Iceland review - 2007, Page 81

ICELAND REVIEW 87
The Viking Hotel at Viking Village is unlike any other hotel you will ever stay at –
anywhere. It is exactly what it says it is – a Viking village complete with costumes,
handicrafts, carvings and sagas. It is a fully interactive living museum that takes
guests on a journey back in time while surrounded by the modern comforts of a fully
functional hotel.
V
isitors approaching from Reykjavík are greeted from the other side of Hafnar­
fjördur Bay with a resplendent wooden building topped by carved dragon
heads jutting off of the beams of the structure like the prows of Viking longships
poised to set out on a raiding mission.
Enter ing the lobby via a small wooden bridge spanning a koi pond, you are greeted
by carved statues of Vikings and Norse gods, some nearing life size and carved from
single pieces of wood. The staff – all in period costumes – is well versed in all aspects
of Viking culture on display.
Further on in the breakfast dining area, hand­crafted artifacts from whale bones and
narwhal tusks made by present­day artisans in Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands
reflect the ancient traditions that are very much alive today. It is only later that you realize
that the pieces are part of the hotel’s gift shop and are available for sale as well as
decoration.
The rooms themselves follow the Viking theme, with a modern touch. Televisions and
tea/coffee makers face wooden beds adorned with heavy blankets and, in some cases,
wagon wheels reminiscent of the horse­drawn ways of the era. Each room has a unique
name, and much of the art on the walls tells traditional folk stories through a series of
paintings and drawings.
The two­story Viking Village restaurant, Fjörukráin, picks up where the hotel leaves off
and takes it to its climax. Cloven shields and iron swords from Viking battles recreated
at the site decorate the walls alongside animal skins and stuffed game birds looking
down from above. Elaborate tapestries encircle the main dining area where guests can
sample the trademark Viking menu, a feast of hearty Icelandic dishes and local seafood;
troubadours in full regalia entertain diners with the best of local folk songs.
With spa services including a covered outdoor hot tub and a sauna of stone and
wood paneling, the Viking Hotel is as much an experience in comfortable accommod­
ation as it is a history lesson on Viking culture. Guests are treated to a unique experience
that will surely stay with them long after they leave.
Viking
Village –
Fjörukráin
i r p r o m o t i o n