“Iceland is obviously quite a bit cheaper than it was this time last year, mainly because the whole country went bust.” This is how a text in an article at the Times Online today and goes on saying “But is Iceland really the sort of place you want to go for some cheering winter sun?”. Then the Times Online reporter Matt Rudd writes about 20 hours of darkness and cheap vodka.
Iceland might not have the cheering winter sun but it has the beauty of its nature, the Northern lights, geothermal heating, great (now cheap) restaurants and a nightlife well worth exploring. Then there are the shops, not only is it much cheaper to shop now but you also get the VAT back, not the whole 24,5% but close.
We at IceNews looked at the possibilities for flights and accommodation in Reykjavik Iceland and found that there are two airlines flying to Iceland www.flights.is and www.icelandair.co.uk and for hotels and guesthouses in Reykjavik try Hotels Iceland.
We might also want to say that Iceland has much more daylight than four hours, it’s close to that in Manchester at the moment; and finally the country has not quite gone bust: Icelanders are still standing tall.
Can’t believe hotels in Reykjavik are cheaper than in Argentina. I found 2 stars hotels for just 75ARS = 20 USD = 13 EUR!!! Impossible to stay at a 3stars hotels for just 120 ARS = 31 USD
Fishy,
BRILLIANT Idea!! Why not use these cars for ultra-short car rental to tourists. Much better than just collecting dust.
Kreppa car rentals LOL.
@Niels
It is popular – to bring trucks from continental Europe here. Especially among German UNIMOG fans. But it’s time consuming – you spend much time in the sea and not cheap indeed. Only if you really have special car.
From Britain? You can place your car into container and come here after it arrives. Or drive to Denmark. Or try http://hasso.is/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=16&Itemid=40
@fishy
As “rentals” might scare clients – stay just with “Kreppa Cars” ;)
And go with three business – first rent 4×4 to run across the country – then divide into two groups – those who watch whales and those who would like to stay right there – where harpoon is! ;) I’m sure there will be more people in the second group. Or at least they would pay more. If the guys fly thousands of miles to shoot lions – they would pay a fortune to shoot (and most likely miss anyway) whale (or Sea shepherd)…
PS. It’s a pity that Íslendigur is just a museum now :(
@Tomas ,Alexander,Niels
The used car sales are full of cars and suv’s and none of them selling.
There for sure would be a great opportunity for the rental of reasonably priced vehicles for tourists.
So are any of you interested in helping me launch “kreppa car rentals”?
Its its either this or the whale safari idea.
hmmmm…. I am confused which one to go with?…..maybe both!
Well Alexander,
There actually is another possibility with Smyrill line, a ferry company from the Faeroer you can put your car on the ferry in Denmark and have it transported to Iceland, with a short break on the Faeroer islands.
A colleague of mine did this last summer and spent 4 weeks driving around Iceland in his own car. This was considerably cheaper than renting a car in iceland. I met a man from Czech Republic in Iceland who was doing the same.
How to get to Iceland from the UK I do not know though.
tomas.
I agree that local car rentals are just crazy.
But they’ve been charging these rates in euros all the time. Why? Cause you can not drive here with your vehicle! They have full monopoly and you have no other choice – except using bike.
But I can tell you where to get good 4×4 at reasonable price. And winter still not over (in fact – it’s much better now as days are longer). So check best deals with air tickets – but don’t book hotel/car over Internet ;)
maybe if icelanders (or maybe just car rentals, to be fair and not generalize) instead of suddenly switching to euros or pounds in price quotes (alp, budget, avis, geyisir etc.), were fair enough to pass on some of the benefit of a weaker ISK exchange rate to visitors, instead of being the smart alecs they are charging in euros (or in ISK but with prices blown up to make up for the xrate), people would come in greater numbers and, especially, revisit.
i had paid an outrageous 3100 euros for a landrover for some 18 days back in 2006 (and that was a bargain), which to anyone with a regular salary coming from continental europe must feel like being skinned alive.
now that iceland should be more affordable, i went ahead to check the rentals (hoping to fulfill my dream of seeing iceland in winter) only to find out that it is not much cheaper, if at all.
i know, wanting much or more or clinging on to what you have is human nature (and especially corporate nature), but after years of taking tourists to the cleaner’s, perhaps icelanders could show some humility and appreciation for foreign nature lovers who, during iceland’s heyday, had given an arm and a leg for experiencing the beautiful eeriness of the landscape and would like to come again, while letting locals earn some income in these lean times as well.
