World Traveller 73 
Our brief stop over in Madrid was at the convenient AC Carlton Hotel by Marriott in Madrid, Spain. We have stayed at this property before during a trip to Spain. It served us well on our last trip so we saw no reason to adjust from past experience. We’d enjoy a suite upgrade on our stay, making a no nonsense experience into a more comfortable stay.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: AC Carlton Hotel by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
We arrived to Madrid Puerta Atocha on Renfe AVE Preferente Seville – Madid at about 7 PM. We walked the one block from the train station down to the AC Hotel Madrid Carleton. We only had one night in Madrid and we were planning on leaving town early the next day.
The neighbourhood isn’t very charming as a train station neighbourhood but it sure is convenient, even when travelling with bags.
Booking and the Arrival Process:
We had last stayed at the AC Carleton Madrid on our first around the world trip in 2012. Given that it was walking distance from the train station, and we knew the way, it was the right choice for our brief stay. Our stay was a reasonable 118 € for the night.
I had checked in online via the Marriott App from the Renfe train and received a push notification that we had been proactively upgraded to a suite as an Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum at about 2 hours prior to arrival.
The lobby is small and compact. There isn’t much charm to it but it’s completely functional. There was also a small dining area in the lobby that was pretty institutional. As in my last trip, there always seem to be senior citizens staying here on tours. The lobby was packed with chatting senior groups when we arrived.
We checked in at the front desk where copies of the passport were taken. Surprisingly, the computer remembered our last stay here six years ago. Instead of the 10 euro for food and beverage within the hotel platinum amenity, I just opted for the bonus 500 Marriott Rewards welcome points.
The Room: A Junior Suite
We were assigned room #712, a Junior Suite. The rooms here aren’t exactly large and spacious but it was more than enough for our brief stay.
There was a jacuzzi tub in the bathroom for those that are into that sort of thing. I think it’s a bit 1990’s.
There was also a complimentary mini bar that contained coca colas, sparking and still water.
Around the Hotel:
Plaza Santa Ana
We dropped our stuff at the hotel and headed on a walk out for dinner. The AC Carleton is located within 10 minutes walk of the Plaza Santa Ana; an area that contains a lot of great outdoor restaurants. It was a beautiful evening as we strolled up the hill towards the Plaza.
We found ourselves a comfortable table immediately opposite the Theatro Espanol in the Plaza Santa Ana for our last night out in Spain.
We had a nice evening out and a slow walk back to the hotel. There was no rowdy train tonight since we had an early departure the next day.
It was nice to have reasonable restaurants within a ten minute walk from the hotel.
The Bottom Line of AC Hotel Carleton Madrid
In summary, the AC Carleton Madrid was a reasonable, clean but slightly dated place to stay near the train station. While it wouldn’t be a first choice for us in Madrid, it was a welcome choice for a quick overnight near the train station. It was also conveniently located for sightseeing around Madrid. As a result, it was the right choice for us on this brief stopover.
If you have stayed in the Madrid Atocha Train Station Area, is there one hotel over another that you prefer?
In Spain, it’s often easier to take a train from city center to city center than by travelling to the airport and taking a short haul flight. In our travels, we ended up taking a train between Seville and Madrid. We would get the experience to test out the comfortable Renfe AVE train in Preferente Business Class. We’d discover a comfortable experience with great seats, making it a comfortable way to travel.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: Renfe AVE Preferente, Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
We checked out from The Hotel Alphonso XIII by Luxury Collection. and we took a 10 € taxi from the hotel to the Seville Santa Justa train station. I was a little hungry so I stopped for a McDonalds cheeseburger where there must have literally been one hundred people in line ahead of me.
Renve AVE
AVE 02361 (Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
Sept 9, 2018
4:15 PM – 6:54 PM
The track was announced and we went down to track 3 to load the train. The tracks are not announced until shortly before departure so it becomes a bit of a waiting game in the general reception area of the train station.
We passed through the security check on the platform.
On Board in Renfe AVE Preferente:
There are several classes of travel on Renfe AVE. The Preferente Class is most representative of business class travel, or a category above lowest.
We were on a bit of an older train today, although still as comfortable as the last one. We departed on time. The train had wifi on board which supported the entertainment movies through the dedicated Renfe App.
Food and Beverage:
We had an initial drink offering. Today’s choice was Spanish Verdejo wine.
After our initial stop in Cordoba, the meal service was offered. Again, it was a small sandwich offering.
We were on the milk run today with several stops in Corodona, Posadas, and Palma del Rio. We didn’t realize this when we bought the ticket but probably could have inferred it from the scheduled time for the return trip which was about 17 minutes longer than the departure.
We eventually arrived at Madrid Puerta Atocha and offloaded our bags. I went and did a little reconnaissance mission to locate the Renfe Cerenas train to the airport for the next morning.
In Summary:
The Renfe AVE Preferente service was still a comfortable way to travel. As we’d learn later, it was much more comfortable than our German DB Bahn experiences later in the year. Although they’ve had some cuts in the food and beverage, it was still nice that they actually served something over nothing at all.
If you’ve travelled through Spain, do you take the Renfe AVE train instead of an Iberia domestic flight?
Our travels today took us to the two heavy weight tourist attractions of Seville, Spain; the Seville Cathedral and the Alcazar. Both of these attractions take a substantial amount of time and it’s best recommended to split them up into separate days when possible in order to get the most out of each attraction.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
City Visit: Inside the Seville Cathedral and the Alcázar of Seville, Spain.
