Review: Loft Hostel Reykjavik, Iceland…

If you are on a budget then Loft Hostel is a little gem, especially as Iceland can be quite expensive.  The location is brilliant, right in the centre of Reykjavík with shops, bars and restaurants all on the doorstep as well as being within walking distance of the harbour and all the main sights.  The bar, reception and communal area are all up on the top floor of the building along with a roof terrace overlooking the city, great for drinks in the summer.  We saw the Northern Lights from here one night, which was awesome!  Wooden cladded floors, funky lighting and brightly painted walls give a Scandinavian feel.  The whole place is kept really clean and tidy, a nice bar area with happy hour everyday from 4pm to 8pm attracts not only those staying at the hostel but locals too.  There’s plenty of seating with comfy sofas and cosy corners and a small kitchen.  We didn’t use it but it was perfect for filling up my water bottle!  Breakfast was roughly around £8 with a selection of cereals, toast, bagels, meats, cheeses, yogurt and fruit, plus tea, coffee and juice made for a great start to the day.  We had a private en-suite room; it was clean, tidy and came with towels.  We didn’t have the most exciting view out of the window but then we weren’t there to sit in our room anyway so it didn’t really bother us.  The hostel has excellent free WiFi and really helpful, friendly staff; we booked both our Golden Circle and south coast trips with the help of the reception staff.
I’ve mentioned before that I’ve not always been a hostel dweller, the first time I stayed in one was in New Zealand where I discovered you can get private en-suite rooms which can be just as good, if not better than some budget hotels I’ve stayed in.  Loft is definitely one of my favourites, with a laid back vibe and plenty of interesting people to chat to it’s definitely a good way to travel.
One thing to mention is that Friday and Saturday nights in Reykjavík can apparently get quite noisy as Icelandic people like to party!  Reading some reviews on Trip Advisor and other travel bloggers reviews the noise is mentioned so it might be something to bear in mind if you are staying here over a weekend and are planning on sleeping and not partying.  Loft’s website also mentions this and offers earplugs to help with sleeping!  We stayed there Monday to Friday and didn’t experience any noise whatsoever from the street or from other hostel goers.
It is worth joining up to Hostelling International when you book, you save 10% on HI accommodation worldwide, including Loft.
If you are planning a trip to Iceland check out my four day itinerary and Northern Lights adventure