ION Adventure Hotel, Nesjavellir, a Member of Design Hotels -

Rakel Bergsdóttir

Vorum í mat og í spa og það var bar frábært

Hjatli Hauksson

GOTT STAFF OG FRÁBÆR ÞJÓNUSTA

Steve Tait

Spent two nights here in early March. We loved the location, out in the middle of nowhere and the warm, friendly staff. Rooms are quite small as are the bathrooms but very well decorated and furnished. The Northern Lights Bar is stunning and we really enjoyed the outdoor hot tub. We had dinner both nights and the food is fantastic. The menu is fairly small, but everything was delicious and there was enough choice for our two nights. The breakfast buffet was ample but fairly similar to all our other breakfast buffets we had in Iceland. The Ion is surrounded with hiking trails and while we couldn’t really use them in early March they would be a fantastic activity in better weather. The hotel is constructing an addition and warn guests about potential noise but it didn’t impact us at all so don’t let that put you off.

Merlin Hyers

Comfortable and quiet. The staff were excellent. We enjoyed the large outdoor hot bath tucked under the end of the hotel with views of the valley. Breakfast was fresh and delicious. If the weather permits, this is an excellent location for viewing the northern lights. The room was very comfortable with an understated modern feel to it.

Caitlin LoGiurato

My husband and I stayed here for 3 nights during the last week of March. We specifically chose this hotel based on it's location (and distance from the city), proximity to our activities along the Golden Circle, and amenities. The rooms were wonderful, little to no noise from other guests in nearby rooms, bedding was comfortable. The food was amazing. We did enjoy the Lava Spa on our last night, and found it to be the perfect addition to long travel days in the harsh winter weather. We were lucky to spot the Northern Lights 2 out of our 3 evenings there.

The reason I am giving our stay a 3 stars, rather than 5 is because of a poor experience we had (and I have emailed the hotel about this)....

Two of our three nights there was a very large group consisting of multiple families, with young children. The children were very poorly behaved, loud, and inconsiderate of other guests. Dinner at the Silfra restaurant was unbearable as they were so loud, my husband and I could not hear each other without shouting. Even the waitstaff seemed flustered by their noise, and ill behaved children, even apologizing to us for our experience. Iceland isn't a cheap country by any means, but if we are going to be spending $300 on dinner, I prefer to drink my wine, and eat our dinner in a environment fitting of such. We chose to order room service to avoid them for the rest of our evenings.

The kids were sprinting up and down the halls, screaming, at all hours of the day as if this was a summer camp. It not only impacted our in-room experience, it woke us from sleep. Even with headphones and a white noise machine.

What we found to be more disturbing and frustrating is how the kids were treating the Lava Spa pool, sauna, and "relaxation room" like it was their personal water park. They were not supervised by an adult (even though a sign said kids need to be). They were jumping in and out, screaming, cannonballing, splashing, etc. Two separate occasions, my husband and I were dressed in bathing suits ready to go in the pool, and didn't because they took over the entire spa, and it was not a "relaxing experience".

I realize a hotel cannot "parent" a child, and this is in fact a reflection of the parents. However, this still could have been avoided. There are cameras everywhere in this hotel (for safety). Why wasn't an adult called to remove the children? Why aren't "adult only" hours for the spa? Children of their age shouldn't be in hot water, nor a sauna. Why didn't a member of the staff interject and stop them from negatively impacting the stay of other ADULT guests?

If I am being totally honest, I would have expected this behavior, and lack of service from a Holiday Inn. Not a hotel in which I am spending more than $700 a night including meals. I expected an adult, sexy, relaxing vibe from the ION. Sadly, that was not our stay.

Nav S

This hotel is spectacular. We arrived at 8am after an overnight flight and they had a room ready for us. EVERYONE is professional, polite, and helpful. They also provide a wake up call if you’d like to see the Northern Lights. Although remotely located it has epic views. The property is super modern and offers real luxury. The restaurant has limited food options but everything on the menu is delicious. At night their lounge plays great music and you can grab drinks etc. There’s ample parking too. While they say they’re renovating and there may be noise during the day - we heard nothing. The room was peaceful and we slept well. The only thing I’d flag as a downside is that we’re Marriott Platinum members and they didn’t offer anything much in terms of our loyalty to the brand. Bear in mind that this property is affiliated but not a Marriott property hotel. Regardless, I’d stay again in a heartbeat. The location allows you to see parts of the Island you wouldn’t otherwise see. We stayed for two nights which was great because you can get comfortable and enjoy the surrounding area without being rushed. Be prepared to drive about 30mins for a gas station or any other restaurants etc.

Lexi Falcone

The Adventure Ion Hotel offers a unique location, nestled in a serene and remote setting away from civilization and light pollution. However, the experience falls short of its advertised promises. While the Northern Lights Bar is suggested as an observation deck, it disappointingly lacks the expected views, and the promised wake-up calls for the lights were untimely. The spa, advertised as a luxury amenity, turns out to be a modest geothermal pool and a small sauna, not meeting expectations. Additionally, both breakfast and dinner options are limited, with repetitive vegetarian choices and high prices for what's offered. Despite its promise of luxury, the overall experience feels sparse and doesn't justify the cost.

Will C

In all my travel, this was the worst experience ever. The night staff receptionist was smug to say the least. I arrived and was told I would need to book a second room for my two young daughter despite being told by Marriott Bonvoy that a rollaway could be brought in to the room. Given it was the end of the day, I had no choice but to the second room. I used Bonvoy points for the second room. I received a notice 30 minutes later on my credit card that it had been charged almost $400 for the room. I went back to the front desk and the smug receptionist smiled and said that my point award had been canceled. Per the policy, he was charging me the full rate for an additional room. I said that I would leave the hotel and did not want the room, but he insisted he had already charged me, and nothing could be done. This was the most blatantly passive aggressive hotel employee I’ve ever experienced. We have been traveling in Iceland for a week and have stayed at many wonderful places and met many kind people. I would stay away from the Ion Adventure Hotel - if a zero score existed, this place would get it.