Tides

Tides, which has an outdoor terrace and its own waterfront entrance, is helmed by Gunnar Karl Gíslason - the chef behind Dill, Reykjavik’s much-celebrated New Nordic Michelin-starred restaurant. The rich and sophisticated interiors have been thoughtfully considered for a seamless transition from day to night, featuring floor-to-ceiling windows that, during the day, shed natural light onto fluted concrete columns and oiled ash wood details such as the dramatically lit ceiling panels, various furnishings, and a central hexagonal-shaped bar- over which hangs a custom-made bronze and alabaster chandelier by the renowned French artist, Eric Schmitt. In the mornings, breakfast is a fresh, healthy mix of clean juices, pastries, fruit, cereal and skyr (Icelandic yoghurt) supplemented by an à la carte menu of hot dishes and a selection of open-face sandwiches. For lunch and dinner, Gíslason serves modern Icelandic cuisine, with subtle hints of traditional cooking methods, focused on seasonal local products and the highest quality of global ingredients mainly cooked over an open fire. Alongside an extensive global wine list, expect dishes such as a vertical salad topped with fried oyster mushrooms aged soy sauce and roasted almonds, whole Arctic char stuffed with lemon, dill and garlic butter, baked Atlantic cod, grilled potatoes, mixed herbs and butter and lamb shoulder braised and slowed grilled, pickled onions mint and apples, and for dessert, Tides carrot cake, buttermilk ice-cream, carrot and sea buckthorn jam, with roasted caraway oil. There is also a weekend brunch menu and three nights a week, The Counter, overlooking the theatrical open kitchen, will serve an eight-course tasting menu with wine pairings for up to 10 people. Meanwhile those looking for something more casual can pop into the bakery and café for a coffee and a selection of freshly baked crowberry scones to delicious sourdough or rye bread sandwiches where guests can dine in or take away.

For those on the go, Tides Cafe, adjacent to the restaurant, is a casual grab and go café and bakery that serves locally roasted coffee, brewed in-house, alongside a selection of quick bites and fresh sandwiches and pastries in sustainable, eco-friendly packaging.

On the opposite side of the lobby, away from prying eyes, Tölt - named after the unique fifth gait Icelandic horses are best known for - is a cozy bar, designed as a hidden sanctuary with three intimate nooks featuring colorful custom rugs with a pattern inspired by traditional Icelandic geometry, teak tambour walls, burnt orange banquettes and pony hair poufs that surround a central fireplace. Outside of the alcoves, the space is cocooned with rich walnut ceiling panels, and flooring, a custom-made walnut chandelier and floor-to-ceiling windows that frame views of Harpa. Behind the green marble-topped bar are backlit aged bronze shelves suspended from the ceiling, which create a warm glow under which to enjoy a menu of cocktails inspired by Icelandic culture using local Icelandic spirits.

As with all EDITION hotels, the lobby is a dynamic, social space that subtly reveals a sense of place and sense of time. Here, basalt stone - or volcanic rock - is prominent, appearing on the flooring, which has been laid with an intricate pattern inspired by Icelandic geometry, and a standout sculptural reception desk. In the lobby center piece, the ISC team have added Icelandic lava stone sculptural totem to balance the warm materials such as tactile saddle leather, Hermes inspired - wrapped around concrete columns - and white oak flooring, ceiling beams and slats, which flank the lobby bar. Lobby bar beverage menu focuses on global wines by the glass selection and classic cocktails with an Icelandic twist. The lobby lounge features a central open-flame fireplace which is the hearth of the space, surrounded by seating and a collection of custom-made furniture in intimate seating groups, such as the Jean-Michel Frank-style armchair in white shearling and Pierre Jeanneret-style chairs in black velvet. As ever, there is a strong emphasis on warm, indirect lighting, which has been thoughtfully considered to create a soft glow and to illuminate fixed furnishings like the bar and the reception desk and Christian Liaigre white bronze floor lamps to create a likeness to a jewelry box installation.