Still waters
Retreat to relaxation at Blue Lagoon in Iceland
By MOIRA McCARTHY
Friction can be the vehicle of beauty. An oyster irritated by a speck of sand will eventually yield a luminous pearl. A salt rub for skin removes the old and reveals the new and smooth.
These thoughts struck me as I looked out across the breathtaking landscape from my room at the Retreat at the Blue Lagoon in Iceland. Rough, craggy lava rock dotted with moss juts out as the deep turquoise waters of the Blue Lagoon, with its hot steam rising, laps against it, creating a landscape with an otherworldly look and feel. The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon, a brand new-property, embodies the serenity of its surroundings. There, on a three-day jaunt, I experienced a scrub for the psyche, sloughing away stress and angst.
I wasn’t sure what to expect as I headed to Iceland. Many friends had told me of their visits there, and the Blue Lagoon is wellknown: Thousands of visitors stop in for a day jaunt
while traveling through Iceland.
The lagoon itself, while surrounded by an incredible natural lava landscape, is not nature-made. It is the byproduct of the neighboring geothermal power plant, which pumps a fresh batch of the mineral-rich hot water into the lagoon every two days. From the plant and the grounds the water soaks through, the water is rich with silica and sulphur. The research and development center (on the grounds of the lagoon) studies that mineral-rich water and creates products from it. The water itself is said to be healing for those with psoriasis.
The Retreat at the Blue Lagoon’s post-industrial design somehow feels warm. (Touches like a giant window behind the service desk instead of the expected artwork are key. Why add art when the world is creating it right outside?) My overnight flight from Boston on Icelandair was a snap.
No need to stand at a check-in desk here; greeters bring you tea or coffee and help get you settled. My room is bright and open; a soaking tub looks out over the lava and water, and my huge, soft bed has a once-in-a-lifetime view. After a wonderful breakfast in the bright main foyer area (breakfast comes daily with the stay), I head down to the spa, in a robe and slippers provided by the resort (everyone is wearing them, even at breakfast and lunch; total relaxation is encouraged). I’m scheduled for an “In-water Massage.”
The massage takes place in the resort’s private area of the Blue Lagoon, a quieter, less populated section. My therapist sets me up on a floating mat with a pillow, and as my body hovers just below the water line, she gives me a massage and moves me around the lagoon. The combination of the warmth, slow movement, massage strokes and moving water is an incredible sensation. An hour later, I’m floated over to a super-warm part of the lagoon and encouraged to relax before moving on. I’m completely relaxed and yet hyper- aware.
The feeling stays with me, well into my the rest of my stay. The spa’s signature three-step “Blue Lagoon Ritual,” which uses silica, algae and minerals drawn from that geothermal seawater to smooth your skin and your mind, is so amazing, I do it three times during my stay.
There’s more to do there, too, and you are encouraged to do as little or as much as you need.
At night I dined in the Retreat at the Blue Lagoon’s two signature restaurants. On the Blue Lagoon side, the aptly named Lava Restaurant, built down into the lava itself, serves up Icelandic-caught seafood, lamb and other delights. The resort’s new Moss Restaurant, complete with a wine cellar built down into the deep lava, wows me with a seven-course wine-paired dinner. In the afternoon, high tea is served and with it I choose coffee — it’s good here! — and soak in the vibe.
I meander over to the Blue Lagoon section, of course, where tourists flock, and there’s more of a party vibe in the warm, soothing water (there’s a walk-up bar in the lagoon as well as a face mask bar for treating your skin while you soak).
I also head off site, to the countryside where tiny towns dot the land. A church on a hill draws me in, and I hop out to stare at the beauty of the sun catching the church, the town and the magnificent sea.
All these moments are spectacular. But the best come during the quiet times. Sitting with a book and staring out at the horizon as the sun rises or sets. Floating in that soothing warm water and just letting go as I stare up at puffy clouds against a brilliant blue sky. Sipping a rich coffee and just breathing slowly, totally relaxed by the lagoon, the resort and the magical surprise of rough lava and smooth, mineralrich water.
Accommodations at the Retreat at the Blue Lagoon range from $1,144 for the Junior Moss Suite to $2,383 per night for the Lagoon Suite. The adjoining Silica Hotel has single rooms from $532.
Learn more at bluelagoon.com.