We had a bit of a sleep in and enjoyed another Marriott Bonvoy Elite Platinum Breakfast in the great room. The Alphonso XIII breakfast room was interestingly designed and breakfast had all the goodies one could ask for. This included free flow Cava, which made MrsWT73 very happy. The breakfast hall of the Hotel Alphonso XIIII, by Luxury Collection is more like a ball room, with an intricate ceiling.
Despite all the guidebooks’ advice of not visiting both the Seville Cathedral and the Alcázar attractions on the same day, our visit times curing our stay didn’t allow for this flexibility and we ended up having to complete both attractions in one day. However, I do agree with their advice, if you have the opportunity and flexibility in your schedule, it’s best to split these up given the sheer amount of sights to see at each location.
Visiting the Seville Cathedral:
Our first stop today was at the Seville Catherdal. The opening hours were more limiting here being only open for the day between 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM so we opted to tackle this attraction first. After about 15 minutes in line to purchase tickets, we were admitted to the massive hall. The Seville Cathedral is among the largest Gothic Cathedrals in the world. It is reported to be 23,500 square meters.
We took in the large spaces. We stopped by the reported tomb of Christopher Columbus. There is a conspiracy theory that he may actually be buried in the Dominican Republic, despite this opulent stay.
There were also several works of art on display as we made our way throughout the complex.
We climbed Giralda Tower within the Seville Cathedral. The Giralda Tower was initially a miniaret for the mosque that used to occupy this site from 1200 AD. It was a ramp initially designed so that the guards could climb up on horseback the 31 floors to the top. There were some interesting views from the top and the various portholes along the way.
We passed through the Orange Grove of 60 trees on our way towards the exit. There was some traces of the cathedral’s previous history as a mosque based on the arch like architecture on the way out.
A Tapas Snack for Lunch:
We were feeling a little snackish so we headed up just next to the Cathedral towards Plaza Salvador for lunch. We ended up in a random tapas and wine bar called Robles Placentines. We had a brief tapas’ snack with some tasty Verdejo to wash it down with.
Visiting the Alcázar:
After our fill up, our second visit this afternoon was to the Alcázar. The Alcázar was a historic castle that was the residence of many generations of kings.
The property is large and sprawling. Although it is decorated without furniture, you can get an idea of the configuration through the layout of its rooms and the story boards.
There were many examples of historic architecture and tiling in this part of the world. The detail was one of the most interesting parts of the Alcázar.
The grounds also had beautiful gardens fit for a king.
After all that, we wandered back to the hotel for a rest. We eventually headed out to dinner at La Moderna, a small and somewhat touristy place just off la Giralta from the Seville Cathedral. They had tasty but somewhat uninspiring tapas’ .
Since it was Saturday night, we then headed over to La Bodega de Santa Cruz, a popular and busting neighbourhood bar that spilled out into the street. We jostled at the counter for wine, then took up a table outside. We struck up several conversations with a younger British couple in property law that were visiting for an extended weekend from Birmingham, United Kingdom. We also enjoyed another chat with a couple from Toulouse, France who were also here away from their kids for the weekend. We had a great time and eventually closed down the place when they hit last call at 12:30 AM; surprisingly early for a Saturday night.
My Thoughts on Seville, Spain:
All in all, we really enjoyed the weekend in Seville. I was happy to have finally gotten the opportunity to visit, after our past trip to Madrid and Barcelona. There were lots of attractions to see, a vibrant casual restaurant culture, along with warm temperatures and heat. I would have enjoyed to explore more of the surrounding area, but given our schedule, it would have to be saved for another trip.
If you’ve visited Seville, Spain, how many days did you put into your visit here and was in enough to see everything?
Our first day in Seville had us taking in the sights of this terrific city known for its intricate squares and world class cathedral. We started off with a wander through the Alcazar getting to know this wonderful town and learning of the Seville Cathedral and the Plaza’s that make up the heartbeat of this city.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
City Visit: Walking the Streets of Seville, Spain
After our check in and a quick freshen up, we headed out to explore the town. Our hotel, The Hotel Alphonso XIII by Luxury Collection is well located in the middle of town and about 150 meters walk from all the main attractions.
A walking tour of Seville, Spain:
It was a warm and close walk up to the Seville Cathedral which was only about 7 minutes walk from the hotel. It was a beautiful sunny and warm day as we set out in the low thirties Celsius.
We headed up to the Seville Cathedral church, and the Alcázar. We wandered over through the Barrio Santa Lucia, taking in the small alleyways of this quaint neighborhood.
A great day for strolling and taking in cafes.
There were lots of interesting alleys throughout Santa Lucia, with buildings that appeared to be mostly residential on the upper portions.
A Tapas Snack at Cervecia Cathedral:
We later wandered back towards to church. It was a bright day and we were felling peckish so we opted for a patio at Cervecia Catherdral and some tapas with a bottle of Verjedo. I had some quail egg on salmon which was to die for. MrsWT73 had some olives and fried goat cheese over balsamic that was also equally as tasty.
Visiting Plaza Neuva & Plaza de San Franciso:
We then wandered up town to Plaza Neuva and Plaza de San Franciso and the main shopping district down Calle Tetuán and Velázquez. After MrsWT73 entered and visited several shoe stores, I ended up with a Lemon Gelato to pass the time. It was also an opportunity to take a look at the Seville Catherdral and its more intricate features in the setting light of the day.
The in town area was quite interesting and continued the theme of interesting architecture.
We ended up at El Corte Ingles and then back on the opposing street back towards the Cathedral. We returned to the hotel room for a brief rest and apperativo prior to heading out to dinner.
