The Retreat at Blue Lagoon: Iceland’s One Key Wonderland and Foodie Paradise

"Set against an ancient lava field on the Reykjanes Peninsula, I found this hotel to be a singular blend of geology and design — a One MICHELIN Key property and nominee for MICHELIN’s inaugural Wellness Award that literally puts you in the landscape. What lies below is as impressive as what’s above: a 2,300-square-metre spa tunneled into 800-year-old rock that opens onto a residents-only lagoon, with the Blue Lagoon Ritual (a three-stage circuit of salt scrub, white silica and algae), therapists who work in the water, heat rooms and unhurried resting spaces. The suites are deliberately screen-free with wide windows framing pale water or dark lava (higher categories add living areas and some lagoon-side suites give private water access, with the Blue Lagoon Suite featuring its own secluded pool). Architecture and interiors take cues from the ground underfoot — clean lines, earth-toned materials and even a wine room carved into the rock — while outdoors the hotel’s layered lagoon, saunas, lava room and fireside lounge make dipping and lingering effortless; access and payments run on a waterproof wristband. Practical safeguards (earth embankments, liaison with the Met Office and evacuation drills) sit alongside guest-facing rules — a two-night minimum applies and the property is geared toward guests aged 12 and up, with certain water-access suites restricted for families with children under nine — and it’s conveniently under 30 minutes from Keflavík and within easy reach of Reykjavík." - The MICHELIN Guide UK Editorial Team