The Swan House rental apartments are a budget option (EUR 500 per night for a studio) but aren’t very comfortable. What you see in the photos on Google Maps either wasn’t present during our stay or has since been changed.

I must note that there is no dedicated parking for these apartments. You’ll need to search for street parking in the area, which is paid, or use a public parking lot, at roughly EUR 1 per hour.

This review applies to the Deluxe Studio, which includes a double bed, a sofa bed, and a kitchenette.

In my opinion, the 8.6 rating on Booking.com and the 4.5 rating on Google Maps are both overrated.

July 2024

Rating for The Swan House by the 5D Sensograph: 3.7 out of 5.

(click on the 5 sense icons to fast jump to the details about the experiences associated with each)

       

       

       

       

       

Experience accents as per the 5D Sensograph:

See the studio is a relatively small space, and the comfort level is somewhat compromised.

Feel many things were not quite right with this studio.

Hear it’s quiet at night.

Smell in the morning, the aroma of coffee fills the air.

Taste complimentary Nespresso coffee capsules and tea.

Reading time: 5 min

You don’t have 5 min to read? Then try the fast mode, go only through bold and colored text: 3 мин.

You don’t feel like reading? See the short movie further below: 0:33 min.

See in The Swan House …

The place looks much better in photos on Booking.com or Google Maps, and some of the claims on Booking.com are quite misleading. For example, in the “Most Popular Facilities” section, it states “parking,” but there is no parking available for the building.

It says that guests can relax in a shared space, but it’s not as cozy and pleasant as it appears in one of the photos.

Here’s what the shared space actually looks like in a photo on Google Maps:

But in reality, it looks like this, and there is no reception.

 … A large building with rental apartments: it’s close to the city center, but parking around the area is difficult. We parked in a public parking lot for 1 euro per hour.

… The interior is sparse: there are no details that give a sense of coziness. There wasn’t even a rug. The large bed is separated by a canopy from the sofa and kitchen, but this doesn’t create a separate room. The window frame was cracked and uncleaned.

… The view from the room is towards a construction site, but the owners can’t influence that. 

Mainly due to the misleading photos and the lack of effort to make the studio a bit cozier, 3 stars are deducted from the rating.

Feel  in The Swan House …

… The owners could put in a bit more effort into the quality of the stay: the bathroom fan doesn’t work, the TV doesn’t have a connection to the cable provider, so there’s no television. One of the blinds was broken and kept down all the time. Thankfully, the other one could be raised and lowered. We fixed the broken one, but that’s not our responsibility. We didn’t figure out how the extractor fan works or how to turn on the light, so we didn’t attempt to cook. It might be activated when the stove is turned on.

… The sofa wasn’t unfolded, only sheets and pillows were left on top: since we are a family of four, we needed a pull-out sofa, and it’s more pleasant when it’s already prepared. There were detailed instructions on how to unfold it, it wasn’t difficult, but still.

… At least it was warm: considering the outside temperature was only 15 degrees, this is an important detail.

… Basic and necessary equipment: small hotel-sized fridge, stove, coffee machine, kettle, utensils, glasses, plates, TV. The bathroom has toiletries, but there are no toothbrush holders.

… Good location: close to the main pedestrian street and the church. It’s a bit of a walk to the Harpa concert hall and the harbor. The Sun Voyager statue is very nearby.

… Communication with guests is fully online: they send access codes in advance, detailed parking info, which is very useful, information about attractions, waste separation, and other things.

One UX flaw is when they send a check-out link; if you click just to experiment, the system immediately checks you out. There’s no pop-up window asking, “Are you sure you want to leave? Check for forgotten luggage or something.” I clicked by mistake and had to write to them right away to clarify I wasn’t leaving early. They responded after some time, saying it wasn’t a problem.

However, I did have an issue with entering the building. We didn’t quite get the code right, but I called the number on the site, and they assisted me immediately. That was a commendable quick response at 9:30 PM.

Due to the damages that weren’t fixed in the apartment, the poorly thought-out check-out process, and the unfurnished sofa, 3 stars are deducted from the rating.

Hear in The Swan House …

… If the other guests are quiet, everything is fine, it’s peaceful.

Movie-watching time: 0:33 min.

Smell in The Swan House …

… Morning coffee: there are 4 complimentary coffee capsules and teas.

 

Taste  in The Swan House …

… No breakfast: only what you buy yourself. It would have been nice to have a small complimentary item like a chocolate or pastry, but there wasn’t any.

I wouldn’t highly recommend The Swan House as it doesn’t meet the necessary quality standards. Yes, it’s a budget option, but it’s a good idea to compare it more carefully with other offers. I wouldn’t repeat my stay here.

How to get to The Swan House?

Just use the Google map here by clicking on the red pin of its location and then select directions:

A: Lindargata 34-36, 101 Reykjavík, Iceland

T: +3544494907

How to book your stay?

I recommend that you check the packages that the hotel offers on their website because they are very affordable. But for your convenience, I have also put a box on booking.com. Compare the prices and choose an option.

Booking.com

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Do you ever wonder how some places differ so much from others in service, environment, and overall experience? This means you are also interested like me in The Experience Economy by Joseph Pine and James Gilmore. I constantly add to my collection reviews about those of them, which practice its principles, regardless of whether intentionally or accidentally. If you are curious to understand which they are, explore the category The Experience Economy.

If you need to rent a car, you can reserve it here, in the box of the largest booking platform, below.