"Reykjavik Downtown Hotel" is CLOSED by Police

Question

Hello. I am going to Iceland for first time on march 19, and the hotel I booked, the Reykjavik Downtown Hotel has apparantly been closed by police for money laundering, human trafficking and organised crime. I suspected something as the hotel no longer recieved reservations on booking. com, I called them but no one answered. Then I googled it. This is a news article from today in Icelandic, you can read it with Google Translate if you don't speak Icelandic. A warning to all tourists who booked this hotel, you will not be able to go there as the owner has been arrested. I booked with free cancellation so I will fortuently be refunded, and fortuently I found a Guesthouse in a similar price range last minute.

Honestly, "hotel owner arrested for organized crime and human trafficking" was the very last thing I had in mind for things that could disrupt a trip to peaceful Iceland!

https://www.dv.is/frettir/2024/3/7/kvartad-undan-kakkalokkum-hoteli-davids/

Edited: 1:19 pm, March 07, 2024

Honestly, "hotel owner arrested for organized crime and human trafficking" was the very last thing I had in mind for things that could disrupt a trip to peaceful Iceland!

https://www.dv.is/frettir/2024/3/7/kvartad-undan-kakkalokkum-hoteli-davids/

Mtngrl · Accepted Answer

I heard about this yesterday. Here is the article in English.

https://www.ruv.is/english/2024-03-06-dozens-are-suspected-victims-of-human-trafficking-406691?fbclid=IwAR0JVdnp3QtnZZ2dZheLvHTnCxImQ-PXjI1zkkPquBh8aOu6KCXrCcSOllw

Also, Reykjavik Downtown Hostel is part o this shutdown.

Edited: 1:35 pm, March 07, 2024

Mange_H-Traveller · Answer

The other one I booked is Guesthouse Aurora, which I made sure is not related to this man.

Great that these criminals has finally been caught then and this is much worse for the real victims than disrupted holidays and I hope the criminals will face justice.

mathladyca49 · Answer

Did you book your original hotel from booking.com?

Mange_H-Traveller · Answer

Yes.

Rikki_121 · Answer

Same applies to Kastali Guesthouse, Vietnam Restaurant, Pho Vietnam, Wok On restaurant, and other companies like cleaning and real estate companies.

If anyone has put money into those businesses, link to the news and ask you CC company to cancel the transaction.

Edited: 8:24 pm, March 07, 2024

Mange_H-Traveller · Answer

The good thing with booking.com is that in their system, the money doesn't reach the accomodations until the guests have checked in, so the refund will be from booking.com itself. I called them and they said they are refunding it, 100%.

mathladyca49 · Answer

That's why I asked. I often use booking.com and wondered where the refund came from.

jennymG8937XM · Answer

Mange-H Traveller. Many thanks for posting this. My sister booked this hotel for this July. Until I read your post she was unaware that it had been closed by the Police. She has now contacted Booking.com and they are assisting her. However like many others trying to book accommodation in Keykjavik for this July the prices are much higher than at the time she originally booked.

H6730PFloganw · Answer

Hi, i was unfortunately staying in the hotel and have no information given to me about trying to get a refund. Would you mind sharing the number called as the emails do not seem to be working.

Mange_H-Traveller · Answer

International number booking.com +44 20 3320 2609

"Reykjavik Downtown Hotel" is CLOSED by Police - Iceland Forum

"Reykjavik Downtown Hotel" is CLOSED by Police

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