Hotel Holt in central Reykjavik is a rare find. Holt’s walls are adorned with original Icelandic art, representing the largest privately owned art collection in Iceland. The hotel, which touts a historical library, lounge, sitting room and bar, all of which are elegantly comfortable, also has the renowned Gallery Restaurant, which has to die-for cuisine and an award-winning chef.
I stayed here during my stint in Iceland and fell in love with the place as well as the people who run and manage it. A home away from home as they say! I had time to take in some of the art, but the collection is so big, that I didn’t have time to devour all of it. Here are a few sneak peaks to get you intrigued and be sure to check out our Hotel Holt review as well as our piece on its foodie arm, Gallery Restaurant on the hotel main floor.
The collection was started by the founder Þorvaldur Guðmundsson and his wife Ingibjörg, the parents of the current hotel owner. They were lovers and supporters of the Icelandic arts, especially Jóhannes S. Kjarval (the scetches in the bar and several painting all around).
As noted above, this is the largest privately owned art collection in Iceland and the only place you will find a permanent display of the same works in Iceland. Only about 35% of the whole collection is on display in the hotel so you can only imagine how big it is.
There is a trust with all three decendants of the couple so nobody can sell any of the paintings and there is a story about one of the grandchildren of Picasso wanting to exchange one of his paintings for Kjarval´s Dyrfjall painting which is in the restaurant (the black and white one on the left of the hallway to the kitchen). Another story is the big one in the library of the old woman with the birds flying overhead. That is the painters mother (Eiríkur Smith) and Þorvaldur had to use all his convincing power to buy the painting off him since he didn´t want to sell his mother. Þorvaldur promised to have it available to him always and Eiríkur is still alive and regularly comes to visit his mom.
There are also sculptures scattered around the hotel. Three of them, plastered on walls near the breakfast buffet, were sculpted to celebrate the last of the manuscripts being handed over to Iceland from Denmark. The were done in 1973 and one represents a man preparing leather for writing, the next one is an author writing on the skin and the third is of a small family sitting on a bed and reading them. Below is a smattering of other paintings discovered throughout the hotel.
Also see our hotel write-up/review here. I LOVE this hotel! Note: I was sponsored by the hotel however all opinions expressed here are entirely my own.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
