Hotel Katla by Keahotels

The setting, the outdoor hot tub fed by hot spring water, and the food were the standouts. Located a few minutes outside of town, Hotel Katla is off in its own little world. You have to do some outdoor walking to get from most rooms to other facilities — which can be daunting during Icelandic winters. But everything was marvelous. The rooms themselves were good, with comfortable beds, good wifi, hot hot water like you want after trekking through the snow, and with radiant floor heat. But the outdoor hot tub - with a sauna and gym as well - is the real highlight of the hotel. The hot spring water is on the cooler side for hot springs — but warm enough I sat in it comfortably for over an hour in the middle of a blizzard. The bar and restaurant were above expectations, with a few dishes that were real standouts. There's almost always a dinner buffet, with rotating main dishes accompanied by a dizzying array of appetizers, soup, salad, side dishes, and desserts. The emphasis was on Icelandic cuisine, but you'd find your French chocolate cakes and pavlova as well. Outside of the buffet, the menu was rather small — they definitely steer you in that direction. It's not a cheap buffet, but from what we saw of Iceland, it isn't outrageous either. The free breakfast buffet was excellent as well. Over the course of several days, I had skyr, fresh fruits, fresh breads with cheeses meats vegetables or jams, and really good herring, smoked salmon, and gravlax. But the waffle bar was quite popular with guests, as were the juices and smoothie.

Hotel Katla was a great place to spend the night! I wish we could have stayed longer. It's close to the Viking Park and also to Vik, with plenty to do in both spots. Rooms were large, clean, with big bathrooms and plenty of space for luggage. Beds are comfy, the restaurant had both a fabulous dinner buffet and you could order off the menu (our group did both). The breakfast buffet (included with our room) was awesome! Staff was friendly as well.

The overall room was very modern, clean, and comfy. I love the finishes of the room, the wood and the bright big windows. The bathroom was very clean. The service and staff were very friendly and accommodating.

Overall decent stay. Rooms were clean, quiet, and comfortable (which were most important for us). It was easy to access, with plenty of parking. We thought breakfast was fine, but average compared to other places we stayed in Iceland.

We received a surprise in that we were upgraded to a suite overlooking the bay at Vik. The room was simply wonderful. The view was spectacular! There was a large tub for soaking. There were large, comfy chairs, a couch, & a coffee table to sit and enjoy the view with a cocktail or snacks. There was plenty of room to do yoga, The room & the hotel was very clean, & comfortable. The hotel is conveniently located near so many activities & sights in & around Vik. The rooms are quiet & have black out drapes. Our suite overlooked a large pond where swans & other waterfowl were swimming every day. Breakfast was a somewhat large buffet with options for vegetarians, offering cereals, yogurts, cheeses, croissants, breads, boiled eggs, pickled herring & (my new favorite) curried herring. There was plenty of food on the buffet to satisfy most appetites. Our disappointment was no scrambled eggs. But the teas & coffees offered were excellent! Would have liked some scrambled eggs for breakfast. Otherwise, total wonderful experience.