the boats come in and out.

Staff

Incredibly friendly! Housekeeping was stellar!

Cleanliness & Comfort

Fresh towels, comfortable beds, excellent food!

Hérað - Berjaya Hotels

Egilsstadir

After a long day driving along the Eastern Fjords (and lots of mist!) we snuggled into the comfort of this more modern hotel and enjoyed the nice warm shower! We found this hotel to be more Icelandic modern in style situated in town across from a construction site. We stayed on a weekend and did not wake up to any construction noise, but might have if we stayed on a week night. Breakfast was delicious and plentiful with good coffee choices!

Authenticity & Character

Icelandic modern vibe.

Location

Good location in town with restaurants, grocery store, and gas stations nearby.

Staff

Friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

The bed was extremely comfortable and the room was clean.

Hotel Höfn

Hofn

Modern multi-level hotel with a view of the North Atlantic Ocean. Very clean and comfortable. Hotel restaurant was convenient after a long day of sightseeing.

Authenticity & Character

More modern and standard-issue hotel style. The vibe was beautiful but could be anywhere--not very Icelandic.

Location

One block from the ocean with ocean views.

Staff

Check-in/out and restaurant staff were super friendly and helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Rooms were a bit on the tiny side, but otherwise very clean and comfortable.

Hotel Katla by Keahotels

Vík

This hotel complex is located just outside of Vík at the foot of Katla glacier. The hotel is a series of buildings with dormitory-style hotel rooms. The room was modern, clean, and comfortable. Their hot/cold breakfast was generous and tasty. Coffee options were excellent!

Authenticity & Character

Embracing the surroundings.

Location

Very close to Vik with beautiful grounds and ample parking.

Staff

Friendly, helpful.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Clean and comfortable room with hot shower after our glacier hike!

Hellishólar Hótel Eyjafjallajökull

Hellisholar

Hotel located on current farm in a bit of a more remote location which might have been great for Northern Lights if there were any! Hotel rooms themselves are newer with big bathrooms in a dormitory-style building. Very clean! Breakfast was in the main building and was delicious! Coffee machines offering lattes, cappucinos, and espressos! Wake up to a view of the nearby glacier! Highly recommend!

Authenticity & Character

Loved being in a farm setting!

Location

A little off the beaten path but would be amazing if there were any Northern Lights to be seen the night we stayed!

Staff

We were late check-in, but our host was still available to be sure we got our room key.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Everything was clean and comfortable with a lot of space.

Center Hotels Skjaldbreið

Reykjavík

Located on busy Laugavegur street in central Reykjavik, the hotel is centrally located to easily walk to many of the tourist attractions and eateries in the city. While the hotel staff upgraded our room at no charge, our room was on the second floor facing two noisy streets. There was a lot of street noise and loud music playing until 2 am. A room in the back of the hotel might have been smaller and less "scenic" but quieter. The breakfast was served in a small room and was a bit sparse compared to other hotels where we stayed in Iceland.

Authenticity & Character

Unique feel.

Location

Central Reykjavik, but street noise was disruptive.

Staff

Very friendly, upgraded our room without our request.

Cleanliness & Comfort

Beds were comfortable. Towels were a bit small.

Activity Reviews

Lava Tunnel Activity

Iceland

About 40 minutes outside of Reykjavik, we went on a guided caving tour of the incredible Lava Tunnel. Over about one hour, we hiked over rocky paths and footbridges which traverse the tunnel's rocky terrain. Along the way, our guide pointed out various geologic features and explained how the tunnel came to be. The tunnel lighting showcases the vivid colors and volcanic rock formations and a "lights out" demonstration illustrated just how dark a tunnel can be!

Quality of Experience

Unique experience being able to traverse through a tunnel created by lava!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Humorous and knowledgable guide.

Whale Watching Experience by Traditional Boat

Iceland

Departing from Húsavik harbor on a traditional oak fishing boat in Skjálfandi Bay with North Sailing was an unforgettable experience. After about an hour of very misty sailing and some informative narration by our very knowledgable guide, we stopped in an area that revealed a number of active humpback whales. Lots of opportunity to take photos and videos to document the experience! Hot chocolate and cinnamon cookies were a bonus!

Quality of Experience

The number of whales seen in one location.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

The guide was extremely knowledgable.

Explore Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon by Amphibian Boat

Iceland

Boarded an amphibian boat with about 20 other people to be delivered onto the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon, so for anyone who has never ridden in an amphibious vehicle, it was unique! While the boat was somewhat crowded, once we were out on the lake and free to move around, there was plenty of opportunity to look at all of the magical scenery! How other-worldly to be surrounded by floating icebergs recently calved off of the nearly glacier!

Glacier Ice Cave Experience

Iceland

Our Glacier and Ice Cave hike with Southcoast Adventure was incredible! After loading a group of about 14 onto a special shuttle, we traveled about 30 minutes to Katla Glacier. After donning helmets and crampons, our guide led us up on a winding path to the ice cave. We stopped at one point to chop at and sample 800 year-old ice. We marveled at how nature has carved out an ice cave out of the glacial ice and stood speechless before it's amazing beauty. Truly a unique experience. Those with limited mobility should probably not attempt this hike.

Quality of Experience

Opportunity to hike across a glacier and up a mountain to view an ice cave!

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our Icelandic guide was clearly experienced and led with great humor.

Transport

The shuttle was comfortable and obviously made for the rugged terrain.

Silfra Snorkeling Adventure

Iceland

As avid snorkelers, this was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! With our own base thermal layer and a thermal jumpsuit and dry suit/hood/gloves provided by Dive.is, we were pleasantly warm enough to thoroughly enjoy this 30-minute swim in freezing cold waters. Mind-blowing to snorkel the crystal-clear blue water and reach out to touch Europe on one side and North America on the other! Highly recommend for the experienced snorkeler.

Quality of Experience

Concern for comfort and safety was obvious.

Guides, Drivers and Staff

Our guide from Portugal was cautious yet humorous.

Transport

We drove ourselves to the location, but the process of gearing up, walking to the fissure, entering and exiting, discarding gear, was, from start to finish, efficient.