Hotel Arnarhvoll, Iceland
Dramatic vistas, modern Scandinavian style and stunning harbour-side location make this new kid on the block a winning base for exploring the best of Reykjavik, discoversCharles Duncombe.
Landing in Iceland feels like arriving on a different planet; on the drive from the airport all I could see was a vast expanse of lunar-like lava fields with dramatic mountains in the background. Reykjavik is one of Europe's most dramatic cities, where modern architecture is spread amongst traditional wooden buildings as steam from the hot springs billows into the sky: a setting that is both romantic and beguiling.
The newly opened Hotel Arnarhvoll has managed to capture the essence of booming Reykjavik, harnessing the stunning setting whilst conveying a modern Icelandic style. Situated on the edge of Reykjavik harbour, the hotel offers fantastic views of the bay, with Mount Esja as the dramatic backdrop. Enjoy lunch or dinner against one of the best views in town at the Panorama rooftop restaurant. Although you may find it impossible to tear your eyes away from the shimmering waters of Reykjavik Bay and majestic mountains long enough to fully appreciate the Nordic and French inspired cuisine. In fact, the main bit of advice I would give when staying at Hotel Arnarhvoll is to book early and reserve a room overlooking the bay.
As I set foot in the hotel the first thing I noticed was its contemporary feel. The reception features stylish stone tiling, wooden floors and modern furniture. This minimalistic feel continued into the bedroom, with hues of deep chocolate brown and grey slate.
One of the main attractions of the hotel is its location, close to the city's main shopping area of Laugavegur street but in a quiet side street: the perfect mix for a relaxing city break. Restaurants, bars and interesting tourist sights are short walk away, as is the harbour where you can hop on a world famous whale-watching trip. Our trip took us to Puffin Island, which sees the charismatic colony of birds flock to the island for breeding season between April and August. The highlight of the boat ride was encounter a pair of humpback whales and numerous minke whale, which playfully ducked and dived around the boat in agile movements that left us slack-jawed in awe.
The hotel's central location makes it an ideal base for exploring the area. Although we only stayed for three days, we managed to fit in the Blue Lagoon, The Golden Circle tour (encompassing waterfalls, geysers and the Eurasia/America continental fault line), a city bus tour, quad biking and horse riding. Our mission to pack in as much as possible was given a helping hand by the fact that Iceland experiences 24 hours of daylight at this time of year, meaning that we could even slot in a cheeky midnight round of golf.
If all the sightseeing has you aching, Hotel Arnarhvoll also has a great spa where you can pay a one-off fee for unlimited use during your stay: the perfect way to wind-down after a hard day of exploration.
0 nhận xét:
Post a Comment