The Retreat Hotel at the Blue Lagoon

The Blue Lagoon has drawn visitors to Iceland for decades; a thermal pool, fringed by moss-covered lava fields and with mysterious restorative qualities. Now one of the country’s most ambitious luxury resorts has opened on site, promising a rarefied spa experience without compare. In the midst of sprawling lava fields and beside the shimmering Blue Lagoon, this is an ethereal location to remind you the world is full of beauty and wonder. One of Iceland’s most popular attractions, the lagoon’s supposedly restorative waters were discovered during development work at a nearby geothermal power plant. It would be impossible for the resort’s interiors to surpass the beauty of the surrounding landscape, so instead they pay homage to it: carpets are grey-blue and moss green; slabs of solidified lava have been broken into rough-hewn bricks to create a signature fireplace or levelled to form a statement bar; decades-old Icelandic ceramics decorate the lobby.The resort’s star amenity is its cavernous spa, a world-class wellness facility segmented by multiple relaxation zones; a dimly lit chamber offering the Blue Lagoon’s hammam-like cleansing ritual; and access to a calm, enclosed section of the lagoon.