With a touch of quirkiness
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“This tastefully renovated historic house, with a touch of quirkiness adding to its charm, is conveniently located in central Reykjavik. Our hostess, Margret, had left pastries, fresh fruit, and wine for us – quite the welcome! Check-in and check-out was a breeze as our hostess was easily available and amenable to our needs. The availability of the car was a nice plus as it saved us the trouble of doing a separate rental. A fine stay!”
–Robert G.
It even blew away my Icelandic friends.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“The Vakta House is a must-stay. It even blew away my Icelandic friends. It’s location is impeccable (both positioning you in the convenience of being downtown, but not close enough to hear the late-night revelry). From arriving at the historic property, you may underestimate it’s stature. It’s a lovely building tucked back off the street; however, upon entering its largeness in personality, charm and space will transport you to another time. The kitchen has everything you need to feed your soul and the bedroom feels like a luxurious cabin with it’s apex directly over the bed. The bed is amazingly comfortable, providing great rest for your Icelandic days. Overall, this is the perfect home for your Icelandic adventure. It is a great bonus to have the sporty car, for jaunts out to Þingvallavatn (which is where I went).
Enjoy your beautiful stay.”
–Ashley
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Wow. Where do I begin? Margrét greeted with a smile, some baked goods, a bottle of wine, some items in the refrigerator and the next few days were marvelous in the cozy house. The house was renovated in recent years and is a historical house in a great area of the city. It’s close to everything I needed during my stay. Margrét texted me one night to let me know that the northern lights were out and I should go outside to check it out. This is something that shows the true character of her and it is something I deeply appreciated. I was in town on business and I had my nose in my laptop computer and I wouldn’t have even noticed if she had not notified me. Vakta also comes with a car, which was so nice to have, as I left the city a few times to be a tourist when I could do so. I look forward to my return in 2018!”
–Andrew B.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“We loved our stay at Vaktahouse, and would be delighted to return. Margaret ensured that we had all the information we needed, and we were pleasantly surprised that, after a long journey to get there, she had provided refreshments. The house is even more charming than the photographs provided. The beds were beautifully comfortable. It is extremely easy to get from the house to the harbour and the centre of town – no more than five minutes’ walk. Having a car was tremendously useful – we travelled extensively. I couldn’t recommend Vaktahouse highly enough.”
-Julie Shires
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
A one-of-a-kind experience!
“Vakta is a romantic little home in beautiful old Rekjavik, just steps away from great restaurants, shops and attractions. It is the perfect home base for day tripping the Golden Circle, South Iceland and the Reykjanes Peninsula in the Vakta Citroen. A perfect day would find us rising a dawn, savoring a traditional Icelandic breakfast at a local restaurant, then hitting the road to enjoy one of Vakta’s many suggested day trips. Upon our return, we would shop for dinner at the local fishmonger, cheese shop and bakery and hurry home to start the grill and relax over a glass of wine. If you are newlyweds, this is the house for you. And if you are wed 36 years but still insanely in love (like us), this is the house for you.”
-Maureen Downs
This is the perfect little vacation house.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“This is the perfect little vacation house. It has everything you need, from a dishwasher, to fast wifi, to phone chargers you might have forgotten. But more than that it is absolutely gorgeous, a beautiful old house, decorated with wonderful taste. Kids (and grownups) will love the attic sleeping area. I wish my own house looked like this!”
-Melissa
Vakta was more amazing than we ever imagined!
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Vaktahouse was the most unique place we have ever stayed. Comfortable, beautiful, cozy, and welcoming. Felt like an elfin cottage. Great location! We can't wait to return next year!”
