The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland
About this stay
The Retreat is built low into the moss-covered lava of Svartsengi, on the Reykjanes Peninsula, next to the Blue Lagoon and about 20 minutes by road from Keflavík airport. Its 60 suites look onto the milky water, and an overnight stay opens three bathing areas: the main Blue Lagoon, the Retreat Lagoon kept for hotel guests, and the underground Retreat Spa, where the Blue Lagoon Ritual applies silica, algae and minerals in turn. Breakfast, an in-room minibar and daily group yoga are part of the stay, and dinner is at Moss, a 40-seat Michelin-starred restaurant. The spa and the Retreat Lagoon admit guests from 12 years old. The hotel stands close to the Sundhnúkur crater row, which has erupted repeatedly since December 2023: after the eruption of 20 November 2024, lava crossed the access road and the lagoon stayed closed until 6 December, so reading the Blue Lagoon's own updates before arrival is part of planning a stay here.
- Retreat Lagoon reserved for hotel guests
- Underground Retreat Spa with the Blue Lagoon Ritual
- Unlimited Blue Lagoon access during the stay
- Moss, a 40-seat Michelin-starred restaurant
- About 20 minutes by road from Keflavík airport
- Breakfast and daily group yoga included
Our take
Guests here bathe in the Retreat Lagoon, an arm of the Blue Lagoon that day visitors never reach, and the underground Retreat Spa with its Blue Lagoon Ritual is part of the stay, not an extra. That is the reason to book. The hotel sits about 20 minutes by road from Keflavík airport, so it works best as the first or last night of an Iceland trip. I would not use it as a sightseeing base: the Golden Circle and the south coast are a long drive away, and the Sundhnúkur craters a few kilometres north can close the lagoon at short notice. It suits couples and adults travelling together; under-12s cannot enter the spa or the private lagoon.
Why we love it
- A lagoon that day visitors never reach
- The Ritual of silica, algae and minerals in the underground spa
- A first or last night 20 minutes from Keflavík airport
- Dinner at Moss, with only 40 seats
Why guests love itFamilies should read the age rules before anything else. The Retreat welcomes children, but the minimum age for the Retreat Spa, the Retreat Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon Ritual is 12, and guests aged 12 to 18 need an adult with them there. Younger children, from two years old, can only use the main Blue Lagoon, where everyone under 16 must stay with an adult. In practice this is a hotel for couples and for families with teenagers. With a toddler, I would sleep in Reykjavík or near Keflavík and visit the Blue Lagoon for a few hours instead, because most of what the stay includes would stay closed to part of the family. Teenagers, on the other hand, get the whole experience, Ritual included.
Guest reviews
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