Accommodation when traveling with kids: Hotel Frón, Iceland

Group of statues in Reykjavik.

A couple of years ago, my family spent a few days in Iceland on our way back to Canada with Iceland Air. The airline offers free layovers if you fly through Iceland, which is a really nice perk, and a great way to see this little country that you might not otherwise visit.

We stayed in Hotel Frón, a hotel located in the centre of Reykjavik on the main street Laugarvegur. I didn't know anything about this hotel before we made our reservation. I'd found it online, and thought it looked like a nice hotel in a good spot. Turns out I was right!

Hotel Frón fulfilled all my expectations:

• The room was clean, and the furniture was not fancy, but nice and new-ish. I loved the hardwood floors since I'm always a bit suspicious about how clean carpets really are.
• The room we were in had two separate, small bedrooms with a double bed in one, and two twin beds in the other. Perfect when you're staying with kids.
• The beds (and pillows!) were really comfortable.
• The bathroom was small but clean, and there was a nice shower but no bathtub. Be advised that the tap water in Iceland does smell suplhur-ish. It's just the way things are, unless you're in a place that filters its own water. It did take a little bit getting used to a shower that smelled like that, but the water was warm and plentiful so I had no great complaints.
• The kitchen area had a small range, a sink, and a fridge.
• The staff was friendly and helpful and helped us organize some excursions.
• A buffet breakfast was served in the downstairs restaurant each morning. It was a basic breakfast without any hot dishes, and not the kind of insanely big spread you might see in some hotels. But there was various kinds of bread, cheese, cold cuts, yogurt, fruit, milk, cereal, juice, coffee and tea: not fancy, but definitely good enough for the kids and us adults.
• The location was unbeatable: right outside  the hotel is the centre of Reykjavik with little shops, restaurants, cafes and sights to see.

So, all in all, it was clean, comfy and convenient. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone traveling with kids to Iceland.

If you go, I'd also recommend a visit to the Tivoli restaurant, just a short distance away from the hotel. Service there was friendly, they had a good kids' menu and the food was really good: lots of Icelandic specialties as well as more "international" fare.

For more on Iceland, check out my other blog posts:

• 10 fun things to do in and around Reykjavik, Iceland
• An Iceland layover

Traveling with kids: 10 fun things to do in & around Reykjavik, Iceland

Map of Reykjavik.

June 17 is Iceland's National Day, and is celebrated on this day because (to quote Wikipedia):

Icelandic National Day (Icelandic: Þjóðhátíðardagurinn, the day of the nation's celebration), 17 June, is a holiday in Iceland and celebrates the day in 1944 that The Republic of Iceland (Lýðveldið Ísland) was formed. The date of 17 June was chosen because it is the birthday of Jón Sigurðsson, a major figure of Icelandic culture and the leader of the 19th century Icelandic independence movement

Which seems to be as good a reason as any to celebrate your country.

My family visited Iceland in January 2010, on a layover when we were traveling back home to Vancouver from Stockholm with Iceland Air. I'll be traveling through Keflavik Airport again this summer, but unfortunately won't have time for a visit.

I do hope to go back for a more extended visit at some point, because it's a spectacular place to visit. It's definitely not like any other place I've ever visited, what with the hot springs, the tap-water tinged with sulphur, barren landscapes with volcanoes rearing up, and a capital where the streets are kept ice-free in winter thanks to geothermal heat.

If you are going with your kids to Iceland, here are 10 things to do while you're there:

Blue Lagoon, Iceland.

1. Take a dip in the Blue Lagoon
This spa and outdoor geothermal pool was my kids' favorite stop when we were in Iceland, and I loved it too. The facilities are top notch, the pool is huge and the water is warm enough to melt away what ails you. It's also steamy enough that my daughter decided dragons lived in it: I kind of like that idea.

2. Eat at Tivoli restaurant
This restaurant on Laugavegur, the main shopping street in Reykjavik, is friendly and cozy, and serves great food for adults and kids. The lamb and seafood dishes were great. It's my favorite type of restaurant: not so fancy that you feel out of place wearing jeans and bringing kids, but still serving well-made, tasty and original food.

3. Visit the Reykjavik Zoo
The Reykjavik Zoo was my kids' second favorite stop, after the Blue Lagoon. The animals are mainly Icleandic farm animals, including lots of very shaggy and very pretty ponies, and other Nordic animals like reindeer and seals. There's a small restaurant/cafe that serves light meals (my kids loved the waffles) and a tent with science-related, hands-on activities for kids. 

