Truth be told, y’all, this was not a program I was looking forward to. In fact, I was dreading it in a way. Don’t get me wrong, I love working with this client. But the program was in sub-Arctic Iceland, land of wool sweaters and wicked windchill, where layering up is a national sport. Yep, Iceland, because Frigidland sounded too clunky. Iceland, where it’s colder than a well-digger’s, ahem …
Did I mention that I hate cold …?
As a card-carrying member of GRITS [Girls Raised in the South], that’s far more than an understatement. It’s the cold, hard truth. And now here I am just south of Santa’s Workshop and it’s time to buck up and make sure this program runs as smoothly as a glacier’s surface.
Due to a previous work commitment, I hadn’t been the one to do the site visit, so this was my first time in the Land of the Midnight Sun, but I’d prepared. Oh yeah, I had certainly prepared. I spent half the cost of a gilded ballroom overlooking the South Lawn on cold weather outerwear, including pieces with built-in heating elements, so I was ready for Mother Nature to give me her best shot.
Turns out I was overprepared. Yes, you read that right, overprepared. The weather was actually quite comfortable and one day it reached 45 degrees. And did I also mention I was so pleasantly surprised with the whole Icelandic experience that I’d go back in a heartbeat? This time a bit wiser, more open-minded, and traveling lighter [maybe].
Ideal Size for an Incentive
The five-day, four-night incentive program included a grueling inbound flight, a red-eye with one stop and a mid-morning arrival in Keflavik. Fortunately, 90% of our travelers were aboard the same flight, so coordinating ground transportation at the airport went smoothly.
We had 50 incentive winners and their guests for a total of 100 people; in my mind, the ideal size for an incentive there. Not too big, not too small. I would estimate each person had an average of three bags, counting checked and carry-ons. Since one full program day would be lost to travel, we were not going to waste time getting activities started.
While our guests were off to their first excursion directly from the airport, checked luggage was being delivered to the Hilton Parliament in downtown Reykjavík. There, it would be off-loaded and room-dropped which, of course, is a really nice, personal touch but one that comes with plenty of chaos and confusion if not managed correctly. Spoiler alert…We nailed it!
One hundred guests x two checked bags each = 200 opportunities to mess up. Because we had done extensive pre-planning with the hotel and mailed out luggage tags in advance, every piece of luggage was clearly identified. Not one item slept at the airport and not one item missed its room target. In my book, that’s a small miracle.
Back to our activities …
In our Know Before You Go packet that was mailed out weeks in advance, we clearly communicated all the super-important “stuff” you needed to be aware of to head off any issues or misunderstandings. One item was right there, front and center, in large bold red type:
PACK YOUR SWIMSUIT IN YOUR CARRY-ON BECAUSE WE ARE
GOING DIRECTLY TO SKY LAGOON FROM THE AIRPORT.
Much as I like to pull rabbits outta hats, I have not discovered a way to manifest a bunny with the cutest swimsuit in just your size if the one you brought is inside a room-dropped bag back at the hotel. We had a few of those, unfortunately. If your eyes don’t hit that page of the pre-mailer, well …
Sky vs. Blue
Blue Lagoon, with its milky-blue geothermal seawater in the middle of a lava field, is often called one of the “wonders of the world” and is the iconic lagoon most international travelers know. What they may not know is there are no private changing areas so it’s a bona fide “gang’s all here”, awkward ceremony before entering the waters. No, thank you.
Thus, we shuttled 45 minutes to Sky Lagoon where we’d reserved private changing rooms. On the edge of Reykjavík, Sky is a newer, oceanfront lagoon known for its dramatic infinity-edge pool over the North Atlantic and seven-step sauna/steam experience called The Skjol Ritual: lagoon, cold plunge, sauna, cold mist, body scrub, steam room, and a finishing drink made from local crowberries, a mild, slightly tart beverage apparently all the rage with crows everywhere. [A splash of Prosecco would’ve been interesting.]
