Having completed a life hightlight, the ring road around Iceland, it was now time for a little relaxation before heading home to Abu Dhabi. I checked out of the Alda Hotel shortly after breakfast and spent the morning walking around Reykjavic. My first stop was the magnificent Hallgrimskirkja, an imposing structure of supreme beauty with superb views over the city. I sat quietly at the back of the church for a few minutes before being offered the chance to join the choir for their early morning recital, which I politely declined. I then made my way to the roof of the church for a view over the city and out to sea.
Having returned my rental car upon arriving back in Reykjavic, I took a taxi to the Silica Hotel, about 45 minutes away. I stayed at Silica Hotel for the nights of 5 and 6 July 2017 (Room 28). The hotel has a wonderful location in the moss-covered lava fields right next to the Blue Lagoon. You can literally walk to the Blue Lagoon in five minutes.
What I like about the hotel is that it has its own lagoon / heated swimming pool right at the hotel. You can swim at the pool on site rather than braving the crowds at the Blue Lagoon (though you have to visit the Blue Lagoon as well just for the experience). What is nice about the pool at Silica Hotel is the door that leads directly from the enclosed, indoor area of the swimming pool into the lagoon so you do not have to face the cold weather to get from the changing rooms to the outside water. Many times you will have the lagoon all to yourself – very few guests actually use the pool at Silica Hotel for some reason.
The rooms are large, clean and have a great view over the moss-covered lava fields. There is a ‘mini-lagoon’ in front of each room, not for swimming but for taking photo’s. There is a nice outside sitting area too. While not too large, you will be quite comfortable sitting outside enjoying some coffee. The in-room coffee maker is state-of-the-art, once you learn how to use the thing. Unfortunately, my beverage skills are limited to dunking a teabag into hot water. What I particularly loved was the large rock in the passage. Obviously the hotel was built in such a way so as to do as little damage to the surrounding environment as possible.
On my first night I had dinner at the hotel. The chicken salad was exceptional, well presented and tasty. The bread was wonderful with the butter that is served on the flat lava rock – a clever idea.
I enjoyed breakfast both days at the hotel. The selection is large – you will not be disappointed. The coffee is wonderful too. My attempt on day 1 to make a waffle was met with a dismal failure so I avoided the waffle machine on the second day.
For my second and final evening, I booked dinner at the Lava Restaurant at the Blue Lagoon. I had seen many positive reviews on TripAdvisor so I thought I would treat myself, despite traveling by myself. To be honest, it did feel kind of weird sitting in a fancy restaurant, surrounded by happy couples, eating by myself, but that I guess is the price you pay for solo travel. Do yourself a favor when you are at the Blue Lagoon and make sure to book the Lava Restaurant for dinner. This will be a highlight of your trip to Iceland.
There is loads of parking right outside the hotel. However, by the time I visited the hotel I had returned my rental car but you will not have a problem finding a spot if you bring your own vehicle here.
Would I recommend this hotel? Yes. For its wonderful location and proximity to the Blue Lagoon, the fact that it has its own lagoon and the wonderful rooms and food. There are a few things that could take this hotel from good to great so hopefully these small matters will be addressed. To find the hotel, follow this link here on Google Maps.
If you have any questions about our visit Silica Hotel or Blue Lagoon you are welcome to contact us by clicking here.
I arranged my vacation to Iceland with Nordic Visitor, linked here. This is not an affiliate link and I will not receive a commission if you arrange your own tour through them. This link is provided for your reference and also as a gesture of goodwill following the excellent work that Nordic Visitor did in arranging my fantastic vacation to Iceland.
Book your accommodation at Silica Hotel by clicking here. Otherwise start your accommodation planning in Reykjavik by clicking here with booking.com or here with Agoda.
Booking.comOur other posts on Iceland may be found here. Our video review of Silica Hotel, Iceland may be found here, and our video specifically from the pool at the hotel may be found here.
(Visited July 2017)