FAST HITS: REYJKAVIK EDITION EDITION

• Name: THE Reykjavik EDITION
• Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
• Cost per night: From 53,438 ISK (approximately 390 USD)
• Ideal for: City lovers
• While you are here, visit: THE Heavenly Lagoon during the day for saunas and sunbathing, and Kikithe only queer bar in Iceland, for a drink in the evening
• One-word mood check: Cool
• Most iconic photo spot: The stone tower in the hall
• Don’t leave without: Have a meal at the hotel restaurant recommended by the MICHELIN Guide, TIDES

BOOK A STAY

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I got red eyes Islandair flight in Reykjavík (only about five and a half hours from New York, by the way!), which meant I showed up at the hotel five hours before my check-in time. The concierge let me check my bags and relax in the lobby before heading out to explore the city, then texted me when my room was ready.

My jet-lagged POV: A giant stone sculpture dominates the hotel entrance. Just a few steps away is a cozy seating area, with comfy chairs and faux sheepskin blankets surrounding a small fireplace in the center of the room. To the right is the lobby bar, featuring a colorful display of bottles. I also have to mention the scent! EDITION hotels all have a deliciously warm, woody scent that *smells* like luxury.

A few days later, the hotel lobby was filled with worshipers dressed in their glittering rainbow outfits, many carrying flags. Icelandic Pride is a very family-friendly celebration, so there were also lots of adorable kids running around!

THE ROOMS

Depending on the orientation of your room, you will have a view either of the port or of the city’s rooftops. The beds (giant! comfortable!) face floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing you to people-watch to your heart’s content. The rooms also have a cute little table and chairs with a faux reindeer rug, a wooden lamp, and thoughtful details like a ceramic water jug ​​and matching mugs. In the bathroom, the rain shower head and personalized Le Labo products were made available. All.

Because it was pride, the staff also left rainbow chocolates in my room with traditional Icelandic flavors including blueberry, birch, tea and Cetraria Islandica honey. Love!

THE AMENITIES

If there’s one thing I learned in Reykjavik, it’s that “Icelandic beach culture”, meaning spending a lot of time in hot springs and saunas, is a THING. The EDITION spa was beyond. With an even more luxurious Nordic design and mood lighting, it has a thermal plunge pool (similar to a hot tub but not as hot), as well as a sauna and steam room. There is also a spa lounge that offers healthy drinks like smoothies and teas.

Swimming in Iceland is a social activity, so I recommend going with friends to chat before going out for drinks or dinner (or, you know, a pride party). Of course, you can also treat yourself to a silent massage, if you prefer. I doubled up on my soak by visiting the Sky Lagoon one afternoon, then heading to the EDITION Spa for some quiet solo relaxation in the evening.

FOOD AND BEV

The meal I had at the EDITION restaurant, TIDESwas hands down the best meal I had in Iceland. Even if you can’t find a room at the hotel, I highly recommend stopping there for a bite to eat. It’s one of those restaurants that uses simple techniques and local produce. All to “let the quality of the ingredients shine”. Trust me, you’ll finally understand what the chefs mean when you taste lobster ravioli, braised Icelandic lamb gnocchi and mussels in white wine.

TIDES was also the location of EDITION’s drag brunch, where the queens Gogo Starr, Lola Von CoeurAnd Úlla the Delish entertained us with elaborate costumes and dance routines while we sipped mimosas and snacked on crepes at the buffet. I can’t say enough good things about it.

THE RESULT

If you are considering participating Pride of Reykjaviklet me encourage you to book your tickets now! I’ve attended many NYC Pride events over the years, and Reykjavík Pride was a totally different and equally special experience. Reykjavík has a population of just under 140,000 and Pride is a weekend-long event that everyone celebrates, especially families and children.

And of course, I also recommend booking a room at Reykjavík EDITION as soon as possible. This will provide a beautiful, luxurious and extremely comfortable home away from home throughout your trip, no matter when you visit. I would know!

Erika W. Smith (she/her) is a senior astrology editor at Cosmopolitan. She also contributes coverage of lifestyle, travel, sex and relationships. During her decade-long media career, she became an expert on “women’s lifestyle” and held positions at Refinery29, BUST magazine and HelloGiggles. His book Astrosex: How to have the best sex according to your astrological sign was released in 2021.