101 Hotel a Member of Design Hotels

As someone who regularly stays at Marriott properties around the world, I’ve come to trust the brand to be able to balance design with livability. Sadly, the 101 Hotel in Reykjavík, part of Marriott’s Design Hotels collection, seems to have missed that memo. No coffee maker or kettle are provided in room (those cost extra), but a condom (additional charge under intamacy kit) is in the drawer for purchase. Safety first! One power outlet is located between the TV and toilet. As for the toilet, it is a glass-walled toilet stall with its own phone that felt more like satire than design. Despite loyalty status, early check-in was denied. We watched several guests be turned away, including one who was told to return in seven minutes as the 3pm rule was strictly enforced to the minute. No A/C (to be expected in Europe), but with two windows missing handles, ventilation wasn’t an option. Visually interesting hotel, but frustratingly impractical. The rooms are definitely showing their age with wear and tear. The location is great though. Great location away from major noise sources without being far from the heart of it all. We stayed one of our originally booked three nights and left the following morning for the Hilton Konsulat. The Konsulat was lovely! The Canopy just a block up the road is our preferred and favorite hotel but they were sold out.

The hotel itself is very nice - great rooms and professional staff. However, the hotel is right next door to a party/concert venue. On a random Monday night, they had a party till 1 am and our bed was literally moving from the bass of the music. The staff seemed unimpressed by our concern and said that it is legal and there was nothing they could do. So... if you want to sleep, this might not be the best place for you.

Such a good location at the bottom of Bank Street. Everything else is negative. We waited at least 10 minutes with no sign or bell at the front desk (we were the only ones waiting) for someone to turn up at reception when we arrived to check in. No apologies when they did arrive. One of the reasons we chose this hotel was the availability of complimentary parking. Turns out there are only a few very small spaces available and they were already occupied when we arrived (before dinner time). The receptionist said with a smile that we had been upgraded. Great we thought, at least something is going well. Our upgraded room had a Superking bed in a smallish room with a wall of windows facing the roof over the hotel bar so we couldn’t see any sky, or Reykjavik, or anything other than the wall opposite. Didn’t seem like much of an upgrade, especially when we realised we were on the side of the building adjacent to a nightclub. The sound from the bar downstairs was significant, but it was nothing compared to the noise from the nightclub next door. We were not told to expect any noise. We should have been told that the noise that reverberated through our room would continue well past midnight. The room layout was very poorly designed with a completely open bathroom and a WC inside a little glass box, offering very little privacy at all. I don’t know who signs off on these terrible designs for hotels but please, just stop it. There were no power outlets by the bed at all on either side, and no tea/coffee making facilities. I asked and they sent up a small travel kettle and a couple of cups saying that they normally charge (!!) but would waive the fee for us. The lighting in the hallways and stairs was ridiculously low. Was that a design a choice? Is it trendy or something? Or are they trying to reduce their lighting costs? Stupid. We won’t be returning. There are some lovely hotels in Reykjavik centre. This is not one of them.