Salvation Army Guesthouse

The Salvation Army guesthouse is a convenient and economical place to stay. The Reykjavik City YHA is often full during the summer and a bus-ride away out in the suburbs so this large guesthouse is a better alternative.

The guesthouse (Hjalpraedisherinn in Icelandic) is right in the centre of 101 Reykjavik. It can be a little difficult to find at first. It is on the corner of Kirkjustraeti and Tjarnargata, but if you are in the centre of town, walk past the two main squares you can't miss it. There are two doors, neither is labelled entrance, and more often than not, on your first occasion, you'll accidentally walk into a service in the adjoining church. The congregation will not be especially welcoming to people carrying luggage into their services, but that will be the last time you encounter any unfriendliness in this place.

Each dorm has two bunk beds and the rooms are quite large. There is also a small hand towel, bar of soap, and plastic cup for each guest, which is a nice touch. Like most other budget places in Iceland, it is much cheaper if you bring your own sleeping bag. You can pay extra for a decent breakfast, but there are lots of cafes nearby so you'll have a much better variety of breakfast if you eat out. The bathrooms are quite spotless, although it does take some getting used to. The Reykjavik water has an unpleasant smell and there are not very many showers so there can be queues on some mornings.

The staff are friendly and can help with booking tours to the Blue Lagoon and elsewhere in Reykjavik and Iceland. And don't let the name "Salvation Army" put you off. It may not be a party hostel, but Reykjavik is certainly a party town, and there are plenty of bars, cafés, and clubs nearby to choose from.

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