We wandered over to Bar Cathedral which was over in a residential area of Barrio de Santa Cruz. It was identified by Lonely Planet as a top choice for local tapas. It was slightly out of the touristed area and seemed to be frequented by locals. We were the only tourists there at the time of our visit. After a tapas sampler platter, we were stuffed and rolled back home to bed.
If you’ve visited Seville, Spain, did you find it worthy of your time in Spain?
The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Seville, Spain is one of the world’s most famous hotels. In addition to being a past palace, it’s made it mark in many novels and is a center piece in Seville’s main center district. A stay at this property is similar to experiencing royalty. Read on to see how our stay was in these elegant surroundings.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: The Hotel Alfonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Hotel, Seville, Spain
The hotel was designed by the architect José Espiau y Muñoz, it was built between 1916 and 1928 especially for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929. It officially opened on April 28, 1929, with a sumptuous banquet attended by King Alfonso XIII and Queen Victoria Eugenie of Battenberg.
The Hotel Alfonso XIII was easily the most elegant Luxury Collection Hotel stay ever. The service was professional and polished. The stay in the ornate hotel makes you feel like royalty”
Locating the Hotel:
The hotel is well positioned in the center of Seville, Spain. It is within walking distance to everything in central Seville and is the perfect location for basing yourself for a stay in Seville.
Getting There and Checking In:
Our taxi arrived to the front of the hotel. The hotel is actually a past mansion and makes a great first impression on arrival. We were immediately greeted and are bags were tagged for delivery to the room. This is a good thing as many European hotels seem to have stairs at the front of the building unlike our Asian or North American counterparts.
There was a lot of activity in the lobby but we were attended to at check in promptly. I had initially booked a regular Deluxe Room. I had applied Suite Night Awards to this reservation and they had cleared into a Deluxe Suite. I had considered a booking under the past Starwood Luxury Privileges program but wasn’t able to find a competitive rate that would make the inclusions of the Luxury Privileges Program worthwhile. The fantastic impressions continued as the property was beautifully decorated and well maintained.
We were turned over to Raphael, a hotel ambassador, who was kind enough to give us a brief tour of the property, including the restaurants and pool area. He then led us to our room and gave us a run down of the features. He pointed out the elevators, which were actually behind those doors.
He also took us on a walk through the square lobby. The lobby contained a lounge, a courtyard that offered fine dining, and the breakfast area. It was sheer unique opulence that had been loveingly restored.
The Room: A Deluxe Suite
We eventually headed up to our Deluxe Suite #203 by elevator. The attention to detail continued in the guest hallways. The hotel was beautifully decorated at every corner.
Our deluxe suite was situated in one of the corners of the hotel. It had a nicely appointed sitting area and a small dining space.
There was a very small dining area in the suite. It contained an oversized table. We usually used it for storage of items.
There was a small mini bar refrigerator in the living area.
The bedroom was nicely appointed and comfortable with the period.
The suite had automated blinds, which was convenient for going dark at night. The room had quite high ceilings, which allowed a lot of natural light.
The bathroom was slightly compact. It was decorated in a strange but fitting zebra like tiling. Best of all, it featured Acqua de Parna toiletries in reasonably large sizes.
The living room had open street views. Although there was a street car running immediately outside the hotel, it was pretty quiet and wasn’t super intrusive.
The layout of the hotel from room #203.
The Hotel Pool area:
We later wandered down to the hotel pool area. We found it through an inconspicuous service galley styled entrance. It was a nice small space outside that was full of people lounging about taking in the great weather today. It can be a challenge to dress up a small pool area but the hotel did a great job here given the likely lack of real estate for a castle in the middle of the city.
Food and Beverage:
We had a bit of a sleep in and enjoyed another Marriott Bonvoy / Starwood Preferred Guest Platinum Breakfast in the great room. The Alphonso XIII breakfast room was interestingly designed and breakfast had all the goodies one could ask for. This included free flow Cava, which made MrsWT73 very happy. The breakfast hall of the Hotel Alphonso XIII is more like a ball room, with an intricate ceiling.
When it came time to leave, the check out was handled flawlessly and easily. The staff had the bags moved down the stairs to the front area had a taxi ordered with a minimum of hassle. I happened to note that we had 108 € of complimentary Platinum breakfasts (27 € per person per day) waived from our bill.
It was a very exceptional stay and probably one of my all time favourite Starwood Preferred Guest stays ever. The Hotel had terrific staff, an interesting and unique building, but not with so many guests that you felt like just a number. It offered professional service at each and every contact.
In Summary:
The Hotel Alphonso XIII was one of my better hotel stays. I’ve had a wide variety of experiences with the Luxury Collection. Some have been better than others, but this was easily the top experience for this brand. The staff were attentive, the room was impeccable and the property was beautiful. Add up a great location and an interesting environment and it made for an excellent stay.
If you have stayed with the Luxury Collection brands of hotels, is there one property that stands out as being above all others ?
The trains in Spain are run by Renfe AVE, a world class inter city train system. Our trips with Renfe AVE would end up being easy to book, mostly punctual and fairly comfortable in terms of on board amenties, meals and timeliness. Read on to see how our most recent trip from Spain’s Madrid Atocha to Seville Santa Justa fared.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: Renfe AVE Preferente, Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
We walked the ten minutes per Google Maps downhill from the Westin Madrid to the Madrid Atocha station. It was more like 20 minutes by the time we navigated slow pedestrians and some various sidewalk construction around the area.
Renve AVE
AVE 02120 (Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa)
Sept 6, 2018
12:00 PM – 2:32 PM
We arrived at the train station at about T-30. We entered into a secure area which involved a baggage X-ray. The train platform was not announced until about T-20 which prompted a small stampede to track 5.
