Hotel Borg by Keahotels

Worth Booking? The Verdict

Hotel Borg is one of the easier bookings you'll make in Reykjavik, and that accessibility is part of the appeal. You don't need to plan weeks ahead or chase a waitlist — walk in or book same-week without stress. Whether that ease makes it the right choice depends on what you're after, but for a first-timer wanting a reliable, atmospheric base in the city centre at Pósthússtræti 11, this is a strong option.

The Space

The physical setting is the clearest reason to choose Hotel Borg over a newer, plainer alternative. Built in 1930, the property holds its Art Deco bones well — high ceilings, a lobby that feels proportioned for occasion rather than efficiency, and a bar area that reads intimate without being cramped. For a date night specifically, the spatial quality matters: this is a room that does some of the work for you. The scale sits between grand and cosy, which is harder to pull off than it sounds. If you're comparing to a modern Reykjavik hotel bar where the design brief was clearly 'minimal and Scandinavian', Borg offers something with more texture and warmth.

First-Timer Expectations

If this is your first visit, come for the bar rather than treating it purely as a transit point to your room. The ground-floor bar is a genuine destination for Reykjavik locals and visitors alike, and the Art Deco surroundings make it one of the more photogenic spots in the city centre. Dress is smart-casual at minimum , the room has a formality that jeans-and-trainers slightly undercuts, though no one will turn you away. For context on the broader Reykjavik bar scene, see our full Reykjavik bars guide.

The hotel sits close to Austurvöllur square, which means you're a short walk from Bodega, 12 Tónar, and other central options if you want to make a night of it. For hotel context across the city, our full Reykjavik hotels guide maps the competitive set clearly.

Date Night Potential

For a two-person evening, Hotel Borg's bar outperforms most of its Reykjavik competition on atmosphere. The room is genuinely romantic in the old-fashioned sense , the kind of space where a cocktail feels like an event rather than a transaction. It's a better date-night bar than somewhere like BakaBaka if you want traditional warmth over contemporary cool, and worth pairing with dinner nearby before returning for a nightcap. Check our full Reykjavik restaurants guide for dinner options within walking distance.