-Terra
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“This cottage was beyond cozy, romantic and beautifully decorated. Margret was so warm and gracious…she greeted us with baked goods, filled the fridge for us as well as a basket full of fruit and a bottle of wine for our honeymoon! She even mapped places out for us. We were pleasantly surprised of how quiet and quaint this historic home was within walking distance to everything we could possibly need! The bedding was super comfortable we kept saying to each other we “don’t want to get out of this cloud!” =)
We wished we would have stayed longer. Thank you Thank you Thank you! We cannot say enough…”
-Christine Abbaticchio
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Margret’s cottage Vatka an absolute delight to stay in. I lived in Reykjavik and came back recently to visit, and remember this cottage as the place that all the locals loved and stopped as they passed by – it is so charming and quaint on the exterior as well as interior. Margret has gone above and beyond to decorate the flat in a beautiful, cosy way, with high quality pillows and bedding, sofa and kitchen equipment. The cottage feels spacious for its size, and even though we are two people staying for the weekend, I could easily have seen it working for four friends or a family. The back and front porch is a lovely place to start the morning in, and Margaret had an assortment of baked goods from the wonderful Sandholt bakery, a bottle of wine and fresh Skyr and juices in the fridge. There is an excellent kettle and coffee maker, fresh fruit… overall an incredible stay at a very thoughtfully arranged cottage. We will stay here every time we come into town. Thank you Margret!”
-Amy
Home away from home in Reykjavik
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Warm, comfortable, clean, a place we wanted to go back to at the end of the day. The house has beautiful design, is perfectly located and our contact was warm and welcoming despite our extremely late arrival.”
-Merlin
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Vakta House exceeded our expectations. We were warmly greeted by the owner on our arrival and made to feel very at home. The house is charming and wonderfully maintained.
It is located in an old area of Rejkavik with restaurants and cafes close by. Vakta House is quite honestly the best places we have ever stayed.”
-Nicola Jory
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“We were amazed with the stunning atmosphere of the house and it felt so good to seattle down in the intimate little living room after the rollercoaster we’d just had.”
“The attention to detail is incredible and it has been furnished with such devotion and tenderness, that you can’t help but feel heavenly while staying here.”
-Sóley Kaldal
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“We loved the house, it is so cozy and charming. Also we loved the interior design, and the perfect blend with traditional Icelandic patterns and modern features, such as the B&O.”
“We were absolutely amazed by the welcome, when we had wine, bread and cheese and the roses. It gave us so much respect for the house and for you as a host. Thank you very much. ”
-Annleyg
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Thank you for an incredible experience! Margret welcomed us with a smile though we arrived very late, and what a welcome. As we arrived late she had bought some high quality light snack for us which we highly appreciated! The house was warm and cozy. Just loved it! Central in Reykjavik and very nice neighborhood.”
“The house is incl car and two bikes that we had great use of. It was just simply a very good experience all through! Everything was perfect from the professionalism on the info in advance and during our stay to the details that you offered! Thank you so much Margret!!!!”
-Karen Heskja
“Vakta House fut la premiére maison en bois construite dans le quartier de Grjoti, en 1848. Le nom de cette maison doit son appellation á son ancien propriétaire, le policier de la ville, sorte de shérif local, en charge de prévenir les incendies, les inondations ou autres.”
“En 2011, c´est avec le plus grand soin et dans le plus grand respect des traditions que la maison fut rénovée par l´architecte islandais Argos. Aujourd´hui, cette petite maison de ville á la décoration soignée et coquette peut accueillir une famille de 4 personnes. Á disposition des hôtes, une voiture et des bicyclettes.”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Every detail of this lovely small home has been seen to. The custom-made furniture fits into the spaces just so, the beds are soft and warm, the lighting on dimmers underneath the A-frame beams just glows like a beautiful night light, and there were pastries and yogurt awaiting us! Plus Margret was very kind and easy to work with. Her house manager Olafur could not have given us a warmer greeting: he showed us all the beautiful details of the house, and then gave us a quick tour in the car to show us the lay of the land. I cannot say enough nice things about Vaktahouse!”
-Elizabeth
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“We had a fantastic stay a Vakta House during the February half term. Whilst the accommodation could make a romantic bolthole, we were there with two children, both of which enjoyed the novelty of sleeping upstairs in the large, shared loft bedroom, which slept 4. The location was great – the tourist office and harbour were just around the corner, and since we were in the old residential part of the city, we were not disturbed by the lively bars and restaurants of the newer parts of the city.”
“There were plenty of restaurants nearby, but we were extremely grateful to be self catering since we were already aware that Iceland is an expensive place to eat. The thermal pool along the street was a great (and cheap) hit with us all. It was nice to do something with out so many other tourists around! The car was a great bonus, the accommodation very clean, warm and beautifully designed. Margret gave us a warm welcome and was very helpful with ideas. I would recommend a stay.”