On Board Renfe AVE:
We had booked in Prefrente (business) today and we were in the first car closest to the escalators. The Renfe trains have a small baggage area near the entrance. There are small places for personal items above the seat. We were fortunate to be among the first as the baggage space for normal sized suitcases went quite quickly.
We found our assigned seats. Renfe did not allow selection of the seats from the website based on the fare class we had taken. As a result, as we located our pre-assigned seats, it turned out we were facing backwards. It was not my first choice but there wasn’t anything that I could do about it.
The train left on time. As we got underway, the service staff offered crackers and a complimentary beverage service in classy plastic sippy cups.
Food and Beverage:
A lunch service consisting of a snack box and a glass of wine was offered a bit later. This came with a menu car featuring an advertising promotion for a celebrity chef. The sandwiches were just plain old sandwiches however. The catering has slimmed down to a more industrial and cafeteria style of service since the last time that we had travelled on Renfe AVE about 6 years ago. We then had a normal airline sized tray of food versus a small cardboard box.
After a 10 minute stop in Cordoba, we were underway again. The train emptied our with about 60% of our car getting off in Cordoba.
We arrived in Sevilla Santa Justa on time. We found ourselves a taxi to the hotel which was inexpensive, about 10€ including 3 € extras for our bags.
In Summary:
The Renfe AVE service is still reasonable and an enjoyable way to get around city centre to city centre. It was much more enjoyable than my German DB Bahn experiences later in the year. As a result. it’s a worthwhile alternative to flying while in Spain.
If you’ve travelled with Renfe AVE, how do you find it compares with other European train systems like Deutsche Bhan in Germany or SNCF in France ?
The Westin Palace Madrid is one of the most aspirational properties in the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio. It commands an exceptional location in a historic building that is filled with luxury features. We would get the opportunity to stay in a spacious suite at this property, in addition to enjoying a wonderful breakfast.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: The Westin Palace, Madrid, Spain
It sounds silly but after watching years of Starwood Preferred Guest TV and seeing the promotion for the Westin Palace Madrid and it’s breakfast, and reported excellent treatment of Platinum members at this property, the repeated messaging made this hotel onto the list as a place to visit and stay. Unfortunately, we were here for only a short stay thanks to train schedules.
Getting to the Westin Madrid:
After arriving off of Icelandair Saga Business Class Keflavik – Madrid, we rolled outside the airport with our baggage. We hopped a 30€ flat rate taxi to the city center. Madrid has now fixed the rate from the airport to the city as a flat rate. Despite this, there were lots of advertisements for Uber inside the airport.
The hotel is well located in central Madrid. It is reasonably close to the train station and, more importantly, has great tapas bars within a block of the hotel.
Arriving to the Westin Madrid:
The building is a hall mark of architecture in Madrid and we had previously photographed the area and the neighbourhood in on our last trip through in 2012.
Getting back to the trip at hand, after about 15 minutes in the taxi, we arrived out front of the Westin Palace Madrid. It is truly a striking building that was tastefully lit up at night.
Arriving and Checking In:
The bell assistance was prompt and immediately assisted with unloading of the bags from the taxi. As I was getting out of the taxi, the bell man happened to notice that my wallet had slipped from my pocket into the seat of the taxi as I was trying to pay the driver. The bellman pointed it out to me to make sure that I didn’t forget it. I thanked him for this and he replied simply “it’s my job”. It was thoroughly professional and a great first impression for the arrival.
“The Westin Madrid was a spectacular old world hotel that was inspiring to stay in. The Marriott Platinum Treatment was excellent and we even received a further upgrade on top of a Suite Night Award”
We headed inside and checked in at the front desk. I had applied a Suite Night Award to this reservation and it had cleared into a Deluxe Suite at the 5 day mark. On check in, we were able to get a further upgrade to an Executive Suite with a fountain view. At the counter, there was also an iPad showcasing up sell opportunities to suites. As with all the public spaces at the hotel, the lobby area was a grand place.
The Room: An Executive Suite
An Executive Suite – Fountain View
We were assigned room 624 and led ourselves up to the room, leaving our larger bags with the bell staff. The bell staff were able to bring the larger bags were up promptly. The hallways and elevator areas were nicely appointed as you’d expect for a world class historic hotel.
The room itself was very nicely decorated. Usually in historic hotel rooms, the rooms tend to show a lot of wear and tear thanks in part to their smaller size. Our suite was in impeccable condition, without scratches, wear or any scuff marks on the wall. There was a burnt out bedstand light but who’s complaining; only the guy taking review photos!! (Laughing).
The suite had a separate sitting area with television, bedroom and separate bathroom.
The room had daylight windows and a direct view of the fountain.
The bathroom was large and spacious for a European bathroom. It featured a separate shower and bathtub. Toiletries were the usual Westin White Tea Aloe.
I snapped a quick photo of the floor map for those that are interested to see the layout of the historic hotel.
Food and Beverage near the hotel:
We were a little peckish and hungry after the flight, so we immediately dropped the bags and headed out for some tapas. We walked one block from the hotel to La Dolores where we had previously been on our last trip to Madrid. It’s a light and bright tapas’ bar with large outdoor windows and drinking glasses from Germany on display behind the bar.
We were able to easily get a seat at the counter at 11:00 PM for several tasty glasses of Rioja & along with several scrumptious tapas of smoked salmon, Roquefort cheese over baguette, beautiful olives and pickles.
We crawled back to the hotel after a quick walk around the fountain out front at 12:30 AM. We jumped into the massive Westin bed for a great but short sleep.