We’d arrived at Sky Lagoon a band of completely drained travelers after the overnight, inbound flight but, truly, once you immerse yourself in the full experience of the lagoon, you are magically refreshed. The feeling of rejuvenation is extraordinary and suddenly our weary bunch was ready to take on Reykjavík.
As a side note, I was able to sample Sky Lagoon to indulge myself in five of the seven steps of the steam-sauna experience. [No surprise, I passed on the cold plunge and cold mister.] It was wonderful. I was also able to test the Blue Lagoon to do a good comparison and, honestly, I wouldn’t do Blue Lagoon again. It felt like a big, cloudy swimming pool. The only thing special was the Mask Bar, which offered multi-level, pricey mask treatments including silica mud, algae, lava scrub, and mineral masks. I was glad I’d experienced it, but I wouldn’t do it again. Is the water blue? Yes, it is. My vote goes to Sky Lagoon.
Parliament vs. Geysir
If I were to do another program in Reykjavík, I would absolutely return to the Hilton Parliament. The location simply can’t be beaten. It’s walkable to restaurants and shops along the waterfront, whale watching, and a large, inviting public park; the kind of city experience where you can browse a bookstore by day and enjoy a bar [or two] by night. [Pro tip: Find the bookstore that turns into a bar at night.] Downtown has a lot of nightlife and well-lit city streets, so it’s a safe location.
The hotel’s décor is classically Scandinavian — minimalist, neat, and clean but definitely elevated. Bathrooms are quite large and modern. Many of our guests said they slept with windows open at night to take in the refreshing air.
As a contrast, Hotel Geysir is out in the countryside where there’s virtually no light pollution. At the right time of year, this optimizes the viewing experience if you’re fortunate to catch the Aurora Borealis. April is typically not Northern Lights season, but I did see them on the two nights I cast eyes to the sky, once in each city. Hotel Geysir, too, is a genuinely nice, new property that broadens the incentive experience by offering a non-urban perspective on Iceland.
“Hot Dog!”
Along the way, our group experienced puffins, several whale species, a tasty dine-around, a popular glacier, and Icelandic hot dogs. Apparently, after traveling to the base of a glacier in a very cool vehicle with monster tires then snowmobiling to the top and back down again, it’s tradition to enjoy hot dogs. Now, my idea of F&B planning for a corporate group does not typically include this children’s menu item, vegetable soup, and meat soup, but our group absolutely loved it. And I must say the hot dogs were quite good.
The people of Iceland were very genuine and kind wherever we went, but when traveling be aware this is a non-tipping culture. Iceland is, for all practical purposes, a cashless society, and even the guys manning the hot dog stands along the street expect you to use a credit card or tap-to-pay. In a restaurant, your server may appreciate the extra cash, but tipping at the levels we do here in the States is frowned upon by locals who really don’t want to have to do the same. Tipping can be seen as a forced culture shift, an attempt to Americanize their European ways.
Don’t feel bad, you’ve already paid a handsome fee for your meal. Iceland is whatever the opposite of comfortably affordable is. It is incredibly expensive. One day, my lead meeting planner and I went out for a burger and a beer. Two burgers, two beers, $72. [See, you really don’t have to feel guilty about not tipping!] On another day, I ordered a burrito bowl, something that would’ve run about $8 back home. When I looked at my credit card statement, it was the equivalent of $46. Ouch!
After the program concluded, I had one big takeaway. There must be stars within the Northern Lights because they certainly aligned for us. Occasionally, I have days in this madness we call meeting and event planning when I think, “I don’t get paid enough to put up with this.” The glorious week I spent in Iceland was a week when I thought, “I can’t believe I get paid to do this!”
Everything ran as smoothly as a glacier’s surface, especially with the “snow boots on the ground” local knowledge and guidance shared by the amazing Sandra and Karolina of Iceland Travel … and this warm-weather girl had zero problems with the elements! Bottom line, my closet is fully stocked with cold-weather attire, and I’m ready to use it again!
Skal! [Cheers! in Icelandic.]
Julie Thompson-Whelan
