Blue Lagoon Retreat, Iceland

The Blue Lagoon sits in a lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, 25 minutes from Keflavík International Airport. It covers around 10,000 square metres of geothermal water maintained at 37 to 40 degrees Celsius year-round and is one of National Geographic’s 25 Wonders of the World.

The Retreat Spa sits beneath the same lava field, carved 2,300 square metres into the rock, with its own private lagoon and access available separately from the main facility.

The entrance is separate from the main lagoon. A private changing suite for two and a wristband controlling access throughout.

This is not the same arrival as the standard experience. The water comes from the same geothermal source. The difference is in the number of people using it and the pace at which the facility allows the day to move.

The Blue Lagoon was not designed as a spa. It formed as a byproduct of the Svartsengi geothermal power plant, which began operating in 1976. Water discharged from the plant collected in the surrounding lava field, and within a few years people noticed it was having a visible effect on skin conditions, particularly psoriasis. The Blue Lagoon company was established in 1992.

The colour comes from silica, a mineral that reflects sunlight and gives the lagoon its opacity. Silica is the basis of the mud masks used throughout the Ritual and the reason the water affects the skin.

The other two active ingredients are the algae that grow in the water and the minerals from the geothermal source below, including salt, sulphur and trace elements from the volcanic rock.

The Retreat Spa opened in 2018. The Retreat Hotel opened alongside it, with rooms and suites giving direct private access to the lagoon. MOSS, the hotel’s restaurant, holds a Michelin Key and serves a tasting menu built on Icelandic ingredients.

The standard Blue Lagoon holds thousands of people during peak hours. The silica mud is distributed from wall dispensers. The steam rooms are shared. The experience is the same water and the same mineral properties, but the atmosphere of a public space surrounds it.

The Retreat Spa operates separately. The Retreat Lagoon holds a fraction of the number in the main lagoon at any given time. Phones are not permitted and staff take photographs on request.

The Ritual chambers, a sequence of three interconnected rooms, take guests through the four-step Blue Lagoon Ritual, a mineral salt scrub, a silica mud application, an algae mask and a final application of algae body oil. Each step uses the lagoon’s natural ingredients. The sequence takes around forty-five minutes.

The steam cave, sauna, lava spring, cold plunge and a darkened resting room complete the circuit. Lava Cove, a 42-square-metre private suite within the Retreat Spa with its own 28-square-metre warm lagoon and fireplace, is available by the hour for complete seclusion.

The Retreat Lagoon sits at 37 to 39 degrees Celsius, with the volcanic rock walls of the spa on two sides and the lava field through the windows on the others.

The steam cave is a low-ceilinged chamber carved into the rock off the lagoon edge. The sauna has views over the Blue Lagoon and the lava field beyond. The cold plunge holds at around six degrees Celsius.

In-water massage uses the warmth and buoyancy of the geothermal water to support the bodywork. Float therapy is also available. Both are booked separately from Retreat Spa access.

The MOSS restaurant serves lunch and dinner with views over the lava field, with a tasting menu built entirely on Icelandic ingredients.

The Retreat Spa sells out months ahead, particularly for early morning and evening slots. Do Not Disturb secures access in advance and arranges the full day around the spa, including MOSS for lunch or dinner and, for guests wanting to stay, Retreat Hotel rooms with direct private lagoon access.

The spa sits 25 minutes from Keflavík and works as both an opening and closing experience of an Iceland itinerary. The logistics of both are handled as part of the same arrangement.

Ready to plan your visit to the Retreat Spa at Blue Lagoon Iceland? Speak with Do Not Disturb to begin your journey.