The Hostelz.com Review
KEX Hostel is a fancy, vintage hostel built on the facilities of an old cookie factory facing the sea in Reykjavik. That should be already enough to attract a lot of people, but there are many other nice features to make this hostel a very pleasant place.
The Location
It is located facing the sea, only four hundred meters far from the new conference center and concert venue and three hundred meters away from Laugavegur, the street where you can find supermarkets, many different types of restaurants, and pubs. The main church is also within walking distance, around six hundred meters. Reykjavik is surprisingly spread around, despite its small population size. But the main attractions are all near this hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are spread among three different floors, and a wide range of room configurations is available, from single room up to fourteen people! Beds are new, mattresses are in good condition. Linen is given to you personally, so you know it's clean. There are lockers in every room, but you should bring your own lock. Lockers are tall but thin, so don't expect to put your trolley inside it.
Bathrooms are a downside of this hostel. Although there are even lockers in the bathrooms, and a reasonable amount of showers and toilets, showers are not isolated, so it's like a military facility. The idea seems to be in order to keep this vintage atmosphere, but during winter it might be difficult to keep the temperature of such a big room. Moreover, there is no space to stop shampoos, soaps and the like. This can be improved.
Common Spaces
A highlight of this hostel is the common spaces. There is a big pub/restaurant on the reception floor, which is also visited by locals, so it gets crowded almost every evening. There is a reasonable amount of food and drink options in the pub, and the atmosphere is unbeatable. Furthermore, there is a vintage workout place, which is really cool to see. And there is a vintage barber shop, which doesn't seem to be used often -- but it's there. Hundreds of books are in the living room, in several languages and about many different subjects. Travel guides are available, too. A big kitchen is available at the third floor, for those who prefer to cook their own food. Fridges, microwave oven, and all the accessories needed are provided.
Summary
The constant positive evaluations that this hostel gets are not by chance. A very sympathetic staff, a very good location, and an excellent cost-benefit ratio make this hostel one of the very best we have ever been in. And of course, the uniqueness and beauty of Iceland contribute for an unforgettable experience.
The Location
It is located facing the sea, only four hundred meters far from the new conference center and concert venue and three hundred meters away from Laugavegur, the street where you can find supermarkets, many different types of restaurants, and pubs. The main church is also within walking distance, around six hundred meters. Reykjavik is surprisingly spread around, despite its small population size. But the main attractions are all near this hostel.
Rooms and Bathrooms
The rooms are spread among three different floors, and a wide range of room configurations is available, from single room up to fourteen people! Beds are new, mattresses are in good condition. Linen is given to you personally, so you know it's clean. There are lockers in every room, but you should bring your own lock. Lockers are tall but thin, so don't expect to put your trolley inside it.
Bathrooms are a downside of this hostel. Although there are even lockers in the bathrooms, and a reasonable amount of showers and toilets, showers are not isolated, so it's like a military facility. The idea seems to be in order to keep this vintage atmosphere, but during winter it might be difficult to keep the temperature of such a big room. Moreover, there is no space to stop shampoos, soaps and the like. This can be improved.
Common Spaces
A highlight of this hostel is the common spaces. There is a big pub/restaurant on the reception floor, which is also visited by locals, so it gets crowded almost every evening. There is a reasonable amount of food and drink options in the pub, and the atmosphere is unbeatable. Furthermore, there is a vintage workout place, which is really cool to see. And there is a vintage barber shop, which doesn't seem to be used often -- but it's there. Hundreds of books are in the living room, in several languages and about many different subjects. Travel guides are available, too. A big kitchen is available at the third floor, for those who prefer to cook their own food. Fridges, microwave oven, and all the accessories needed are provided.
Summary
The constant positive evaluations that this hostel gets are not by chance. A very sympathetic staff, a very good location, and an excellent cost-benefit ratio make this hostel one of the very best we have ever been in. And of course, the uniqueness and beauty of Iceland contribute for an unforgettable experience.
— Exclusive Hostelz.com Review
November 2011
Their Description
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