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What is it?
A slick, splashy brand name bolthole in Iceland’s capital.
What’s the deal?
To hotel stans, the ‘EDITION’ name means a few things: newfangled luxury; a buzzy, see-and-be-seen scene; and a global reputation that cements the A-list-destination status of whichever city it opens up in. The fact that Reykjavik is one of the latest settings for a shiny new EDITION hotel means that the Icelandic capital has ascended in status, now firmly on the luxury travel circuit.
The Reykjavik EDITION features all the ultra-luxe touches fans of the brand will be used to, with a soupçon of Nordic cosiness. The lobby revolves around a sleek black firepit, with sheepskin throws slung over plush armchairs and a moving projection of the Northern Lights rippling across the white wall. Rooms are stylishly sparse with local touches, like ceramic cups made by Icelandic craftspeople. Most have views over the Old Harbour port, with its bobbing boats and blue-green warehouses below.
As you might expect from an Icelandic hotel, the spa is top notch – a zen, beech-heavy bar area leads off to various treatment rooms and the sizable hammam, which also contains a steam room and inferno-hot sauna within. There are two main food offerings at the hotel: Tides and Tides Cafe, the former an all day-restaurant headed by former professional footballer and big-name chef Gunnar Karl Gíslason, the latter a more relaxed breakfast and lunch spot for grab-and-go meals. Tides is worth a stop even if you’re not staying at the EDITION – its reasonably-priced (for Reykjavik standards) set menu does innovative Nordic food in a beautiful, approachable way.
The best stay for...
Reliable luxury with a Nordic twist.
££££
Austurbakki 2, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland
editionhotels.com/reykjavik