-Emma Clee
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Der Gastgeber war mega… völlig unkompliziert und supersympathisch… ein Früchtekorb, Baguette, Camembert, Burgunderweinflasche, Butter, Käse, Yoghurt, Milch und sogar Bier war alles eingekauft und bereits in der Wohnung. So etwas haben wir noch nie erlebt.”
-Reto Rey
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“This is a really special place. Everything is inviting, comfortable, and so well chosen, from the linens to the tea pot to the armchair. Not to mention the unexpected feast of great bread, cheese, fruit, pastries, and wine laid out to greet us by our welcoming host. While there is so much to explore in Iceland, we almost wanted to stay indoors and spend our time enjoying this cleverly converted, beautifully designed little home.”
-Stephanie
“Best holiday house EVER! A must stay for any visitor to Rekyjavik”
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“What can I say! I wish there was an option of 6 stars as this wonderful house deserves every one.
We visited Reykjavik as a group of 6 to take part in the Reykjavik marathon and had possibly one of the best holidays we have ever had and a major part of that was due to our wonderful accommodation in Vakta House.”
“I chanced upon the house via Google and enquired via email. Margret could not have been more helpful or accommodating, acting as both owner and tour guide. I could not have organised the trip without her help. The booking process was painless.
The house itself is utterly beautiful – quaint, quirky, warm and oozing character. It’s one of the oldest in the city and perfectly located, just 2 minutes walk from the centre with shops, restaurants and all the sights on the doorstep. That said, it is in a quiet, peaceful street and we all slept soundly.”
“Inside the house couldn’t be better equipped. We all agreed that many of the appliances – coffee maker, hair dryer and shower were better than the ones we have at home. The beds were very comfy and it was immaculately clean.
I can’t recommend this beautiful house any higher. We will definitely be back.”
-Susan MacRitchie
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“The residence is an authentic Icelandic house from the 1800’s (updated with modern conveniences and additions) and has charm and character. The unit is a block from city center Reykjavik, so it is easy walking distance to shops, restaurants, and meeting locations for tour pick ups but at the same time the street where the house is is quiet and calm.”
“As far as location in Reykjavik I believe you would be hard pressed to find a better location. While the second floor sleeping areas are a bit tight, my wife and I and two kids (9 – 12) were quite comfortable; very nice beds, comforters and linens. My family had a wonderful time in Iceland and really enjoyed our time in this house; we plan to go back to Iceland and when we do we would stay here again. Oh, and property owner was extremely helpful.”
-Ian Varriale
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“We truly enjoyed our stay at Vaktahouse. Margrét was quick to respond to our messages before and during the trip. She was flexible, informative and courteous. The location of Vaktahouse cannot be beat. It is on a quiet street but a short walk to restraints, coffee, the waterfront, and shopping. The house itself is charming and has a wonderful atmosphere. When the sun was out, sitting on the back patio with coffee was a peaceful treat before heading out to explore the natural wonders of Iceland. If you are unsure of what you would like to do during your stay, or interested in learning more about Iceland and Icelandic culture, there are many beautiful books around the house to leaf through. I cannot say enough positive things about Vaktahouse. It is a true gem.”
-Lisa
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Margret’s house was certainly the nicest we’ve stayed in in Iceland. She was terrific to communicate with and her assistant made our stay very easy. Some might find the house small, but it is an historic structure that has been uniquely and meticulously renovated (and filled with elegant touches.) I would recommend it to anyone looking for a one-of-a-kind perch in this remarkable city.”
-Maitland Jones
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
“Fabulous Cody wonderful little traditional house in the heart of Reykjavik ….absolutely loved our stay. The house is spotlessly clean and the little personal touches left for us made a huge difference. The bikes and car were brilliant….you must stay here!”
-Diane
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
„The historical town house Vakta is an absolute gem! Beautifully decorated, quiet, very well equipped and so cozy, it is the perfect place to stay for a family of four. Margret gave us plenty of tips both before and during our stay, on the day of our arrival she welcomed us very warmly and left cheese, bred, wine, skir and other delicacies for us in the kitchen, we felt immediately at home. Last but not least, we had a great time driving around the coast in the “Vakta Citroen”, and it was lots of fun to cruise the streets of Reykjavik on the bikes. This place made our stay in Iceland unforgettable, we highly recommend it. Thanks Margret”
-Jürg
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