Butterfly Guesthouse

Sometimes there are places that you visit which forever leave a feeling of happiness etched in your heart. The Butterfly House is one of those places. I realized after staying at The Butterfly House that one doesn’t always need a five star hotel to find what is needed to make a wonderful vacation. It is because of our stay this summer at The Butterfly House in Iceland where I learned the meaning of true hospitality from an amazing innkeeper by the name of Jon. My first reason for selecting The Butterfly House was because of the great reviews, reasonable cost, and the proximity of the property to everything that you will need to be comfortable while visiting Reykjavik. |One thing that is important to understand is that transportation is quite expensive in Iceland so if you are not renting a car selecting accommodations that allow one to walk for dining, to the grocery store, and tours is paramount. The Butterfly House has the absolute best location! We could walk to the square for an amazing dinner, to the bakery for tasty treats, to the bus stop for tour pickup, and the Catholic Cathedral, Whale Safari, tour, tons of amazing restaurants are simply a five to ten minute walk away. |In addition, we loved our apartment because it felt like our home for two weeks. First, and foremost Jon is a meticulous innkeeper and the apartment was spotless. The bedding and towels were crisp and clean. Jon would come and take out the trash and replace our towels as needed and was so attentive to any questions or concerns we had however, he was never intrusive. I believe I bothered him much more. However, he was always patient and kind. |Jon was the absolute best with any requests that we had. If I ever have the pleasure of visiting Iceland again The Butterfly House is number 1 on my list. I find myself missing the simple things about my stay like looking up through the skylight in the evening. It was something about that bedroom and the skylight that provided such peace. |I also miss having the opportunity to walk in such a safe and quiet neighborhood each day. I miss the quiet of the house because even though there were other guests it was so quiet I felt like we were the only family present. I truly enjoyed every moment of our stay at The Butterfly Guesthouse and I would recommend this place to anyone who is interested in staying in Reykjavik. The Butterfly Guesthouse allowed our family to appreciate the simple things in life like peace, quiet, and simplicity. This place truly feels like a home away from home. Takk fyrir Jon for everything! You truly made our first visit to Iceland amazing and memorable….so memorable that I am still smiling six months later.

Butterfly Guest House was the perfect choice for our first stay in Reykjavik! Our host, Jon welcomed us at the door and was extremely warm and congenial throughout our stay. We stayed in one of the apartments which was perfect for all the needs of our stay. Jon had supplied our kitchen with milk and coffee and we had a stove so that we could cook breakfast every day. (This was important because we left early in the am for several tours.)Our apartment had a balcony from which we could see a small slice of the port and we enjoyed eating our breakfast there. Butterfly Guest House is located on a quiet street but is located very closely to tons of restaurants and sights, all easily accessible by walking. Jon passed the real test as a great host when I sprained my ankle while hiking on my last day in Iceland. Jon had me moved from the third floor to a room on the first floor and made sure I was comfortable. I will forever be indebted to him for that! All in all we had a great adventure in Iceland and Butterfly Guest House was a big part of that!

We LOVED our stay at the Butterfly Guesthouse! Jon is a wonderful host and our upstairs apartment was cozy, clean and comfortable. The location is perfect: 5 minute walks to the harbor, the 'old city' and Bus Stop #1, (super convenient for tour and shuttle bus pick-ups). Our apartment was sunny with a private bathroom and kitchenette- perfect for the 3 of us. Coffee, tea and milk were kindly stocked and fresh towels and trash removal were provided twice during the week. Food is fresh and delicious in Iceland but expensive, so we appreciated being able to cook a few meals; that said, local restaurant options were varied and excellent and every meal was fantastic. We did not use the radiators in August, but hot water was plentiful and comes from geothermal sources, (renewable energy hooray!) The hot water everywhere smells a bit like sulfur coming out of the faucet but leaves NO smell on skin, hair or clothing. (Just don't use for cooking or consumption). Cold water is sourced differently and is safe to drink in Iceland. We needed no cabs or public transportation in the city and our furthest walk to the BSI bus station for departure Covid tests was 20 minutes through a beautiful park, (testing is quick, efficient, hygienic and professional- prebook appointments online). Again -Jon is an A+ host who met us on arrival. We loved our trip and look forward to returning to the Butterfly Guesthouse in the future- as so many past guests have done. Thank you Jon!!

Perfect location. The proprietor was VERY friendly and helpful with directions and suggestions. The room was PERFECT for me and my family. The three of us had plenty of space to spend our downtime. It truly felt like our little home away from home. Would DEFINITELY book again if we ever find ourselves back in Iceland!

Our room on the second floor was charming, clean and comfortable. Jon is a very helpful host with a great sense of humor. We didn't rent a car in Reykjavik, so we wanted to be able to walk downtown and near the harbor. The Butterfly Guesthouse is perfect for this.

Oh what a sweet place! My husband (90) and I (72) stayed two nights in this quiet, welcoming little guesthouse. John was most gracious in welcoming us, teaching us how to operate the strange door locks, and explaining the parking.||I had certainly checked the location out on google maps first, but was totally blown away by how CLOSE we were to everything we wanted to see.||We rented a car, but once parked in a free spot two blocks away, we walked everywhere: The Harpa Concert Hall to see "How to Become Icelandic in 60 Minutes", a one-man, show that plays every night in the summer (Don't miss it! It's hilarious!); the City Center with restaurants and bars and lots of activity, including the Settlement Exhibition (Don't miss that!); the Harbor for coffee or dinner. (Yum!)||Our room was a little studio under the first floor, and it had it's own little outdoor sitting area. Ask Jon about the rock being dug out for that whole little addition. ||Highly recommended.

Jon is a wonderful and responsive host. The little extras like coffee, apples, milk, oatmeal were so welcome and the apartment on top floor could not have been any better. So quiet and so welcoming and so close to city center.

I had a great weekend in Reykjavik, and Butterfly Guesthouse was a big part of that. This was my fifth (or more?) visit. Since my first stay, it’s easy to choose Butterfly Guesthouse for location, price, comfort, cleanliness and familiarity. I can easily recommend it to friends and strangers. The owner, Jon, is always cheerful, friendly and helpful. The rooms are really clean and I have been there often enough to see him cleaning. I am impressed. This visit I brought a friend. She usually stays in more expensive places than I do, but she loved the place to and had several great conversations with John. I like that the kitchen fridge has a shelf for each room, so if I feel like a budget day I can buy groceries, store them in the fridge and cook in the kitchen. This was the weekend of the marathon and culture night, and the location was superb. We were close to so many museums, galleries, concerts, outdoor activities, and the fireworks. Harpa is less than five minute walk away. I look forward to staying again.