Make Reykjavik, Iceland Your Next Destination

HERE’S WHERE TO STAY

by Corretta L. Doctor for the Urban Sentinel

My recent trips to Iceland, a volcanic Nordic island country, left me in a wondrous awe each time. Located in the northern Atlantic Ocean the capital is Reykjavik and is home to twothirds of the population of the entire country. I have encountered the most breathtaking views of mountains and amazing views of the sea. The culture is fascinating, the local cuisine is exquisite, and the population is just at 361,000. Iceland is a ninth century settlement that gained its European Free Trade Association (EFTA) accession in May 1960. The government is a unitary parliamentary republic. While in Reykjavik I have developed lasting friendships, infused myself with the nature, specifically that of the Blue Lagoon located near Keflavik Airport and with all of that I have come to the conclusion that Iceland is my favorite place on earth. The biggest question I get from family and friends is, “isn’t it always cold there” and the next thought I have is that they must think Greenland is only green. A tad bit of sarcasm and fun is evident in that statement but the truth is that Iceland is warm. Greenland is cold.

government held a military post in Keflavik. I admired the fashion, the shoes and designer clothing. I visited the shop of Icelandic clothing designer Jon’s Maria where I purchased a beautiful dress. The shop website is https:// www.jonamaria.is/.

People-watching afforded me the opportunity to look into the faces of locals while I browsed in the shops. I saw serenity, calmness, and an unspoken camaraderie that made me immediately want a slice of the ‘peaceful pie’ these residents must consume. The United States military once gave many soldiers a lovely place to call home because for years our

REYKJAVIK LIGHTS HOTEL IS A 105 ROOM CONCEPTDESIGN HOTEL MANAGED BY KEAHOTELS, ICELAND’STHIRD LARGEST HOTEL CHAIN.

I am hosting a women’s wellness retreat in April 2020 and I have selected Reykjavík Lights Hotel as our destination home for the duration of our trip. I intentionally chose a venue that I can connect with the local culture through its decor, location, and popularity among guests. Reykjavik Lights Hotel is a 105 Room concept design hotel managed by Keahotels, Iceland’s third largest hotel chain. The ever changing source of light in Iceland and how it reflects Icelanders everyday life is an inspiration for this Nordic-style hotel. Each floor of the hotel has it’s distinctive theme. The coloring and rooms are assigned a day in the old nordic calendar corresponding to it’s month. The hotel welcomed its first guests in June 2013 and have served roughly 30, 000 guests since then, mostly from the United States and United Kingdom.

The top three features of the hotel are excellent service, comfortable rooms and great breakfast to start off the day of exploring Reykjavik and other parts of Iceland. Iceland’s largest swimming pool, spa and fitness center is located conveniently just across the street.

The hotel strives to be accommodating by lending items such as Phone Charger Adapters free of charge. It also offers secure power charging stations and luggage storage in between visits while guests visit the countryside. There is 24hr reception service and security.

Laugavegur, the main shopping street, Harpa conference and music center, Hallgrimskirkja Cathedral, Laugardalur Valley with plentiful outdoor activities such as Iceland’s largest swimming pool hall, national soccer stadium, family park and petting zoo, and botanical gardens are some nearby attractions.

The General Manager of Reykjavík Lights Hotel is Thorhallur Fridjonsson, born and raised in Reykjavik with roots from Husavik, a small seaside town in the north of Iceland. He has been running Reykjavik Lights since 2015. The main priority of Reykjavik Lights’s staff is to provide their guests with quality service and act as the home away from home, giving a relaxed atmosphere

and serve as the best base to explore the city and the countryside, whether by car, jeep or bus. The hotel’s website is https://www. keahotels.is/en/hotels/reykjavik-lights.

I look forward to traveling with my wonderful group of wellness coaches and convening in such a magnificent hotel. Our group consists of ReeJade Richmond, Cheryl Pullins, C. NaTasha Richburg, Sigrún Braga Guðrúnardóttir, Charlise Smith, Anita Davis-DeFoe and Nicole Monteleone. We anticipate hosting 25 attendees during our retreat.

Additional information can be found at https://www.correttadoctor.com/iceland.