The Greenhouse Hotel (Gróðurhúsið) In Iceland Is A Must-See And A Blast To Stay At
We spent a full six days traveling along the south side of Iceland. We were lucky to spend our last night at the beautiful Gróðurhúsið or the Greenhouse Hotel.
The hotel is located only a 40-minute drive from Reykjavik in the city of Hveragerði. Highway 1 was right off of the main entrance, making it super easy to find. There are lots of shops nearby such as Bonus supermarket and a few gas stations. A great deal of attractions, including the Reykjafoss Waterfall and Geothermal Park, can be accessed by foot or by bike.
Guests can check-in online and with contactless technology. We received a PIN to enter our room. There was a keypad on all room doors. This was the first time we had seen a hotel use this process, which we considered genius. You no longer need to carry plastic cards. They also had a traditional reception if we needed more help with anything. Parking was free and was steps from the entrance.
As we entered our room, we immediately felt relaxed. It was modern, comfortable, and very clean.
It had big windows showing a great view. Lots of hanging space with hooks everywhere to make up for no traditional closet. A big fluffy bed in which we had a great last sleep in. The long bench and writing desk were great features we used a lot. The decor was lovely with neutral woody tones and beautiful plants everywhere. It was the first time we saw reasonable prices for the minibar and it included free water bottles (although it’s highly recommended to drink tap water in Iceland and opt out of bottled water).
The bathroom was modern and clean with white marble countertops. With sustainability on the mind and to save hot water, there was a modern faucet system that had to be held up to get the hottest water, so you couldn’t leave it on. There was also a cute little basket with toiletry items to take if needed which could be added to your account through the bar code.
The main floor of the Greenhouse Hotel expands into a food hall with a couple of bars. We took advantage of happy hour and had a drink at the Colonial Bar. There were five restaurants, an ice cream shop, and a few cafes and bars. There were large windows that let so much sunlight in. Each corner of the floor is decorated beautifully with greenery. It felt like we were quite literally in a greenhouse! We highly recommend stopping by for some food and drinks if you’re passing by.
On the other side of the main floor, there is a market filled with shops and items that are exclusive to Iceland. It was a great place to get good souvenirs and items to bring back home. All the sections are local businesses. There were great shops that sold Icelandic tweed and wool apparel as well as household goods and gourmet foods.
The Greenhouse Hotel was one of our favorite places to stay near the Golden Circle. It had everything; a place to sleep, eat, shop and relax with sustainability at the forefront. It was really hard to leave the following day.
If you would like more information about this amazing hotel, please visit thegreenhouse.is