OANDA Trading
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 09:36
1 Euro = 154.078 Iceland Krona
1 Iceland Krona (ISK) = 0.006490 Euro (EUR)
Interbank rate +/- 0%
This means:
You buy 1 Euro : 154.078 Iceland Krona
You sell 1 Euro : 141.217 Iceland Krona
You buy 1 Iceland Krona : 0.006490 Euro
You sell 1 Iceland Krona : 0.007081 Euro
Median price = 141.217 / 154.078 (bid/ask)
Estimated price based on daily US dollar rates.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008 09:36
1 US Dollar = 120.084 Iceland Krona
1 Iceland Krona (ISK) = 0.008327 US Dollar (USD)
Interbank rate +/- 0%
This means:
You buy 1 US Dollar : 120.084 Iceland Krona
You sell 1 US Dollar : 110.084 Iceland Krona
You buy 1 Iceland Krona : 0.008327 US Dollar
You sell 1 Iceland Krona : 0.009084 US Dollar
Median price = 110.084 / 120.084 (bid/ask)
Minimum price = 107.390 / 117.390
Maximum price = 115.400 / 125.400
ICB. Des. 9, 2008 09:36
USD Buy. 114,64
USD Sell. 115,18
USD Median. 114,91
Eur Buy 147,30
Eur Sell. 148,39
Eur Median. 147,48
ICB Median Rate Des. 9, 2008 09:36 111,7
So, what planet are we on?
So.. just slightly more expensive than central London at the current rate.
A coffee 350ISK and a pint 600ISK.
For who has money in the hands, I mean no debts, it’s paradise ;-)
orchafine exactly how much will a cup of coffee cost? a beer?
From what I can gather, Iceland is more expensive than ever for tourist (and locals).
Kasper
You can keep dreaming…
Lonely in the East
I can feel you are a recent immigrant. Icelanders have always treated foreigners differently. So far there is been too much to do. Wait until January when all the bills will come, workers will pass to 70% job and Christmas lights will be over. Then you will see some serious depression and hate in all Icelanders. Except for the ones who are actually working abroad, Good for them!
>>> FOR THE TOURISTS <<<
Just use your credit cards. Their is no need of cash in Iceland.
You can pay every thing with a card. I mean every thing, from a single coffe to a taxi bill.
visit northern canada :)
Iceland rocks! Ever since I visited the first time, I’ve been trying to find a way back. I think you folks will survive this economic crisis, and I don’t think you, as individuals, should take the whole blame on your shoulders. The economic machine is huge, and many unfortunate decisions in the past years have led to these problems. You should not worry that the crisis will stain your reputation as hardy people!
Here’s to a healthy future in Iceland tourism!
http://www.glitnir.is, http://www.spron.is, http://www.kaupthing.is and http://www.landsbanki.is all have exchange rates on their homepages; but it’s not possible to say which of the above is best, as it depends day-by-day.
There is a Landsbanki change place in the airport, but their rates are usually slightly worse than in town at a real bank branch.
Do note though, that banks are only open 9-16 Monday to Friday.
So what is the current exchange rate available in Reykjavic for Euro & US Dollar currency notes? Where should I change money to get the best rates?
Simon:
credit and debit cards are working just fine in shops and cash machines.
However, you might get a considerably better exchange rate buying the kronur before you leave home…..worth checking that out.
Hope this helps.
