6 days in Iceland : 2018 Trip Report
Aug 14th, 2018 | 11:11 AM
#21
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 57,091
Likes: 5
Such a great report, indiancouple, thank you for sharing your icelandic experience with us. Will you be going back?
<<This was not expected from a pricey hotel, but we were so tired that we managed to doze off quickly despite the sunlight streaming in.>>
The impression I have is that perhaps standards have slipped somewhat since we were there. Not surprising I suppose since they have so many visitors but disappointing. We found the hotels we stayed at to be pretty high quality, in keeping with the cost, but the guest houses and in particular the summer houses we booked were of "variable quality", one being so dreadful that we stayed only one night out of the three we'd booked and ran away the next morning.
<<This was not expected from a pricey hotel, but we were so tired that we managed to doze off quickly despite the sunlight streaming in.>>
The impression I have is that perhaps standards have slipped somewhat since we were there. Not surprising I suppose since they have so many visitors but disappointing. We found the hotels we stayed at to be pretty high quality, in keeping with the cost, but the guest houses and in particular the summer houses we booked were of "variable quality", one being so dreadful that we stayed only one night out of the three we'd booked and ran away the next morning.
Aug 14th, 2018 | 07:23 PM
#22
Original Poster
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,156
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Annhig, I don't think we will go back - although the trip was one of the best we have had. If we went back, we would end up doing the same things all over again. I don't think Iceland has the diversity to sustain a second visit.
The hotels we stayed in were quite pricey (around Euro 400 per night upwards), and the most highly rated ones on Tripadvisor. There was nothing to complain about in terms of cleanliness or service, but at Reykjavic and at Vik we found the rooms to be very small and very bare - we had expected more at such high prices. On hearing about your Guesthouse experiences. I am glad we did not try those.
The hotels we stayed in were quite pricey (around Euro 400 per night upwards), and the most highly rated ones on Tripadvisor. There was nothing to complain about in terms of cleanliness or service, but at Reykjavic and at Vik we found the rooms to be very small and very bare - we had expected more at such high prices. On hearing about your Guesthouse experiences. I am glad we did not try those.
Aug 14th, 2018 | 07:53 PM
#23
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 3,620
Likes: 0
I enjoyed your report! We arrived in Iceland a few days after you left and covered some of the same ground. You have validated our decision to skip the blue lagoon.
I think this is not the first time that we have traveled somewhere around the same time as you!
I think this is not the first time that we have traveled somewhere around the same time as you!
Aug 15th, 2018 | 12:50 PM
#24
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 57,091
Likes: 5
The hotels we stayed in were quite pricey (around Euro 400 per night upwards), and the most highly rated ones on Tripadvisor. >>
good grief! I'm sure we didn't pay anything that much, not even in the most expensive hotel we stayed in when we ran away from the so called summer house. It would have proved expensive, with 4 of us needing 2 rooms. At those prices I can't imagine that we would be going again, even if it were on the cards; we did speak about going back for a while but then lots of other places cropped up and the opportunity never arose.
I think that you would find more to see - we never got as far as the north and east for example, and I should love to visit the western fjords again, though getting there was one of the most "memorable" journeys I've ever done, up there with driving across the south of Crete on a non-existent road in a Renault 4.
good grief! I'm sure we didn't pay anything that much, not even in the most expensive hotel we stayed in when we ran away from the so called summer house. It would have proved expensive, with 4 of us needing 2 rooms. At those prices I can't imagine that we would be going again, even if it were on the cards; we did speak about going back for a while but then lots of other places cropped up and the opportunity never arose.
I think that you would find more to see - we never got as far as the north and east for example, and I should love to visit the western fjords again, though getting there was one of the most "memorable" journeys I've ever done, up there with driving across the south of Crete on a non-existent road in a Renault 4.
Aug 16th, 2018 | 09:56 AM
#26
Joined: Mar 2015
Posts: 1,937
Likes: 0
“Got a lovely Peugeot 508 automatic – a peach of a car.”
Oh dear. I freared for this TR when I read that.
Opinions make the world spin, Iceland’s was our worst trip in 25 years , 100 plus jolly trips out of Scotland. Just too many tourists, too little quality and too much money.
Interesting, the Blue Lagoon was our highlight, mainly because we knew it would be busy, it was very professionally done, we decided to go at night with -5oC outside and the Aurora showing. With their lighting, the drifting steam and the Aurora it was a mind blowing experience. I’d probably agree that during the day it is a different experience.
To us the rest of Iceland fell well short of Norway, was tightly marketed full of huge numbers of tourists who, like us, fell for the marketed 6 sites.
I’d be interested to read how your Norwegian trip went!
Oh dear. I freared for this TR when I read that.
Opinions make the world spin, Iceland’s was our worst trip in 25 years , 100 plus jolly trips out of Scotland. Just too many tourists, too little quality and too much money.
Interesting, the Blue Lagoon was our highlight, mainly because we knew it would be busy, it was very professionally done, we decided to go at night with -5oC outside and the Aurora showing. With their lighting, the drifting steam and the Aurora it was a mind blowing experience. I’d probably agree that during the day it is a different experience.
To us the rest of Iceland fell well short of Norway, was tightly marketed full of huge numbers of tourists who, like us, fell for the marketed 6 sites.
I’d be interested to read how your Norwegian trip went!
Aug 16th, 2018 | 04:17 PM
#28
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 733
Likes: 0
Nice report, Indiancouple. And I'm glad you weren't hurt too badly. (Speaking as someone who twisted her foot badly on the grounds of the Alhambra.)
When I think back our experience in Iceland two years ago I'd also concur that it was a great trip but I'm unlikely to go back. I loved the South and the Northeast, but wasn't wowed with most of the Golden Circle, the area around Lake Mývatn, or the Snaefellsnes peninsula. I think we would have enjoyed Snaefellsnes if he had gone clockwise instead of counter-clockwise, but it was rather a letdown at the end of our trip. And, yes, the food was so expensive and not great, so we ended up just picking up food at the local Bonus many evenings instead of having real restaurant dinners.
If I were to go back it would to visit the Highlands (to see more landscapes like the area that I found so enchanting on our drive from the East Fjords on our way to Myvatn) and the Westfjords, but it's probably not enough to make me go back when there's so much more of the world to explore.
When I think back our experience in Iceland two years ago I'd also concur that it was a great trip but I'm unlikely to go back. I loved the South and the Northeast, but wasn't wowed with most of the Golden Circle, the area around Lake Mývatn, or the Snaefellsnes peninsula. I think we would have enjoyed Snaefellsnes if he had gone clockwise instead of counter-clockwise, but it was rather a letdown at the end of our trip. And, yes, the food was so expensive and not great, so we ended up just picking up food at the local Bonus many evenings instead of having real restaurant dinners.
If I were to go back it would to visit the Highlands (to see more landscapes like the area that I found so enchanting on our drive from the East Fjords on our way to Myvatn) and the Westfjords, but it's probably not enough to make me go back when there's so much more of the world to explore.