4. Go for a walk in Reykjavik
The Old Town in Reykjavik is not very big and well-suited to walking with kids. There's a lot to see as well, including the Old Town, the harbor, museums and churches. Even when it's cold and icy and snowy (as it was when we were there), the streets in the center are kept free of ice because they're heated from below: geothermal heating is a nifty source of energy!

Fodor's Travel has a nice 90 minute walk you can do in the Old Town, and there's also a free guided walking tour of the city that you can hitch on to. Download a free map of the city here.

Statues outside Perlan. Midwinter sun in the background.

5. Visit Perlan
Perlan is the spacy-looking dome located on a hill above the city. The building is a sight to see and the view is spectacular. We didn't get inside on our visit because the place was closed for renovations, but even just going up there for the view was worth it. Lots of space for kids to run around and play outside too.

6. Go on a bus tour
There are many bus tours that leave from Reykjavik and take you out to various points of interest around Iceland. viator.com has a nice list of 30 different tours that you can go on. There are a lot of natural wonders to see: geysirs, lagoons, whales, waterfalls, volcanoes... just take your pick!

7. Ride some Icelandic horses
You can ride the Icelandic ponies at the Zoo, but if you and your kids want to go for a more "real" ride, there are also places that offer various kinds of horseback riding tours. One place that offers a wide variety options is Ishestar (Ice Horses) outside Reykjavik.

8. Take a boat ride
There are whale watching tours (that may include puffin watching as well) that leave from Reykjavik, and you can also take a 5-minute ferry to Videy, a small island near the city. Videy has hiking trails, a fishing village, wild birds, and a peace memorial designed by Yoko Ono (how random is that?).

9. Buy some woolly souvenirs
There are a lot of sheep in Iceland, and therefore a lot of woolly souvenirs to buy. In Reykjavik you will see lots of yarn shops, and a lot of woolly hand-made goods such as knit sweaters, knit hats, mittens, and socks. Some of it's pricey, but the quality is generally very good. Also, socks, mittens and scarves can be had for a lot less than the "traditional Icelandic sweaters" and will keep your kids nice and warm. WhyGoIceland has some other good tips on what to buy when you're in Iceland. 

10. Take in the landscape
Rent a car and drive around, or catch a bus out into the great wide open, slightly forbidding landscape of Iceland with its rocky plains and snow-capped mountains. There's something oddly compelling about the place, like visiting another world. If you and your kids are into hiking, there are a lot of trails in Iceland of varying lengths and difficulty. Nordic Adventure Travel is one good online hiking-trail resource.

Traveling with kids via Iceland: why tempt the volcano?

The recent volcanic eruption in Iceland was luckily short-lived, and did not cause the kind of mayhem last year's eruption of Eyjafjallajökull did. However, since I will be flying Iceland Air to Sweden with my children later this summer, the delays and cancelled flights did make me wonder if I'd made the right choice flying via Iceland.

Yet another Icelandic volcano.

My family did have a good experience flying with Iceland Air before. I've written previously on this blog about our Iceland layover in January 2010. Unfortunately we won't be staying in Iceland this time (or at least we don't plan to: hopefully the volcanoes will let us go...), but there were several other considerations that made me decide to go with Iceland Air rather than another airline.

Price - Flying Iceland Air from Seattle's Sea-Tac airport to Stockholm, Arlanda was significantly cheaper than flying any airline out of Vancouver International.

Flight-duration - Flying via Iceland distributes the flight time more evenly between the two flights to Stockholm, and makes for a slightly shorter combined flight time. Instead of one 9 hour flight and one 2 1/2 hour flight, we end up with one 7 hour flight and one 3 hour flight. Not a huge difference, but I found it a lot easier to take those flight times than our usual long-haul schedule.

Easier connections - Keflavik Airport is small compared to a lot of the major airports in Europe (Amsterdam and Frankfurt for example), and this makes it much easier to get from your arrival gate to your departure gate. Also, Iceland Air is a fairly small airline, but they dominate the air-traffic in and out of Iceland. In other words, they know that most of the passengers for the departing Iceland Air flights are arriving on incoming Iceland Air flights, and will wait for them if at all possible.

At the Blue Lagoon, Iceland in January 2010.

Good service - I found that the service was very good, both on the airplane and at the airport. I had to pay for my meal, but the kids' meals were free. And of course, there's the Saga Shop service (which I really like and will use again). The people were also generally friendly, low-key and helpful. Even the security screeners seemed more relaxed (even though they did go through our carry-ons by hand) than I've seen at other airports (including some much smaller airports).

I did encounter one stewardess who did not speak English, which seemed a little odd to me (especially since most Icelandic people I encountered spoke English very well), but hey, those things happen. Maybe her German or Danish or French was better than mine!

