Last updated September 16, 2026

Fishing boats moored in Reykjavík's Old Harbour under a clear blue sky, with the waterfront warehouses of Grandi behind

Richard Bartz / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0

Reykjavík

Where to Stay in Old Harbour & Grandi, Reykjavík

West of downtown, along the water, Reykjavík's working fishing harbor gives way to Grandi — old fish-processing warehouses and dry docks converted into galleries, design studios, and restaurants, alongside boats that still go out most mornings. This is where whale-watching and puffin-tour boats depart, and where Grandi's newer attractions cluster: the Saga Museum, Whales of Iceland, the Reykjavík Maritime Museum, FlyOver Iceland, and the Marshall House art complex. It's a genuine working waterfront rather than a manufactured one, with Reykjavík's skyline and the Esja mountain visible across the water.

What it's actually like to stay here

Calmer and more spread out than downtown — a flat harbor-front stretch with fishing boats, converted warehouses, and a scattering of good cafés and sea-to-table restaurants rather than a dense strip. It feels more like a working district that's been layered with culture than a tourist zone.

Stay here if

Best for travelers who want real harbor views and a quieter base, families drawn to the maritime and whale museums, and anyone planning to whale-watch or puffin-tour directly from the docks.

Stay elsewhere if

Consider Miðborg instead if nightlife or being in the middle of restaurants and shops matters more than quiet — this district goes fairly quiet once the dinner crowd clears, and it's a walk or bus ride from Laugavegur.

Walkability
Walkable within itself along the flat harbor-front path, but it's a separate leg from downtown — roughly 15-20 minutes on foot from Austurvöllur to the Old Harbour's edge, with Grandi's western galleries another 5-10 minutes further along the water.
Noise at night
Quiet, especially at night — this is a working harbor with almost no nightlife of its own, and most visitors are gone by early evening.

Best Hotels in Old Harbour & Grandi, Reykjavík

Exeter Hotel

★★★★
  • 🏆 Our overall pick
  • 🏛️ Best for architecture & design

Our take An industrial-contemporary design hotel on Tryggvagata, where downtown Reykjavík meets the Old Harbour, with its own restaurant, bakery and sauna.

Highlights

  • Rooms in a cohesive, industrial-contemporary style rather than generic hotel decor
  • An easy walk to both Laugavegur's shops and the Old Harbour's whale-watching docks
  • The Old Harbour's museums and Harpa concert hall are nearby

What to know

  • Sits on Tryggvagata, a road with steady traffic and nearby tour-bus stops
  • The ground-floor restaurant and bakery draw non-guests too, so it can get busy at peak times
Check availability on Booking.com

Grandi by Center Hotels

★★★★
  • 🤫 Best for a quiet stay

Our take The most peaceful of Reykjavík's harbor-district hotels, with an on-site spa and hot tubs — a good trade of a slightly longer walk to Laugavegur for real quiet.

Highlights

  • An on-site spa with two hot tubs and a sauna, unusual at this size
  • Genuinely quiet at night, being the furthest of the harbor-district hotels from downtown's bar strip
  • Walking distance to Grandi's galleries, the Omnom chocolate factory, and harbor-front restaurants

What to know

  • It's roughly a 20-25 minute walk to Laugavegur and the historic downtown core, or a short bus or taxi ride
  • Being further from the Old Harbour's main cluster, some of Grandi's attractions are still a walk from the door
Check availability on Booking.com

Reykjavik Marina - Berjaya Iceland Hotels

★★★★
  • 📍 Best location

Our take An established Old Harbour hotel — a genuine waterfront stay with harbor views from many rooms, trading some downtown convenience for a calmer, salty-air setting.

Highlights

  • Many rooms look directly over the harbor or the working Slippur dry dock
  • An on-site restaurant, Slippbarinn, with water views
  • A flat, easy walk along the harbor front to Grandi's museums and galleries

What to know

  • Housekeeping and room upkeep can be inconsistent at busier times
  • It's roughly a 15-20 minute walk (or a short bus ride) to Laugavegur and the heart of downtown
Check availability on Booking.com

Transportation & practical information

A free shuttle and Strætó bus routes connect Grandi to downtown stops including City Hall and Lækjartorg; otherwise it's the walk along the water, or a short taxi/rideshare.

Almost everyone visiting Reykjavík has a rental car for the rest of Iceland — the city is the usual pick-up and drop-off point for the Golden Circle and the Ring Road, with agencies at Keflavík Airport and in town. You just won't need it here: Miðborg and the Old Harbour are walkable and a short bus ride apart, and downtown parking is paid and tight enough that it's worth timing the rental to your driving days rather than your whole stay.

Related areas

The rainbow-painted Skólavörðustígur street leading up to Hallgrímskirkja church in downtown Reykjavík

Holger Uwe Schmitt / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Miðborg (Downtown / 101)

Best for: First-time visitors, Nightlife, Architecture lovers

← All Reykjavík neighborhoods