Hotel Barbro

Hotel Barbro

Akranes, Iceland

Reviewed July 8th, 2005

It is said that the first occupants of Iceland were Irish monks seeking spiritual refuge. No archaeological evidence has been found to support this yet but that doesn't keep this small town on the west coast of Iceland from celebrating it's annual Irish Festival. Driving into town, we were initially very alarmed to be greeted by several teenagers dressed as strange clown leprechauns giving out candy. Perhaps even stranger was going to an Italian restaurant on their main street festooned with Irish flags and various banners and decorations sporting orange, green and white. Inside sat several ruddy obese families in hotel ballroom chairs on ragged plush carpeting - chowing down on their pizza buffet. I know Iceland has an obsession with pizza and burgers, but these people were large even by American standards.

Located down a hall from the cashier, the restroom doors were differentiated by amateur but charming oil paintings depicting a deformed red-faced man and woman. If not for the characteristically Scandanavian bangs and slightly aloof expression on the gentlemen, I may have mistaken him for the devil.

Inside were three small urinals located dangerously close to the sinks. Patchy maroonish-pink paint covered the walls and an open window to the street allowed the sounds of pedestrians and traffic to pour in - along with a chilly 8 degree (Celsius of course; we are in Europe after all) breeze.

RESTROOM RATING: 6
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