The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland

"The Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland’s most illustrious attractions, with a constant stream of visitors enjoying a dip in the steamy blue water bordered by black lava on Reykjanes Peninsula. Its popularity also splits Iceland travelers firmly into two camps: those who want to stay away from the well-trodden tourist attractions, and those who embrace them wholeheartedly. Should you visit the Blue Lagoon, or give it a miss? That is the question. Perhaps an easier question to answer is whether to stay at the upscale new hotel attached to Iceland’s famed hot spring. Enigmatically named The Retreat, this hotel takes all the geothermal wonder of the Blue Lagoon and instils it into an uber-luxurious wellness establishment. The sleek and minimalist suites mirror the mossy-covered lava fields outside, while floor-to-ceiling windows welcome in the ethereal light of the Reykjanes Peninsula, inciting the stark grey and subdued black interiors into a heady and otherworldly Icelandic spectrum. Inside, all roads lead to the underground spa, a cavernous space offering the patented Blue Lagoon Ritual, a wellness cleanse using the silica, algae, and array of minerals all found in the geothermal waters. Access to a more exclusive section of the Blue Lagoon is also included, and there’s a world-class restaurant to boot." - James Taylor

"Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Iceland, so why not stay right on property to ensure that you get the best experience while there? The 60-suite hotel is home to a subterranean spa, a Michelin-starred restaurant, and, of course, a private, more intimate lagoon that hosts geothermal seawater from the same wellspring as the Blue Lagoon. This retreat lets you reap all the same benefits of the tourist hotspot without having to deal with the crowds."

"A swim at the iconic, restorative, and utterly Instagrammable Blue Lagoon has been an essential to-do for Iceland’s visitors for years, but the addition of The Retreat Hotel has turned it from bucket list stopover to one-of-a-kind destination. The Retreat is enveloped in a calm hush that relaxes the senses, dark but refined decor, attentive staff, and architecture in harmony with the surrounding environment. Guests drift towards the star-spangled ingress of the spa in their robes, the unofficial uniform of The Retreat." - Ali Wunderman

"There are few destination spas as singular as this 62-suite hotel, built into an 800-year-old lava field on the southwest side of Iceland’s famous lagoon. It’s an otherworldly place to spend a few days, kicking back in the Scandi-chic guestrooms, soaking in the thermal hot springs, and indulging in a seven-course chef’s tasting menu at the lagoon-level restaurant. You and your partner will feel weightless as you float in the mineral-rich waters, looking out at the surreal moss-fringed landscape. If you’re lucky, the Northern Lights may even dance across the sky."

"Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon is also the site of the incredibly stylish and unmistakably high-end Retreat Hotel. It’s got its own guests-only lagoon, so that you can skip the very busy public pool, as well as a lavish day spa that makes the most of Iceland’s unique volcanic resources. The suites are by a considerable distance the country’s most luxurious, with views of the private lagoon or the lava fields in the middle distance — some even open directly onto the water." - Mark Fedeli