Food and Beverage in the Hotel:
“The breakfast room featured a classic glass cupola that set the stage for a terrific breakfast buffet”
We woke up at 8 AM and headed downstairs for an optionally included SPG Platinum Breakfast benefit. The breakfast was one of the reasons for coming here, as it is offered under the large “historic glass cupola”. The brunch was normally chargeable at 38€ per person. It is set in a beautiful space with lots of natural light.
MrsWT73 commented that it was gorgeous for a breakfast, but that “I wouldn’t want to have dinner here”. She prefers contemporary spaces. It is indeed a beautiful old world breakfast room that was a great place to start the day.
The breakfast itself was tasty, offering a full egg station, prosecco and other delicies. It was indeed as good as reported and was among one of my better all time Platinum Breakfast offerings; perhaps second to the Westin Europa Venice where breakfast can be taken on the deck outside listening to gondoliers.
In Conclusion:
The Westin Palace Madrid is an absolutely beautiful property that has been wonderfully maintained and resorted. It would be really spectacular to experience a long stay here in an exceptional suite. Our stay was all to short. I would even come back for the Platinum Treatment which was excellent. In summary, a highly recommended property worthy of a visit.
If you have stayed at the Westin Madrid, did you enjoy the property and all it’s historic features?
Icelandair offers connecting service from North America to Western Europe through it’s hub in Keflavik Reykjavik Iceland. It also offers a proper business class recliner seat to and from Iceland, where many other European carriers offer an economy class seat with a blocked middle. How does Icelandair fare up on an intra-Europe business class segment?
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: Icelandair Saga Class Boeing 757, Reykjavík (Keflavik) – Madrid
While we were in the lounge, efficient Icelandair posted a 15 minute flight delay that came to us via SMS and email. At about T-35, we left the Icelandair Saga Lounge Keflavik and headed down to the gate A14. When we arrived, it seemed that our plane “Hekla Aurora” was still fuelling. The airport doesn’t allow for great photographs from the gate where we were at. As a result, I got the partial photograph blocked by the jet bridge.
Icelandair Airlines
FI 594 – Saga Business Class (O)
KEF – MAD (Keflavik Airport – Madrid Barajas)
Sept 6, 2018
3:00 PM – 9:05 PM
Booked: Boeing 757-200
Flown: Boeing 757-200
On Board Icelandair Saga Class:
Priority boarding was called and we boarded via Door 2L. We turned left into the now familiar and usual IcelandAir Saga Class Boeing 757-200 business class configuration of 2-2. The seats offer recliner styled seating, which is not so exciting but miles and leagues better than the usual European Business Class economy seating with a blocked middle.
“Icelandair’s retro Saga Class business class seats pale in comparison to overseas international carriers, but are miles ahead of the narrow body economy seats that pass for business class around Europe”
IcelandAir doesn’t seem to sell much business class. Similar to our overseas flight over, the load in business was light. On today’s flight, only 9 out of 22 seats were occupied.
Pre – Departure Services:
Onboard waiting at the seat, there was a bottle of Icelandic Water on the console and a pillow available on the seat.
There was no pre-departure beverage today. I got the impression that it was not offered for the shorter / medium haul flights.
Departing Iceland:
We pushed back fairly quickly and we headed out to runway 10 at Keflavik International Airport.
We had a take off over Keflavik where I took some photos of the town as we passed over. The terrain around the airport is stark barren compared to the majestic mountains we saw in other parts of the country.
Food and Beverage:
As we got airborne and to cruising altitude, menus were dropped off in addition to a wine list. The food choices are remarkably simple and a bit narrow in selection since only two options were offered. IcelandAir offered its’ similar Gin Library on the flights, including 7 kinds of Gin available. I was a happy camper.
They also featured the international Gin standby’s for those that don’t like the local craft.
The Meal: A Lunch
We were offered a pre-meal beverage service along with some low rent pretzels that were upbranded in a Vikur cardboard box that looked like an Ikea food product. I started with my usual Gin and Tonic, along with Bertha’s Revenge Milk Gin from Ireland and a Franklin and Sons light low calorie tonic.
The main course was served all at once. Today’s offer was Artic Char with creamed wild mushrooms, salt baked root vegetables and Icelandic pearl barley, along with cheesecake with berry sauce. I don’t usually like fish on a plane but it was all fairly tasty.
The wifi internet was working on today’s flight unlike the last one. A quick sign in with our seat number and confirmation booking code and we were on line for most of the flight. The download speeds were okay. Sadly, the upload speeds weren’t very good. I wasn’t able to upload 6 pictures to facebook; “taking a while to post”. I gave up after about 20 minutes. Still I was able to enjoy some pleasant sunsets.
Throughout the flight, I had some rather socially loud Icelandic male chatterboxes behind me in Seats 3A / 3C. It was only noticeable as they had moved there from across aisle from Seats 2D/F. I can only describe the situation similar to being in a pot of boiling water. The longer it went on, the louder and worse it got. I eventually self re-located over to 2F across the aisle to get away from the “Yaaa!”s and the excited conversation noise that went with it.
As the flight drew to an end, we had a slow and circular approach into Madrid. We pulled up to another remote stand near Terminal 1. Two buses were available to meet us, and the stairs were rolled up promptly. The bags were out without issue.
We would arrive and transfer over to a beautiful suite at the Westin Madrid for our short stay.
In Summary:
Icelandair was a comfortable way to get to and from Iceland. The large comfortable seats were much better than the euro-business class offered with other European carriers. The lounge chairs were a much more pleasant way to get towards Europe, and much better than the comparable euro-business class seats we would have had flying One World or Star Alliance. Aside from my Icelandic drinking flight mates seated behind me, it was a near perfect flight.