Alëx, IceNews team
travelling to rekjavic this friday…can credit/debit cards be used in the icelandic cas points or would you takecash along to exchange? finally, should the cash be euro or british stirling please
Not all british people are bad……..Some live here in Iceland…….and its a shame that Icelanders have started to treat us different this month than than did last month…….we are here paying “our” Icelandic taxes…..contributing to “our” Icelandic economy…….don’t make the mistake the UK made in the 70’s and become small minded towards people who just want to contribute to your comunities and do well……we came here for a reason…….you are beautiful people……PLEASE dont change !!!!!
>who finds the winter cold exotic (last night at 21:00 we had 21°C here) it’s a dream that will never come true. I’m so sad!!!
Hey come to London, is freezing and horrible. I think you will find cold weather is over-rated.
Goto the Alps, cold and hot in the same day.. and you can ski.
Arghhhh… I just checked the flights for a Christmas trip: Athens-Milan: 215€, Milan-Reykjavik: 603€. Total: min. 818€, plus the hotel, plus the food, that will turn around 2.000€ for a Xmas break… What a shame! For a Greek like me, who craves to see the Northern lights and who finds the winter cold exotic (last night at 21:00 we had 21°C here) it’s a dream that will never come true. I’m so sad!!!
Iceland is beautiful but has zero customer service and would certainly not entice most travellers back.
I think, Euro must not have higher value Ikr 150 but, present circumstances, these days, would be very optimistic even position of Euro to Ikr 200. Like saying sometimes, previous, I hope Central Bank and Government make suitable decisions so that confidence and transparency come back to Iceland, and Icelandic currency. Ikr 150-155 to Euro is a devaluation at 40%, very good to improve exports, reduce imports, commercial deficit, stabilization of prices, and lower inflation in future. But, more than Ikr 150-155 to Euro would unbalance all the system, inflation would fly, which would be terrible for Icelandic homes; would be something bleeding for Icelanders: something little real.
Stabilize exchange rate of the krona is the key of everything: look for the ways so that this is effective.
Yeah, I’d like to ask you as well Trevor what’s risky about coming to Iceland?
I myself and British, live and work here and see it as the perfect time to come over given the prices! There’s plenty of British tourists over here right now, being welcomed and having a grand old time!
Also, Iceland hotels need to reconsider their ‘single person supplement’. Many people travel alone, especially older folks, and they hate paying that extra money because they choose to travel alone. I looked at several hotels, on internet, and they are STILL very expensive.When a person flys to Iceland, that is all they get, no matter how ‘nice’ Iceland is,unlike flying to Europe or even South America where many countries are attached. I guess it will be a few months before high inflation, and lower prices, hits Iceland. This is an excellent time for Iceland to form ‘travel loyalty’ for repeat travelers.You need to have new industry other than banking and fishing.
If Iceland is to attract more tourists, then the huge variation in ISK exchange rates between different sources must first be reduced…
i have traveled to many countries, but Iceland is by far the most beautiful i have ever been to it is very exotic in a rouged way very clean and and well kept people are very friendly and caring,a must place to visit
Risky how?
Very true. Interesting to see how, at a notional rate of £1/200ISK prices of accomodation, drink and food are now about the same as average EU. Shows how absurdly expensive it was before. Couldn’t all be accounted for by lack of scale, transport etc surely?
I’m going away for a few days with friends on 21/11. I was keen on Iceland, but we all felt that given the situation with UK it would be too risky. No matter what the exchange rate.
Iceland was never rich, we only pretended to be rich. Iceland do not have the resources and manpower to be that rich that we claimed we were. What we had was spent and all was on somebody elses money. A make believe in fantasy land. Come on wake up. I know we cannot sustain the extravagance we were accustomed to living here in Iceland. I know it will end soon, and behold reality hurts. Enjoy it young ones, enjoy the carefree life and even if you don’t care right now, you will soon, since you are the ones who will pay for it. Hahaha.
WHAT Iceland must do is finally decide on the ISK exchange rate to the USD and the Euro. There are huge variations, on the ISK rate, from different internet sources and currency exchange websites. If the Icelandic banks(if banks are still open) and hotels give one rate, and there are ‘black market rates’ paying much higher than banks,people need to know what a trip will cost them BEFORE they come to Iceland. Decide on the ‘REAL’ ISK exchange rate, please!–