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.

I recently stayed at hotel Katla with two friends and had a great experience. The room was spacious, stylishly decorated, and perfect for the three of us. One of the highlights of our stay was the wellness area — I especially enjoyed the sauna and the outdoor jacuzzi, which were perfect for relaxing after a day out. The staff were extremely helpful and friendly, and communication was smooth from booking to check-out. Overall, a comfortable and welcoming stay—would definitely recommend and come back again!

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.

Huge spacious room and bathroom with comfortable wide beds. Convenient location with great views, close to Vik town centre and the other tourist attractions. Parking can sometimes be an issue late in the evening. Plenty of facilities in the room and around the hotel but it was also peaceful and quiet.

Arrived using a hire car after a long day's drive. Before checking in to the Katla hotel spent a three hours in the pretty vilage of Vik, 5km from the hotel. Vik has shops, resturants, some interesting archtitecture and (a highlight) the excellently conceptualized and presented "Lava Centre". This one in Vik is the orginal; there is another newer in Reykjavik. Read the background story to this event (mutliple showings daily), and you too might be motivated to see the live "lava" show. Back in the Katla Hotel, the welcome at reception was warm and informative - and especially welcome after aforesaid long day's drive. In addition to generously sized rooms, there is an outdoor spa tub and sauna. On the small side, but a great opportunity to chat with other guests - and this despite very rainy and windy weather! The breakfast was fine: varied, healthy, relaxed. (Try the "Lysi" - a cod liver oil that is orginally Icelandic ). Overall, there was a sense of open physical space and an atmosphere of calm and relaxation at Katla Hotel.