Reykjavik
Polished, precise, civilised. Reykjavik's best hotel-bar drinking — picked for craft, not concierge buzz.
City centre · $$$
Rooftop at the Hotel sits on top of the Hotel Reykjavik Marina and delivers the most direct view of the Hallgrímskirkja and the Esja mountain range. The 5th-flo
City Centre · $$$
Canopy by Hilton Rooftop draws a steady local crowd in City Centre. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City Centre · $$$
Loft Rooftop Bar draws a steady local crowd in City Centre. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City Centre · $$$
Petersens Rooftop draws a steady local crowd in City Centre. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City Centre · $$$
Sky Bar at Centerhotel Arnarhvoll draws a steady local crowd in City Centre. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the even
Grandi · $$$
The Coocoo's Nest draws a steady local crowd in Grandi. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
City Centre · $$$
Apotek Restaurant Bar draws a steady local crowd in City Centre. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
a converted apothecary. The room is preserved early 1900s — marble counter · $$$
Apotek is a heritage Reykjavik cocktail bar in a converted apothecary. The room is preserved early 1900s — marble counter, antique apothecary cabinets, dim warm
City centre · $$
The Big Lebowski Bar is Reykjavik's most theatrical themed bar — built entirely around the 1998 Coen Brothers film. White Russians are the signature drink (24 v
City Centre · $$$$
Dill Restaurant Bar draws a steady local crowd in City Centre. Booking is recommended on weekends. Walk-ins are usually possible early in the evening.
Hotel bars solve specific problems. You need a bar near your room. You need somewhere quiet to take a meeting. You want the drink right the first time and you don't want to negotiate a wait. Every recommendation below clears those three bars. Most are open to non-guests; we've flagged any that aren't.
Best for: business travellers, late-checkout drinks, hotel-room negotiations made civilised, anniversaries that deserve a hotel jacket. Pricing skews higher than the city average — that's the trade. The rooms below justify it.
Civilised, polished, not pretending to be a club. Pick by neighbourhood and proximity to where you're sleeping.
Looking beyond Reykjavik? See our guide to the best hotel bars worldwide, or compare hotel bars city by city.