Reykjavík hotels with a spa, and the baths nearby

ICELAND SJF Villa is a three-bedroom villa in Kópavogur with a hot tub, a sauna and an outdoor sauna, which is the reason to book it. The private garden, terrace and balcony look across the mountains and the city towards Reykjavík, and two bathrooms plus a large living room suit a family or two couples. I would choose it for privacy and spa time, and its 9.9 rating from 51 reviews supports that.

Tower Suites is a four-star stay on the 20th floor of a glass tower in central Reykjavík. Each penthouse suite has floor-to-ceiling windows, panoramic city or sea views, a private bathroom, a complimentary minibar, a Nespresso machine, a telescope and an iPad. Free WiFi is included, and restaurants and coffee shops sit on the ground floor. A 9.5 rating across 346 reviews is outstanding. I would choose it for a family or couple who want the view to be the point.

I recommend Casa Dísa to couples and families who want a boutique apartment with its own kitchen in Reykjavík. Each apartment has a private bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and garden views, with free WiFi, streaming services and a washing machine, and the property adds an outdoor fireplace, a seating area and bicycle parking. Having a kitchen keeps costs down in a pricey city. Guests rate it 9.5 across almost 150 reviews, a top score.

Nest Apartments are modern flats in Reykjavík's old city centre, decorated with contemporary art. Each has free WiFi, a Nespresso coffee maker, a seating area, a Bose sound dock and a flat-screen TV with DVD player, and there are books, DVDs and games to borrow. Guests share a furnished garden, and one apartment has a balcony with sea views. Very well rated for a stylish self-catering base.

These apartments give families what a hotel room rarely does: a full kitchen with a microwave, electric cooker and dishwasher, a modern bathroom with a shower and a communal laundry room. Some units have a private balcony, and WiFi is free. Hallgrímskirkja Church and the Laugavegur shopping street are easy to reach from the city centre location. With a 9.2 rating across 697 reviews, I would choose it for a family that wants to cook and wash clothes mid-trip.

Hotel Kriunes is a four-star hotel on the shore of Lake Elliðavatn, with an in-house restaurant and free parking and Wi-Fi. All rooms have a private bathroom and a flat-screen TV, and some have lake views and tea and coffee facilities. A sauna and a hot tub are on site, and boats, kayaks and bicycles can be rented. Guests rate it 9.0 across 1,184 reviews, and I would choose it for a lakeside stay with outdoor activities.

Hotel Eyja stands near Hlemmur Square, just off Laugavegur, Reykjavík's main shopping street. Rooms use Balinese-style furnishings, with four-poster beds and organic toiletries, and the on-site restaurant serves local and organic options. A bar, a fitness centre and bicycle hire round out the facilities, and some rooms look over the city and mountains. With 1,460 reviews and a 9.0 score, I recommend it to couples and families who want a central, characterful stay.

Three bedrooms and two bathrooms give a family real room in this Reykjavík house, and the hot tub is the part I would plan evenings around. The garden and terrace look onto greenery, and the fully equipped kitchen and washing machine take care of the practical side of a longer stay. Nauthólsvík Geothermal Beach is close by for a swim in heated seawater. The quiet street suits early bedtimes. Guests rate it 8.7 from 17 reviews.

The 201 Hotel sits in Kópavogur, just south of central Reykjavík, a short walk from Smáralind, the country's largest shopping centre. Self-service check-in suits late arrivals, and nearly 7,000 guests average 8.3. Our editorial advice for families: park for free, take the children to the nearby public geothermal pool, follow the jogging paths in the morning, and drive into the city centre only when you need it.