Volcanic ash goes a long way - During last year's eruption, Iceland itself was not always the place where the airports were closed. Seems odd, but there you go. The ash shoots up in the atmosphere and who knows where it will end up? (The meteorologists I guess.) If there is a volcanic eruption, traveling through another European airport might not be a better option, rather the opposite.

So, I've got my fingers crossed that no other Icleandic volcanoes will erupt in the next couple of months (*knocks on wood*), and that if they do, their ash will go fly somewhere else than Keflavik and Arlanda air space.

Great service for traveling parents: Iceland Air's Saga Shop

I'm not a shopaholic, not even close. However, when I'm traveling and wandering through an airport or flipping through an in-flight magazine, I sometimes do feel tempted by the shiny assortment of perfumes, cosmetics, creams, and souvenirs.

So why not just buy some stuff on board, right? Except that looking through the brochure on board might not be so easy when you're traveling with kids. And if you do get a free moment, it might not coincide with when the crew is actually selling the stuff.


Saga Shop
When I flew Iceland Air two years ago, I realized that their on-board tax-free store Saga Shop, has a pretty fantastic service: you can pre-order your tax-free goods online before you leave and have them delivered right to your seat on your flight. I tried it out, and it worked great.

No alcohol is included in the assortment you can pre-order, but lots and lots of cosmetics, fragrances, clothing, skin-care products and more is available. So I just shopped online before I left and got a bag of goods delivered to me on board where I paid with my credit card. Easy-peasy.

You do have to put your order in at least 72 hours before your flight leaves, and not all products are available on all flights. Still, if you're traveling with kids on Iceland Air, and looking to treat yourself or buy a present for someone you know, this is a fantastic service.

You can browse their brochure online, or order one to look through at home too.

Potential problems 
Tax-free shopping can feel like a bit of a bust these days if you're traveling inside the European Union, because of the rules restricting and regulating taxation rules within the union. And if you're traveling anywhere at all, tax-free shopping can be somewhat of a challenge because of all the rules and restrictions on bringing liquids and creams on board. (If the containers you're buying hold no more than 100 ml (3 oz), you should be OK though.)

The only problem with my bag of Icelandic goods occurred after my Iceland Air flight landed in Sweden. When I was going through security to catch our domestic, Swedish flight, they wouldn't let me through unless I checked the sealed plastic bag with the creams I had bought.

So I had to toddle back to the check-in counter and put my Iceland Air-bought goods in one of our carry-ons and check it. A total pain of course, but hey, them's the rules these days. I still say it was worth it, because I would have never had time to look through the selection properly while on board, the way I was able do online.

Just be aware that even though some airlines and airport stores will seal your bag to make it possible for you to bring it on board through security, this can't be counted on at all times. Especially if you're changing countries and airlines on your trip, that sealed bag might have to be checked in your luggage or you'll have to leave it behind.

Next time I fly Iceland Air to Sweden, I'll simply transfer my goods to the checked luggage before we go to catch our Swedish flight.


Product recommendations
Saga Shop has the usual international selection of makeup and perfume. They featureElizabeth Arden, Bobbi Brown and many other big brands, but there are also lots of specifically Icelandic gifts. For example they have skin-care products from the Blue Lagoon, Icelandic furry hats, specially concocted creams with organic, Icelandic herbs, and more. I'd definitely recommend the Soley Healing Cream and the Blue Lagoon products, partly because they're nice to use, but also because they make great gifts since they're not available everywhere.

There is also a gorgeous selection of Iceland-made jewelry, clothing, and leather goods available. Some of the jewelry is seriously spectacular, though some of it is kind of out of my price range. Plus, they have a knit baby jumpsuit in merino wool that is just too cute, even though I kind of get itchy just looking at it (I've got a thing about wool).

And seriously, who would not love that furry hat?

Read more about traveling to Iceland:

• Traveling with kids: Keflavik Airport, Iceland
• Traveling with kids: an Iceland layover

Traveling with kids: Keflavik Airport, Iceland

Sculptures in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Usually the reason you end up at Keflavik Airport is either that you're going to Iceland, or that you're passing through while traveling with Iceland Air between North America and Europe.

Flying via Iceland might seem like it's out of the way, but really it's not. Most flights between North America and Europe fly right over Iceland, so it makes absolute geographical sense. Iceland Air is also a nice airline, even though they do charge for food, so that's another plus.

My family's experience with Keflavik Airport in Reykjavik was nothing but positive, as I've mentioned before on this blog. Keflavik is actually an especially great airport when you're traveling with kids.