If you have flown Icelandair from Europe to Iceland, do you find their business class to be better than British Airways or Lufthansa?
Icelandair happens to run one of the more interesting lounges in Europe; the Icelandair Saga Business Lounge at the Keflavik International Airport in Iceland. We would get our opportunity to explore the features of this spacious and uncrowded lounge during a visit prior to a departing Icelandair Saga Business Class flight.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik International Airport, Reykjavik, Iceland
After checking out of the ION Adventure Hotel in Nesjavillir, Iceland, we headed for the Reykjavik International Airport in our Hertz rental Nissan Qashqui.
The Reykjavik airport at Keflavik was an older building with dated Scandinavian design. This odd design had narrow walkways with quite a few people sacked out on the ground repacking their bags.
Checking Into Icelandair Saga Business Class:
We hit up the Tax Free cashier to claim the tax exemption on MrsWT73’s hoodie. We then headed over to the IcelandAir Saga Class check in. In a dark corner, we were promptly checked in with our bags tagged on Icelandair Saga Business Class Reykjavik – Madrid. There was no canvass or request to show onward proof of travel despite us being on a one way ticket into the EU. We were given friendly directions on how to reach the IcelandAir Saga Lounge. It is the only dedicated IcelandAir lounge in the entire network.
Thanks likely in part due to odd flight times, cooking is apperently prohibited in the airport. . . it must happen so often that they actually need a sign up for it.
We headed to security screening where there was a Fast Track lane that was surprisingly empty on arrival. We were though security quickly with a minimum of fuss and through another massive duty free space on the secure side.
After MrsWT73 purchased a stuffed puffin as a souvenir from duty free, we headed down the concourse to the IcelandAir Saga Class lounge. The concourse initially seemed to be for regular flights to Europe, but the airport appears to have grown substantially where the concourse and the amount of flights has exceeded the available capacity. This translated into zig and zagging around other travellers at every opportunity. For some reason, there were no seats or holding areas near the gates so lines piled up along the sides of the walls quite considerably.
Accessing the Lounge:
The Saga Lounge is immediately up one floor towards the end of the concourse. We gained access to the lounge thanks to the business class level of our IcelandAir ticket. Some Alaska Airlines status holders (MVP Gold and higher) can also access the lounge when flying economy class on an Icelandair ticket.
Inside The Icelandair Saga Lounge:
“The Icelandair Saga Lounge is a terrific flagship lounge. It has great space, fabulous airside views and craft food and beverage. The lounge is a must visit if you are flying Icelandair Saga Class”
The Icelandair Saga Business lounge is quite large and mostly square in shape. There are loungers throughout most of the lounge. Most chairs were completely empty on our daytime visit, leaving a great selection of places to sit. One of the first things that you notice when you enter the lounge are the terrific daylight views all over the concourse from all angles..
There was some retro art on the walls similar to an American Express Centurion lounge near you. The centre of the lounge has an art feature of Icelandic rock, similar to a large cairn.
The best feature of the lounge was the comfortable fireplace, which made for a popular gathering point. I can’t think of the last lounge I was in that had a fireplace designed as a living feature and not a decorative feature off hidden in a corner.
Food and Beverage:
The lounge also featured an eating area along with a snack area. The snacks were tasty but chicken wings alone weren’t large enough to replace a meal.
Another impressive area of the lounge was the ample liquor selection. On our visit, these included Reykjavik Distillery specialty liquors, Reyka Small Batch Vodka, and Tanqueray No Ten Gin among others. There were also Icelandic Gull Beers and other bottled waters.
We would enjoy our stay here prior to departing on Icelandair Saga Business Class Reykjavik – Madrid.
In Summary:
All in all, the Icelandair Saga Business Lounge was really nice lounge that happened to be completely empty on our visit. This is in stark contrast to lounges in mainland Europe that are often completely stuffed full of travellers. The lounge was well stocked with great drinks. It even had MrsWT73’s seal of approval; which is something that’s not given lightly.
How do you find that the Icelandair Saga Business Class Lounge compares with your favourite lounge in Europe ?
The area around the ION Adventure Hotel is still stunning and attractive. It’s truly amazing on how the geography in Iceland is picturesque, inspiring and everything that you’d imagine when you planned a trip to Iceland.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Region Visit: Nesjavillir, Iceland
Today was get away day and unfortunately, time to leave Iceland. We had really enjoyed our visit and the opportunity to explore the various parts of the country side. For once, I actually believed that I would be returning to a country sooner rather than later.
Before we left the ION Adventure Hotel, I took a short clamber on the hiking trail behind the hotel. It seems there are hiking trails all over the country. Everything seems to be very well marked here.
We checked out of the Ion Adventure Hotel and took a new route self driving back towards Reykjavik. We took the 435 Route immediately behind the hotel which led over a mountain pass. There were some stellar views as we crested the various hills over each small range.
The road eventually led down to Reykjavik across some large plains. The route was adjacent to the Nesjavellir pipeline facility.
We filled our Nissan Qashqai up with diesel near the airport. Our 717 km (444 miles) driven cost us 9,300 ISK ($84 USD) at a about $2 USD a Litre ($6.86 USD per Gallon). I dropped MrsWT73 off at the airport with the bags and I returned the car at the nearby Hertz lot without any issues.
The costal region of Southern Iceland is truly a majestic and beautiful corner of the world. If you happen to visit it on a gorgeous day, you’ll be treated to awe inspiring scenery that is unrivalled through the world. We would spend today on a day of sightseeing between Nesjavillir to Dyronlaey in Southern Iceland.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Region Visit: Waterfalls, Plane Wrecks and Glaciers. Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland.
