Iceland
Every hostel-dense city in Iceland. Sorted by the vibes we think you'll actually care about.
The ranked list.
Nordic Hostel
Nordic Hostel is Reykjavik's highest-rated hostel (9.3 from 1,150 reviews) and the one reviewers actually describe with the word 'Scandi' unironically — modern, minimalist, spotlessly clean. It sits on Snorrabraut on the 101/105 border, four minutes on foot from the Flybus Stop 11 pickup point that most guests care about more than any bar list.
Refurinn Reykjavik Guesthouse
Refurinn (the Fox) is the Vesturbær guesthouse most backpackers discover once they've realised Reykjavik private rooms cost less per person than a good dorm. 8.7 from 1,124 reviews, run by the family who live next door, with a shared kitchen you can cook a proper dinner in and a location wedged between the Old Harbour whale boats and the Vesturbæjarlaug geothermal pool.
B14 Hostel
B14 is the 108 Reykjavik hostel backpackers with a rental car pick over 101 hostels — free parking, spotless dorms, and €45 beds that cost 15-20% less than Laugavegur equivalents. 8.5 from 552 reviews, with guests flagging cleanliness, self check-in, and staff manager Jackielyn by name. 20 min to Laugavegur by bus, 12 min walk to Laugardalslaug pool.
Loft - HI Eco Hostel
Loft is the top-of-Laugavegur party hostel that's actually rated well (8.5 from 1,819 reviews). Rooftop bar with Esja-mountain views and weekly live music, shared kitchen big enough to cook a lamb stew, and the single most central address in 101 Reykjavik — at Bankastræti 7, the moment Laugavegur changes its name as it hits Parliament.
Gardur Student Hostel
Gardur is the seasonal summer hostel on the University of Iceland campus — an actual student residence that converts into a budget hostel from June to August. 8.4 from 1,298 reviews, €42 dorm beds (the cheapest 8.0+ rated pick in 101), and an 8-minute walk to the BSÍ bus terminal where every Golden Circle and South Coast tour departs.
Dalur - HI Eco Hostel
Dalur (formerly Reykjavik City Hostel) is the most-reviewed hostel in the city — 8.2 from 2,626 reviews, set next to Iceland's biggest geothermal pool and the family-activity park in Laugardalur. Bikes to rent, campsite next door, and a proper restaurant-bar on site. 15 min bus to Laugavegur, 12 min to Bus Stop 11 for Flybus.
KEX Hostel
KEX is Iceland's most famous hostel — a converted biscuit factory on the waterfront with a gastropub-restaurant that Rough Guides and Lonely Planet both feature, 4,198 reviews at 8.1, and a design aesthetic every other hostel in town has tried to copy. Live music three nights a week, proper brunch until 14:00, and the Esja mountain and Harpa concert hall framed in every window.
Hostel B47
Hostel B47 is the 4,645-review workhorse of 101 Reykjavik: a converted residential building on Baronstigur, 3 min on foot from Hallgrímskirkja, with self check-in, free on-street parking and dorm beds that undercut KEX and Loft for a similar 101 location. 8.1 rating, clean, functional, staff-light: the smart-saver pick for a long Reykjavik stay.