An honest review of the Reykjavík EDITION hotel in Iceland

QUICK HITS: REYKAVIK EDITION EDITION

• Name: Reykjavik EDITION
• Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
• Cost per night: From ISK 53,438 (approx. USD 390)
• Best for: City lovers
• While you’re here, visit: Sky Lagoon during the day for saunas and swimming, as well as Kikithe only weird bar in Iceland for a drink in the evening.
• Vibration check in one word: Chill
• The most iconic place for photographs: Stone tower in the lobby
• Don’t leave without: Dine at the hotel restaurant recommended by the MICHELIN Guide, TIDES

BOOK YOUR VACATION

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I removed the red eye effect Icelandair flight to Reykjavik (only about a five and a half hour drive from New York, by the way!), which meant I showed up at the hotel five hours before check-in time. The concierge let me check my luggage and relax in the lobby before heading out to explore the city, and then texted me when my room was ready.

My jet-lagged view: a giant stone sculpture dominates the hotel entrance. Just a few steps away is a cozy sitting area with comfortable chairs and faux sheepskin blankets surrounding a small fireplace in the center of the room. To the right is the lobby bar with a colorful bottle display. I also want to mention the aroma! All EDITION hotels have a delightfully warm and woody scent that *smells* like luxury.

A few days later, the hotel lobby was full of Pride-goers in glittering rainbow attire, many carrying flags. Icelandic Pride is a very family-friendly event, so there were lots of adorable kids running around!

ROOMS

Depending on which way your room faces, you will have views of either the harbor or the city skyline. (Huge! comfy!) The beds face floor-to-ceiling windows so you can people watch to your heart’s content. The rooms also feature a cute little table and chair with a faux deer rug, a wooden lamp, and thoughtful touches like a ceramic water pitcher and matching mugs. The bathroom featured a rain shower and custom Le Labo products. All.

Since it was Pride, the staff also left rainbow chocolates in my room with traditional Icelandic flavors including blueberry, birch, Cetraria Islandica tea and honey. Love!

FACILITIES

If there’s one thing I learned in Reykjavik, it’s that “Icelandic bathing culture”, i.e. spending a lot of time in hot springs and saunas, is a THING, so it’s no surprise that EDITION SPA center was outside. It features even more luxurious Scandinavian design and mood lighting. It has a thermal pool (similar to a hot tub, but not as hot), as well as a sauna and steam room. There is also a spa offering healthy drinks such as smoothies and tea.

Swimming in Iceland is a social activity, so I recommend going with friends to socialize before heading out for drinks or dinner (or, you know, a Pride party). Of course, if you prefer, you can also treat yourself to a quiet massage. I doubled up on my baths by visiting the Sky Lagoon one afternoon and then heading to the EDITION Spa for an evening of relaxing solitude.

FOOD AND BEV

The food I ate at EDITION restaurant TIDESit was the best food I had in Iceland, hands down. Even if you can’t get a hotel room, I definitely recommend stopping by for a bite to eat. This is one of those restaurants that uses simple techniques and locally sourced ingredients. All “to let the quality of the ingredients shine through.” Trust me, you’ll finally understand what the chefs mean when you try the lobster ravioli, braised Icelandic lamb gnocchi and mussels in white wine.

TIDES was also the venue for the EDITION drag brunch, where the queens Gogo Starr, Lola von HartAnd Ulla la Delish entertained us with elaborate costumes and dance routines while we sipped mimosas and snacked on pancakes from the buffet. I can’t say enough good things about it.

RESULT

If you are thinking of taking part Reykjavik Pridelet me encourage you to book your tickets now! I’ve attended many Pride events in New York over the years, and Reykjavik Pride was a completely different – and equally special – experience. Reykjavik has a population of just under 140,000 people and Pride is an event held every weekend that literally everyone celebrates, especially families and children.

And of course, I recommend booking a room at the Reykjavík EDITION as soon as possible. It will provide a stunning, luxurious and extremely comfortable home away from home for your entire trip, no matter when you arrive. I would know!

Erica W. Smith (she/her) is the senior astrology editor at Cosmopolitan. She also covers lifestyle, travel, sex and relationships. During her decade-long media career, she has become an expert on “women’s lifestyle” and has held staff positions at Refinery29, BUST Magazine and HelloGiggles. Her book Astrosex: How to have the best sex according to your zodiac sign was published in 2021.