We woke up at about 8 AM at the ION Adventure Hotel. I peeked outside the windows and the view was clear blue. I was super stoked since the weather had been a bit foul up to now.
The Route:
The day ended up looking like this. The times are a return trip. The route ended up being more spectacular than the Golden Circle and I would recommend this route over the Golden Circle if you only had time for one on your visit.
We got up and headed out the door. We took 360 rural route down to Selfoss. There were some beautiful lake views of Pingveillir along the way.
Breakfast at Kaffi Kaus:
Once in Selfoss, we had breakfast at the Kaffi Kaus. We decided not to go for an overpriced breakfast at the ION hotel. It was a great little vintage house restaurant. An omelette with bacon, mushrooms, onion cheese, fresh bread and salad really hit the spot.
We headed eastward on Route 1 for the Southern Region of Iceland self driving tour today from Skógfoss to Vik.
We started at some unnamed waterfalls on the side of the road next to the magnificent Eyjafallajökull. Eyjafallajökull was the volcano that was responsible for the massive air shutdown between the Americans and Europe.
We continued down the road. The scenery of the road against the mountain and the coast made for some beautiful photo opportunities. Coupled with the fact that we were at 67 latitude, it meant that the sun was never overhead high enough to wash out the photos; making all day a great time to take pictures!
A Visit to Skógafoss:
As we approached Skógar, we hit up the waterfalls at Skógfoss. These were absolutely terrific; a picture postcard version of why you’d come to visit Iceland.
Lots of people here, including a television crew and a wedding photographer, but that didn’t get in the way of some spectacular postcard views.
We decided on a whim that we were feeling athletic. Why not – it’s a beautiful day… We decided to climb the stairs up to the top of the 62 meter high waterfall.
Once at the top, there were more beautiful alpine views and trails to climb higher and higher. I didn’t realize this at the time, but the trail continued upwards for several days worth of hiking travel onto the glacier.
Skógfoss was an absolutely spectacular place to visit. It’s an absolute must for any nature lover.
A Visit to Sólhelmajökull Glacier:
We left Skógfoss and down the road to Sólhelmajökull. Sólhelmajökull is a UNESCO certified glacier that flows down from the Myrdalsjökull ice cap. We took route 221 from the Ring Road about 4 km up to the parking lot. We parked and headed up on foot to the base of the glacier- about 800 meters.
The glacier unfortunately is in recession and has been so since 2010. It is very unique to be able to see a glacier up close and we were able to spend some time enjoying the view. There appeared to be lots of interpretive groups visiting this location for education or ice climbing excursions.
If you look closely, you can see the ice climbing expedition group standing on the top of the glacier cap in this next photograph…
We left the glacier on absolutely beautiful roads. The parts of Iceland that we were able to see were absolutely spectacular!
A visit to Dyrhólaey:
We then went onto Dyrhólaey. Dyrhólaey is a recognizable plateau on the coast that offers terrific views. We were able see both westward and eastward up the coastline. This included some column views in addition to the black sand beach at Reynisfjara.
From looking towards the east, and following the hiking trails, one could see the famous black sand beach that Iceland is known for.
It seems pretty hard to take a bad picture in this country! This is made easier by the fact that because you’re at Latitude 67, the sun is never towering overhead giving you harsh mid day light.
A Walk to Sólheimasandur:
After the visit to Dyrhólaey, we headed back westward on the ring road toward the Sólheimasandur beach. The beach is locally famous for a US Navy DC-3 militarized plane that crash landed here on November 21, 1973.
The trail head parking lot was stuffed full of cars when we set off at 3:45 PM. The trailhead sign cautioned a 3 – 4 hour round trip walk over a four mile journey. The flat trail was easily walkable, with an end distance that seemed much closer than it actually appeared. Walking briskly. we made it to the wreckage in about 45 minutes.
MrsWT73 was not smiling as much when she was 80% into the hike, unlike as pictured here.
The wreckage was pretty interesting. It was covered in tourists when we were there. We were still able to get some cool photographs in what appeared to be a moon tundra like landscape.
After the 45 minute walk back, we headed to the last waterfall attraction of the day at Seljalandsfoss. For some reason, this site was the only location that we had visited today charging 700 ISK for parking, although not many visitors seemed to be actually paying. The afternoon light was hitting the water steam just right.
Wow – we took in a lot of sightseeing today. Instead of eating at the expensive hotel restaurant in the Ion Adventure Hotel, we went back to Kaffi Kaus in Selfoss for dinner. We were passing through Selfoss on the way to Nesjavillir anyway. I had a blue cheese burger which was really tasty.
We arrived back to Nesjavillir. We did a little pack up and headed down to the hot tub where the stars were out on full display.
In Summary:
The drive to Dyrhólaey was easily the highlight of our sightseeing trip in Iceland. The beautiful mountains and scenery made the trip all that worthwhile. I would easily pick it over the Golden Circle since there seemed to be more points of interest that were unique to these areas of the world. We have large waterfalls in Canada so I found other areas such as the black sand beach, glaciers and plane wrecks to be much more interesting and engaging.
If you’ve visited the South Coast of Iceland, did you find it an inspiring and worthwhile place to visit?
Much of your travels through Iceland are going to involve remote mountain landscapes and accommodation that is outside of the urban metropolis of Reykjavik. Our exploration of the Southern Coast line of Iceland had us based at the comfortable and boutique ION Adventure Hotel in Nesjavillir, Iceland.
