My flight from the United States landed in Iceland at 6 a.m. local time. I gathered my belongings, walked quickly to the passport windows, fully staffed and with no lines, and within 15 minutes I had picked up my rental car outside the terminal and was on the highway to Reykjavík, 30 miles away. For most of the 45-minute drive, the sky was black, with sleet blowing sideways across the road, but by the time I reached the outskirts of the city, there was a ribbon of fuchsia on the horizon and a delicate glow of light appeared above the city, illuminating the snow-covered landscape and the cozy kitchen lights of early-rising Icelanders having breakfast before leaving for work. Arriving at the 101 Hotel in the center of Reykjavik is the perfect ending to the overnight flight, and a perfect beginning to a workweek at Iceland’s annual DesignMarch Festival. The 101, named after Reykjavik’s downtown postal code, was Iceland’s first design-driven, upscale boutique hotel when it opened in 2003, quickly becoming popular with visiting film and music celebrities, and the growing number of affluent millennials who recently discovered Iceland’s stunning scenery and vibrant culinary scene. The 101 Hotel is a member of the prestigious Design Hotels group.

I checked in at the reception area near the front door, which, like the entire 38-room property, is a beautiful example of Nordic minimalism. The lovely art objects on the white walls, colorful flowers on the front desk and the warmth of a wood-burning fireplace in the parlor give the first floor the feel of a private, upscale Icelandic home. My third-floor room was surprisingly, and fortunately, available for early check-in and the heated oak floor in the room and the king-sized bed with a fluffy white cover were, at 6:45 a.m., the most important amenities imaginable. In the dawn light, outside the large windows, was Arnarhóll Hill, a city park where a statue of Ingólfur Arnarson, known as Reykjavik’s first settler in the year 874, overlooks the modern, seaside Harpa concert hall and the mountains beyond. A few hours later, after washing up in the large, free-standing, glass-enclosed shower, I noticed the other beautifully designed amenities in the room including the Electrolux minibar, Plexiglass night tables, sleek black desk and swivel light, SONY DVD, Bose speakers and iPod docking station. The square, white ceramic sink and claw-foot bathtub are placed in front of the window in the open-plan bathroom area. The 101 Hotel has a long, glass-roofed bar and restaurant called Kitchen & Wine on the ground floor, serving chef-prepared breakfast items and lunch and dinner menus with locally caught fish, a delicious langoustine soup, Icelandic lamb, salads, burgers and light snacks. On the lower level is a small workout room and mini-spa with steam bath, Jacuzzi and plunge pool.

101 Hotel

Hverfisgata 10 Reykjavík, Iceland