• It's a smallish airport, which means less endless walking when you're catching a connecting flight.
• It also means shorter lineups at the security checkpoints. Plus, the security personnel here seem just a tad more friendly, without being at all negligent, than in many other airports.
• If you're flying Iceland Air through Keflavik, your connecting, outgoing flight is usually arranged to fit with your incoming flight which is nice since it cuts down on wait times in the airport.
• Also, Iceland Air offers free layovers in Iceland. So if you would like to take a day or two to look around the place, and see some of the sights, then you can do that without paying extra.

Facilities at the airport
The airport itself is clean, modern and feels bright and spacious. There are lots of stores, snack shops and restaurants. We ate at the Bistro Atlantic when we were there. It's a cafeteria style restaurant with a wide selection of hot and cold dishes, burgers, sandwiches and lots more. This is a great eatery when you're traveling with kids, because everyone should be able to find something they like.

There's also a nice Icelandic gift shop called Rammagerðin (get used to the Icelandic alphabet!) with a good selection of locally crafted products. And there's a Blue Lagoon gift shop selling skin care products featuring ingredients from the local hot springs. They have some really great stuff, but it isn't exactly cheap. Does make a nice gift though.

There are several hotels at Keflavik, though if you're staying for a night or more, I'd recommend heading into Reykjavik, just because you'd get to see a little bit more of Iceland that way.

Going to Reykjavik
If you want to go to Reykjavik from the airport, there are cabs and buses available and the ride takes about 45 minutes.

Seeing the landscape of Iceland, even on that short ride to and from the airport, is an experience in itself. Iceland is a starkly beautiful place, in a harsh and unforgiving kind of way. If that makes any sense.

Visiting the Blue Lagoon
You can also take a tour bus directly to the geo-thermal spa at the Blue Lagoon from the airport. The ride takes about 20 minutes, and it is a very nice place to visit. (My kids loved it.) However, be aware that the waters of the Blue Lagoon, while very soothing and relaxing, are also kind of smelly. Even after a shower, some sulfur odor might linger (especially in your swim wear), so do consider that before you make the trip.

Personally I think it's worth it, regardless of the smell, if you have the time.

Read more about my family's experience in Iceland:

• Traveling with kids: an Iceland layover.

Traveling with kids: an Iceland layover

Sculptures in Reykjavik. And that's about as much as we ever saw of the sun during our stay!

For our trip to Sweden for Christmas 2009 we took advantage of Iceland Air's offer of a free layover in Iceland on the way back to Canada. We stayed in Hotel Fron in the middle of Reykjavik for two nights, and spent our days sightseeing around Reykjavik and the southern coast.

The hotel was a very good place to stay with children. Not fancy, but nice and clean, good beds, and a breakfast buffet that wasn't huge by any means, but included the basics: cereal, milk, yogurt, bread, juices, tea and coffee. And the location could not be beat: right in the middle of Reykjavik with shops and restaurants right around the corner.

Mount Doom? Or just an Icelandic volcano?

Along the southern coast line, the Icelandic landscape was almost otherworldly in places. Small farm houses, the occasional shaggy Icelandic horse, a view of the ocean, all dominated by the barren, snow-dusted, moon-like (or Mordor-like if your more Tolkien-inclined) lava-fields with mountains, glaciers and volcanoes as a backdrop.

It's not like any other place I've been to. There was the sulfur smell in the shower. The city streets kept ice-free by geothermal heating. And then, the kids' favorite outing: a dip in the milky, turquoise waters of Blue Lagoon's hot spring pools. 

Blue Lagoon, Iceland.

Blue Lagoon is not a naturally formed hot spring. Rather, the hot, mineral-rich water was "discovered" when a nearby heating plant was built. It's naturally heated however, and is pumped up from deep inside the earth, so hot that it has to be cooled before it can be used in the pool.

This place is very beautiful and the kids really enjoyed to swim and splash in the huge outdoor pool, covered with steam, with the open sky above. The facilities are very good with nice change-rooms, a spa, restaurants and gift shops.

We also visited Reykjavik zoo which specializes mainly in Nordic animals like seals, reindeer, Icelandic horses and farm animals. It's not a big place, and not terribly impressive as far as zoos go, but the kids liked it, especially the up-close and personal view of the horses, cows, sheep and pigs.

Iceland was a fascinating place to visit, though I think next time I'd like to see it in summer rather than during the winter. Not because of the cold, thought it was below freezing and there was some snow on the ground, but more because it was so dark. Anything that far north tends to see barely a glimpse of daylight in December and January. And next time , I'd like to explore further afield and take the kids horseback riding on some of those shaggy ponies.

A few months after our trip to Iceland, Eyjafjallajökull blew its top and air traffic in much of Europe ground to a halt. Turned out those volcanoes were a lot more like Mount Doom than I had thought.