This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.
If you enjoyed this post, please follow us here or on social media through Facebook, Twitter or Instagram for more travel tips and hacks on how to “Upgrade Your Travels”.
Read more from this trip:
- Introduction: Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Iceland Air Saga Class & British Airways First Class
- Plaza Premium Lounge: Transborder Vancouver
- Alaska Airlines: Vancouver – Seattle
- American Express Centurion Lounge, Seattle Tacoma, USA
- Icelandair Saga Class: Seattle – Keflavik
- Hotel 101, A Member of Design Hotels, Reykjavik, Iceland
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part I
- City Visit: Reykjavik, Iceland – Part II
- The Blue Lagoon, Iceland
- The Golden Circle, Iceland
- Ion Adventure Hotel, A Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Nesjavillir to Dyrhólaey, Iceland
- Nesjavillir, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Business Lounge, Keflavik, Iceland
- Icelandair Saga Class: Keflavik – Madrid
- The Westin Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Renfe AVE: Madrid Puerta Atocha – Sevilla Santa Justa
- The Hotel Alphonso XIII, A Luxury Collection Resort, Seville, Spain
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part I
- City Visit: Seville, Spain – Part II
- Renfe AVE: Sevilla Santa Justa – Madrid Puerta Atocha
- AC Carlton by Marriott, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Velazquez Premium Business Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain
- Iberia Business Class: Madrid – Marrakech
- The Pearl Lounge, Arrivals Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part I
- City Visit: Marrakech, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Lunch at Aman Yella, Marrakech, Morrocco
- Activity: Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part I
- Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco – Part II
- Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco
- Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco
- The Pearl Lounge, Departures Hall, Marrakech Airport, Morocco
- British Airways Club Europe: Marrakech – London Gatwick
- Le Meridien Piccadilly, London, United Kingdom
- City Visit: London, United Kingdom
- Qantas Business Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- Cathay Pacific First Class Lounge, London Heathrow T3, United Kingdom
- British Airways First Class: London – Vancouver
Review: ION Adventure Hotel, a Member of Design Hotels, Nesjavillir, Iceland.
We ended up selecting this place to enjoy a little visit to rural Iceland. The fact the property happened to be affiliated with Starwood Preferred Guest (now Marriott Bonvoy) was a bonus.
The history behind this hotel is that it used to be staff housing for the sulphur plant. The sulphur plant happens to be right next door and is on full view when you arrive as the hotel shares a driveway with the sulphur plant. The marketing team conveniently left that part off the brochure and website! What this means for the visitor, is that aside from the view on the drive in, the ex-employee rooms are quite small and institutional. However, ION Hotels has attempted to jazz up the experience and they have done that quite well for the most part.
“The ION Adventure Hotel is an interesting hotel dormitory conversion that allowed visitors to stay in the wilderness of Nesjavillir. While not luxury accommodation, it’s one of the easiest ways to be close to nature, despite sleeping in an actual bed”
Getting to The ION Adventure Hotel:
The ION Adventure Hotel is pretty much accessible only by private car. While there isn’t much around the property (aside from the sulphur plant), it is more convenient to be based a few hours east of Reykjavik in order to provide better access to the Eastern parts of Iceland that you may want to discover.
We self drove to the property, courtesy of a Hertz Car Rental. The sulphur plant is very noticeable on arrival to the property.
As we arrived to the ION Adventure Hotel in Nesjavellir, We were given a glass of Cava at check in. We were assigned to room #205 – which is pretty much as good as can be hoped for. It faced the lake away from the sulphur plant, whereas some others on the opposite side of the building would face the plant. There are no suite upgrades here and no included platinum breakfast since Design Hotels is exempted from this arrangement for some reason (despite usually having restaurants in their hotels).
A small but quaint restaurant. If you find yourself to this hotel during supper hour, this is the only eating facility for miles around.
The hotel seemed to have many tours booked in here as there were several white tour vans parked outside.
The Room: A Standard Room
The rooms were small dorm like accommodations consistent with this property being employee housing for the mill. The facility was converted over to a hotel in 2011.
The room itself was quite dark for my tastes but perhaps that is the point when the stars are outside on full display.
Very tiny with an espresso machine.
Food and Bevarage:
The hotel had a Northern Lights bar which was quaint and cosy. It featured a glass wall that had full view of the outside. There won’t be any late nights here since it closed at 11 PM.
The on site outdoor pool:
We had already had dinner so we headed down to the lava pool for a nice dip while watching the sun go down.
Given the remote nature of this place, there is not much to do here at night. There is only the restaurant, the pool and the Northern Lights bar. The only other comments that I’d make is that it is super quiet at night sleeping here. Not a word of a sound. This is what comes of sleeping in the middle of nowhere.
In other stay comments, I had lots of challenges getting the Marriott points owed from this stay. In a post integration world, I had to write Marriott no less than 3 times through the period of October 2018. Even then over 28 days, this effort didn’t get any love on Marriott’s part. I ended up calling in and the call center agent manually added the points while I read back folio information from the paper bill. It was obviously not a seemless transaction and worth mentioning as this may be part of your experience if you stay here. I can’t say for sure how much this was related to the Marriott / SPG Integration experiences but it was a hassle nevertheless for sure.
The Bottom Line: ION Adventure Hotel
The ION Adventure Hotel offered some boutique accommodations in remote Nesjavillir, Iceland. While the hotel was reasonably situated closer to the Southern Shore attractions, there isn’t much around the property itself and there isn’t enough at the hotel to consider it as a resort property worth several days of stays. I’d easily return to this property if my travels took us through this area again.
World Traveller 73 
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