Iceland Airport area hotel for pre-tour

We have been many times and FWIW, I have not found the town of Keflavik all that charming. I would not spend a day there. Since you have an entire day I would head to Reykjavik after landing and spend the day there as there is so much to see and do there. You cannot do it all in a day, to give you an idea. Then in the evening I would head back to Keflavik and stay at the Aurora Hotel, which is just across the parking lot from the terminal, so a 5 minute walk. That way you can get a bit more sleep that morning, and you will be right where you need to be for the tour.

Since you are starting a tour of Iceland, my suggestion is to make a reservation for the day you arrive at your tour hotel.

Then, when you arrive at Keflavik, take the Flybus into town and go to your hotel. They may have a room available early. If not, drop your bags and go out exploring. Find things that you will not see on the tour.

You could also make a reservation for the night you are on the plane. This way, when you get to your hotel, the room is waiting for you. Just make sure the hotel knows your plans and doesn't cancal the reservation. I will do this. I get to go right to my room, take a nap if needed, a shower, and then start my day.

Thank you!

Staying at the same hotel as the first night of tour is problematic, because Night 1 of tour will be in Geysir after a day excursion through Reykjavik.

We do have the option of joining the tour in Reykjavik at the first site, so staying that pre-day in Reykjavik is an option but logistically a bit more complicated. I need to look at what the tour is not doing in Reykjavik to plan out our pre-tour day there. Realistically though, we don’t want to be “that” oddball couple that joins after the fact, so to speak. My preference is to blend in with the group en masse at the official start at KEF (ya ya, I know; nobody cares. you’d think at my age, I wouldn’t be so self-conscious).

After an exhaustive search through the Iceland threads, someone liked Hotel Berg which is closer to town and harbor. Some liked Aurora and Courtyard by Marriott (which are at the airport). Am I right in assuming there is nothing at the airport except watching planes take-off and land? I’m beginning to think that I am just wasting an entire day and about $400 for hotel cost to get there a day early. Maybe I just brave the jet lag and arrive on tour start day like everyone else. Not sure why this is so difficult for me to resolve.

Since staying in Reykjavik is an option, hands down I would choose that! There is nothing of interest near KEF, IME. Stay in Reykjavik and do some of the off the beaten oath stuff such as walking up Pufa, go to a local pool etc.

BTW I would NOT arrive the day of the tour. You will be exhausted and if anything goes wrong such as a cancelled flight etc you are up a creek. Go the day before like you have planned and you will be much happier.

As stated in the previous post, you want to give yourself the extra day in case there are flight problems and to get over any jet lag.

Where is the tour actually starting? KEF? Reykjavik?

If it leaves from KEF and you want to meet the group there, what you could do is stay at the Aurora and take a day trip to the Blue Lagoon. It might be a nice way to relax and unwind after the long overnight flight.

Destination Blue Lagoon offers a shuttle service from KEF.

I think you are right mikliz97. We should go into Reykjavik and spend there-tour day there. I’ll start researching hotels and sights. I’ll read peoples’s trip reports. Thank you.

FrankII - from what I understand, the tour gathers at KEF, gets on the bus, and heads into Reykjavik for the day’s activities. They do offer us the option of meeting the tour at the Hallgrimska church at a set time - assuming that’s where people disembark the bus and start the walking tour. After the city activities, we all head to Geysir for day 2 Golden Circle. At some point, the tour does head to the Blue Lagoon- otherwise I’d totally take up your suggestion to go there on the pre-tour day.

So onwards with the Reykjavik pre-tour day research. I think maybe we’ll skip the “key sights” as that will probably be covered by the tour the next day. So we’ll just walk around, sit around, look into cute shops - it will be a Sunday 8/2. Hope things are not closed on Sundays. We won’t have a car..otherwise, I’d go to Costco to have a look around hehe.

Thank you both for your help! Any insights on off the beat places continue to be welcome!

If the tour offers to pick you up from the church then absolutely go into Reykjavik. You have a whole day to explore.

Reykjavik and is compact. Easy to walk most places. Find out where your tour is going in the city and you could go somewhere else.

Most importantly is a visit to this place. It's an institution. Even US Presidents have visited. The original location is less than a 10 minute walk from the church.

I've even gotten a couple in between flights at the airport.

In regard to hotels, many of us have stayed at one of the Center Hotels. There are a few of them. I've stayed at the Centerhotel Laugavegur a couple of times.

I agree, the Center Hotels have been great for us. We have stated at CH Laugavegur, CH Midgardur and CH Plaza, all multiple times. We have also had good stays at the Centrum and Hotel Fron.

Ooh thanks for sending the link to center hotels. I think the pingholt by center hotel is the one - looks really cool. They have a 25% discount for direct booking and it includes early check-in which then includes breakfast on both days. Works out to be about 300 Euro - is that a decent price? I think it’s close to shopping (hope things are not closed on Sundays) I just want to soak in city atmosphere and hang out. I’m excited!!

I totally am going to that hot dog place!

Next I’m working on transport (1) KEF to hotel and (2) hotel to Hallgrimska church - prob taxi even though we are carryon only.

Thanks mikliz97 and Frank II!

No worries about things being closed on Sundays.

What time of year is the trip? If it is summer, then the 300 euro for the hotel is about right. Booking direct with Center Hotels is often the best route for rate plus the perks.

As for getting from KEF to the hotel, there is the Flybus, which is about $38 pp each way. The drawback to that is you board a big bus at KEF and it goes to the central bus station where you transfer to a small bus to go the the closest bus stop to your hotel. It's not bad, but if we don't rent a cat then we just suck it up and take a taxi for ease. Those are about $150. We always use Hreyfill for that.

From your hotel, it's about a 10 minute walk to the church and a 5-7 minute walk for hot dogs.

The Flybus first takes you from the airport to the Reykjavik bus station. From there you transfer to smaller vehicles to the stop closest to your hotel. You would get off at stop #3 which is less than a five minute walk to your hotel.

No need to reserve the Flybus. You can buy tickets on the bus. When one bus fills, they pull up another one. It's about a 45 minute drive into Reykjavik. I've taken it many times.