The Reykjavík EDITION, Reykjavík, Iceland
A Cosmopolitan Waterfront Hotel Shaped by Icelandic Light and Landscape
Why DNA Hotels Loves It
● A rare large-scale hotel that translates the EDITION formula into something genuinely connected to Reykjavík.
● Interiors by Roman and Williams that combine basalt, charred timber, pale oak, local art, and tactile Nordic materials.
● A lively social hub beside Harpa Concert Hall, with some of the city’s most atmospheric bars, dining, and nightlife under one roof.
A New Landmark on the Waterfront
The Reykjavík EDITION occupies one of the most dramatic addresses in the Icelandic capital. Set beside the Old Harbour and Harpa Concert Hall, the hotel looks across Faxaflói Bay towards Mount Esja. Local practice T.ark shaped the building as a composition of angular cubic volumes, with blackened steel and charred timber façades that echo both the neighbouring concert hall and Iceland’s volcanic terrain. It feels international. Yet unmistakably of this place.
Icelandic Geology, Urban Sophistication
Inside, Roman and Williams reinterpret the EDITION aesthetic through the materials and atmosphere of Iceland. Basalt floors, exposed concrete, black steel, saddle leather, pale oak, wool, and sheepskin create interiors that feel elemental without becoming severe. A sculptural reception desk and cairn-inspired installation reference the stone markers found across the Icelandic landscape, while warm lighting and an open fire soften the darker architectural palette. The effect is dramatic. But never theatrical.
Rooms Framed by the Horizon
The 253 rooms and suites are designed as calm counterpoints to the hotel’s energetic public spaces. Beds face floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the harbour, Harpa, or the city, while pale oak, formwork concrete, copper lighting, and custom Italian furniture establish a quiet sense of luxury. Local wool throws, handcrafted ceramics, and photography by Icelandic artists introduce a subtle connection to the country’s landscapes and creative culture. Nothing feels generic. Despite the scale.
A Hotel Built Around Social Life
The public spaces give the hotel its pulse. Tides brings contemporary Icelandic cooking to a waterfront dining room of basalt, ash timber, bronze, and alabaster, while Tölt offers a more intimate setting with walnut panelling, patterned rugs, and deep alcoves. The lobby bar remains the social centre, bringing together travellers, locals, and Reykjavík’s creative crowd throughout the day. Below ground, the mood shifts again. A nightclub, spa, hammam, sauna, and plunge pool channel the city’s appetite for both nightlife and geothermal ritual.
Between City and Wilderness
From the hotel, Reykjavík’s restaurants, music venues, galleries, shops, and cultural institutions are all within easy reach. The harbour setting also creates an immediate connection to Iceland’s wider landscape, whether guests are heading towards waterfalls, glaciers, hot springs, or the raw volcanic terrain beyond the capital.
Why It Works
The Reykjavík EDITION succeeds because it avoids becoming an imported luxury template. Its scale, nightlife, and polish are unmistakably EDITION, but the architecture, materials, art, and atmosphere are grounded in Iceland. The result is a hotel that captures Reykjavík’s defining contrast: remote yet cosmopolitan, restrained yet energetic, elemental yet refined.
