Your Hostel Team
You have found our website. You have seen what we have to offer and planned the trip you have always dreamt of. Now meet the people who are here to help you make it all come true.
Ásta Kristín Þorsteinsdóttir
Quality manager - HI Iceland
astakristin@hostel.is
1. Favorite place in Iceland?
Borgarfjörður eystri. Beautiful landscape, great hiking trails, peaceful little village… and my parents’ house.
2. Best kept secret in Reykjavik?
Not really a secret, but I really like the little sculpture park behind Einar Jónsson museum. It’s always open and free of charge, great for picnics.
3. Best travel experience?
A 3-day roadtrip in the Westfjords in the summer of 2004. I didn’t know that part of the country and it took me by surprise. Great company, sunshine and unattended swimming pools in the middle of nowhere made it even better than expected.
4. In my free time.
When not travelling I plan the next trip, edit photos from my travels or read travel-literature. What can I say… it’s a passion. Other fields of interest: vexillology, cartography and etymology What can I say… I’m a nerd.
5. If I were a queen for a day...
If I were a queen for a day I would make sure all my fellow countrymen were well fed, literate and happy. Then I would dash off to visit a few other kings and queens in exciting far flung countries and return to my lovely little home in the evening, have a cup of hot chocolate and read a good book before going to bed. A long day, but if I were a queen I’d be a super-queen, so nothing would be impossible.
Auður Ösp Ólafsdóttir
Webmaster - HI Iceland
audur@hostel.is
1. Favorite place in Iceland?
Þórsmörk, every season is different and equally lovely.
2. Best kept secret in Reykjavík?
The subs in Nonnabiti (Hafnarstræti), the best 3am grub in town.
3. Best travel experience?
My last trip is always my favorite and thinking nothing will top it, the next one still always manages to amaze me. This summer I visited all the hostels in 6 days, went on a skidoo trip on a glacier, went white river rafting, went kayaking, planted some trees in Þórsmörk, went whale watching, horse back riding and traveled with my family to places I had never seen before. How do you choose?
4. In my free time..
I do something relaxing to wind down from my sometimes hectic schedule. I love traveling, live music, books, quirky movies, my Saturday morning African dance classes and knitting.
5. If I were a queen for a day…
I would get to wear a tiara for a whole day which is always good in my books.
Ragnhildur Ragnarsdóttir
Office Manager - HI Iceland
ragnhildur@hostel.is
1. Favorite place in Iceland?
Landmannalaugar, you need to go there at least once a year.
2. Best kept secret in Reykjavík?
Hot Chocholate at Mokka café (Skólavörðustígur)
3. Best travel experience?
A two day hike in the highlands in the summer of 2006
4. In my free time..
I take walks along the sea shore close to my home
5. If I were a queen for a day…
I would dance the whole day through
Harpa Jóhannsdóttir
Booking department - Reykjavík
harpa@hostel.is
1. Favorite place in Iceland?
My father-in-law’s summerhouse in the Westfjords by Breiðafjörður. It’s very beautiful and quiet with white beaches and beautiful landscape. We go there to relax and have fun together.
2. Best kept secret in Reykjavík?
The best Pizza place in Reykjavik is Eldsmiðjan which is ”hidden” downtown in a street called Bragagata.
3. Best travel experience?
Last summer we stayed at my father-in-law’s summerhouse and traveled around the Westfjords, we saw a lot of beautiful places, the most extraordinary of all was Látrabjarg.
4. In my free time..
I spend most of my free time with my family. I have two girls, three and five years old. We do all sorts of things together, we like to play outside in our yard, go swimming and they love to go to the Reykjavik Park and Zoo in Laugardalur.
5. If I were a queen for a day…
If I were a queen for a day … my girls ultimate dream of becoming princesses would come true. I would probably have to wear the dress and the tiara, accompanied by my two lovely princesses all dressed up as well.
Markús Einarsson
CEO / General Manager
markus@hostel.is
1. Favorite place in Iceland?
Thorsmork - a nature pearl on the south coast of Iceland and Thingvellir - the former home to the oldest parliament in the world.
2. Best kept secret in Reykjavík?
Reykjavík Botanical Garden and Restaurant Flora. 5 min walking distance from Reykjavík City Hostel. A place you cannot miss.
3. Best travel experience?
July 2006. Woke up at Snæfell Campsite at 03.30 am. Started climbing on Snæfell, Iceland's highest non-glacial mountain at 04.00 am. On the top at 07:15 am. Clear skies and beautiful sights over a great part of the country. Back in our tent at 10.00 o´clock. While we ate our breakfast in still weather and 22°C the band Sigur Rós was playing a concert in close proximity to our tent. Unforgettable experience with good friends. That is life - that is Iceland.
4. In my free time..
I try to be as active as possible. Hiking, skiing and fishing are among my hobbies. Beside that I am a great fan of Liverpool Football Club. I'm a board member of the Icelandic Supporters Club - 1800 members
5. If I were a king for a day…
I might be able to answer this question.
Sigríður Ólafsdóttir
Hostel Manager - Reykjavík City Hostel
sirra@hostel.is
1. Favorite place in Iceland?
Mývatn area in the north and the hike around the Dettifoss area.
2. Best kept secret in Iceland?
So many secrets to discover! One of them is Mjóifjörður in the east
3. Best travel experience?
When traveling with a group of good friends as their personal chef late August. We had spent half of the night gazing at the sky filled with glowing northern lights, bathing in the small natural pool in Hveravellir. Early next morning we went for a long walk in yellow moon landscape in Kerlingafjöll jumped over hot rivers and watched out for bubbling geysirs. In 2 hours we were sitting in front of Gullfoss, eating from our picknickbox. All food tastes so much better out in the nature..
4. In my free time..
I live 101 Reykjavík, so taking a walk to meet people and attend events is easy. But sometimes i just need to get out of this microworld of mine and get lost in big cities and learn different cultures so travelling alone and with my family is my passion.
5. If I were a queen for a day…
What to you mean by; IF?
Klara Arnalds
Receptionist - Reykjavík Downtown Hostel
reykjavikdowntown@hostel.is
1. Favorite Icelandic dish?
Plokkfiskur, by far, but it has to have Bernaise sauce and cheese and be baked in the oven. Also the Icelandic lamb deserves a mention.
2. Best kept secret in Reykjavík?
The tiny hot tub at the end of Seltjarnarnes peninsula. The perfect place to bathe your feet in summertime and watch the sun not setting.
3. One thing not to miss in Reykjavík?
The waffles at Mokka Kaffi. Same recipe since 1952, along with the same interior decorations, delicious hot chocolate and the (now 88 year old) owner.
4. When I'm not at work...
I'm obsessed with saunas so I love going to Vesturbær swimming pool into the sauna room (another well kept secret) and then to the hot tub to hear discussions between strangers about politics and the weather. Aside from that I like drawing, reading and dancing till morning.