The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland

We had such a great start to our stay when we strolled in around 10:30 am! The staff greeted us with big smiles and offered us a coffee right away. By 11 am, we were all checked into our Lava View Suite, and we couldn't stop admiring the thoughtful little touches, like the complimentary Moët champagne (even though we don't like champagne) and a fully stocked mini bar included in our stay. Plus, those luxurious blue lagoon toiletries were just the cherry on top! The bed was incredibly comfy, although I found the pillows a bit too soft for my liking. We absolutely loved the lagoon—sitting in the 38-degree water was just bliss! The mud mask and salt scrub ritual was an amazing experience that left us feeling rejuvenated. Every afternoon at 4 pm, they serve afternoon tea, which is included in the room rate. It was a lovely way to break up our day! Breakfast had so many options on both the buffet and à la carte menu—it was hard to choose! We dined at the Michelin-star restaurant, but I found it a bit limiting since the only drink option besides water was wine, and since we don’t drink wine, we felt a little stuck. If I remember correctly, they didn’t offer any alternatives when we mentioned our preference. I must say, I personally preferred the more casual vibe of the Lava restaurant! I’ve seen some reviews grumbling about the lack of TVs, but honestly, I didn’t miss it at all. Isn’t the whole point of a retreat to unplug and escape from everything for a while? You aren’t allowed to take your phone into the spa area or the lagoon, though a few people didn’t seem to mind breaking that rule. On our last night, we were disappointed that we hadn't seen the Northern Lights. We were talking to a member of staff who offered to give us a wake up call if anything happened. We are so glad we spoke to him as we had a call at 9pm and we saw the lights! The Retreat is quite secluded, about 40 minutes from Reykjavik. There’s a bus to the city, but it doesn’t leave until 12:15 PM and costs about £27 per person one way! Our taxi back set us back around £130. Iceland is very expensive! If you're planning to explore places like the Golden Circle, I’d recommend splitting your stay with Reykjavik since there aren’t any pickup options nearby the Retreat. Overall, it was an amazing experience!

The finest most intestine and gorgeous hotel I have been to. And I have been around the block. Magnificent location with private access to the famous Blue Lagoon. Once you have luxuriated in the chemical rich warm water, you can scrub off your dry skin slather yourself with silica and lovely rich oil- all included in the over the top room rate. We did not dine at the one star restaurant ut I looked wam and intimate and bay with attentive waitstaff. The room we shared was small but very attractive, complete with mini bar full of wine and beverages included in the room price. The whole experience was delightful. Special mention to Martin, David and Thor.

Great hotel to enjoy the Blue Lagoon for a couple of days. It is away from everything and very relaxing. Rooms are comfortable but dark with ambient lighting. The Spa felt a little chaotic and a bit crowded since they also sell day passes. There is no priority for guests staying at the hotel to book treatments so that has to be done well in advance. Staff at the hotel is generally helpful. Staff at their Moss restaurant was on another level.

After driving and hiking all over the Western peninsulas of Iceland, spending two nights at The Retreat was the perfect way to end our vacation. There were some common concerns about staying at The Retreat, so to address them: Is there an egg/sulfur smell? Yes, but it might be situational. We stayed in the Lagoon Suite which has access to a separate, private lagoon right outside the bedroom. This lagoon is supplied by a pump that runs throughout the day. When the pump runs, it smells. It is strongest in the morning (the pump probably has to work extra hard the first time each day), but it is still weaker to sulfur water at hot springs in the wild. The smell dissipates shortly after the pump shuts off, and given that there are many reviews say there is no smell at all, we think it could be just a Lagoon Suite (and perhaps neighboring rooms) problem. We only smelled it in the room; the rest of the hotel and the Blue Lagoon itself had no smell in our experience. Noise: Noise insulation is not great in the room. Noise from the hallway is non-existent, but if you're on the first floor you can definitely hear footsteps and things being dragged on the floor above. The aforementioned lagoon pumps are loud enough to go into the room and will be bad for light sleepers. They are supposedly set to run 8am-10pm, but our host mentioned we can ask the hotel to adjust the time if we wanted to use our lagoon earlier/later. We heard the pump running at 7-7:30am, so it's possible that the neighboring suite requested their pump to run earlier. There is also a geothermal power plant neighboring the Blue Lagoon, and it occasionally makes noises that sound like a jet is flying directly overhead (not at night thankfully). If these don't feel like dealbreakers (it sounds bad writing it out but it felt more like minor inconveniences in person), then read on for the many positives The Retreat has. The entire staff at The Retreat was the best service we had at Iceland. I don't know if it's a European thing, but at various other hotels/restaurants (including Blue Lagoon store) throughout the country people seemed... stoic? Service was still great, but it just didn't feel warm. The Retreat staff felt like you were seeing genuine emotion and excitement to help you with whatever you needed, from valet parking to check-in/out to bookings and just general conversation (a good number of the staff are League/DoTA players so The Retreat is a bonus recommendation to gamers who have expendable income to burn) Food at Moss and Lava were delicious, and there is breakfast buffets and afternoon tea provided daily in the lobby at no extra charge. The spa massage (we got 60 minute hot stone massages) was the best we've experienced. We weren't even asked about strength level, but somehow it was at the sweet spot. They also have a free 4 step skin care ritual which we're sure is just a big advertising platform for their products, but it's been a few days and our skin is sti

This place is absolutely spectacular. A must see for everyone. This is a great idea for both a girls trip and a couples trip. The experience is truly once in a lifetime. You simply cannot describe these blue, hot waters in this beautiful Icelandic landscape. The most memorable part for me was the in water massage. It was a relaxing and truly peaceful experience. Unfortunately, The staff at the gift shop could use a little more training in customer service, and should try to be more accurate and accommodating to the guests. As this is usually the last stop of the day, it would’ve been nice to have left with that same tranquil feeling. Overall, a must if you are ever in this magnificent region!