[ad_1]
Written by Paul Johnson on October 15, 2022 in Accommodation, Europe, Featured, Food & Drink, Going out, Hotels, Iceland, Areas, Restaurants, Travel Miscellaneous, Western Europe The 88-bedroom Radisson Blu 1919 Hotel is located in a historic building in downtown Reykjavik Welby The needs of both business and leisure travelers. This charming landmark hotel occupies a redeveloped 1919 office building – yes, you guessed it. It is one of the oldest buildings in Reykjavik and it opened its doors as a hotel in the summer of 2005. Welcome we arrived quite late after traveling from beyond the Jökulsárlón Glacier Lagoon (by car for over 5 hours), taking in the wreckage, Skógafoss, Seljavallaug and Seljalandsfoss swimming pool Along the way. We therefore welcomed the quick and efficient nature of the check-in process into the spacious, pristine lobby of the hotel. Here in the reception area of the hotel there is also free coffee, tea, water, fruit and energy bars from 4am to 7am for anyone who wants their ‘breakfast’. Room Our contemporary guest room was small in size but very comfortable and had everything we needed. Equipped with a desk, sockets on both sides of the bed, a wall-mounted flat-screen TV, a kettle with tea, coffee and sugar, the room also has a wardrobe with a safe, a luggage rack, an ironing board and an iron, as well as the facility to order laundry or dry cleaning services. English-speaking channels on our TV included CNN, BBC News, Sky News and Cartoon Network, while additional TV services included a welcome, alarm, news, web radio, YouTube, and you could even select a video of a fireplace to give you the room that extra warmth. Bathroom Our bathroom has a wonderful shower area with one of the many Iceland waterfalls used as a backdrop, as well as a sink, shaving mirror and toilet. Radisson brand toiletries were also provided. Important note: If you are reading this article anywhere other than a luxury travel blog, it is possible that this content was stolen without permission. Please note the web address above and contact A Luxury Travel Blog to report this issue to them. Thank you for your help in combating content theft. Facilities The Brut Restaurant is a casual upscale seafood restaurant established in the fall of 2021 that we had at one lunchtime. Among the dishes we had were the delicious octopus appetizer which came with a lightly smoky rojo sauce rich in kohlrabi. Also among our orders were the desserts, sweet in flavour, a little chewy but not overcooked, served with garlic butter. Broccoli with chili, capers, and tandoor cheese makes for another interesting appetizer, not least because we haven’t tried (or heard!) this type of cheese before. It turns out to be a sharp, refreshing (but also delicious!) To complete our appetizer were raw and marinated scallops with tomato and lemon juice. Who knew scallops could taste sweet and savory if they weren’t already cooked?! Our main dishes were a hit too, from perch surrounding olives, tomatoes, and basil (a great choice for a nice, sweet-tasting fish)… to grilled zucchini with yoghurt, lemon and green sauce, perfect for vegetarians. But don’t forget that this is a fish restaurant just 2 minutes walk from the port, so the fish is definitely worth a try. Perhaps the best dish of all was monkfish with chicken glaze, toasted hazelnuts, and mushrooms – an unusual combination you might think but monkfish is a meaty fish that can handle those extra flavours. For something a little more delicate, try the lemon sole with elegant mullet blanc and samphire sauce. An array of pastries was chosen on a cart that made it hard to resist the sweets. This delicacy is sourced from Gulli Arnar, a relatively new bakery in Hafnarfjörður (outside Reykjavik). Their selection of Petit Gateau is made from the finest ingredients and includes lemon tart with a baked buttery biscuit base, lemon cream, Italian meringue… as well as milk chocolate mousse and hazelnut with apricot jelly. Brut Restaurant also serves a buffet breakfast in the morning. The fitness floor is located on Level 0 and features a range of modern exercise equipment as well as complimentary water and towels. It is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There are a variety of meeting rooms for use by business travelers, as well as opportunities to dine in privacy. Location The Radisson Blu 1919 hotel is located in downtown Reykjavik in an area known as District 101 (because of its 101 postal code). It is within walking distance of bars, restaurants, and major shopping streets such as Laugavegur, as well as close proximity to the Old Harbor, Reykjavik Museum of Art, Reykjavik City Hall, the Harpa Convention Center and the National Museum of Iceland. The famous Hallgrímskirkja Church is less than 1 km away. Street parking is available right outside the hotel and is free after 6pm, plus there is a multi-storey car park near Hafnarturg. Directly outside the hotel is the Bæjarins Beztu Pylsur hot dog stall, owned by the same family since it opened in 1937, and which became popular after a visit by Bill Clinton in 2004. Other nice touches were some complimentary chocolates in our room upon arrival and it was complimentary and still sparkling water was available. For Radisson Rewards members (it’s easy to become a member – you can join online in minutes). Standard rooms cost ISK 23,000 for prepaid Radisson Rewards members, on a room only basis. The best thing and the best part of our stay was lunch at Brut Restaurant. This was on par with some of our best meals in Iceland, with the service and food being exceptional. Final Verdict The 1919 Radisson Blu Hotel, Reykjavik is a very comfortable lifestyle hotel with an excellent restaurant. Its location in a trendy part of downtown Reykjavik is perfect, with everything you could wish for within a short walk: the harbor, many attractions, shopping, bars and restaurants. Planning a trip to Iceland on your own? You can watch a video from our trip to Iceland here: Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the 1919 Radisson Blu Hotel, Reykjavik. Our trip to Iceland was also sponsored by Helly Hansen.
[ad_2]
