Favourite hotels: Europe
The moss-covered lava fields that coat Iceland’s south-west coast are best described as Scottish highlands meet the Moon. In among this frosted lunar landscape, you’ll find the country’s first five-star hotel, The Retreat.
A mere 20 minutes from the international airport, the building is almost invisible from the road, masked by volcanic rock. The only giveaway is rising steam from the Blue Lagoon’s geothermal seawater, Iceland’s most popular tourist attraction and The Retreat’s reason for being.
In another Iceland first, the hotel is also the only one with its own private—and sizeable—section of the lagoon.
Nothing can compare to a late-night dip in the mineral-rich, duck-egg-blue water. Accessed from the spa, the water winds its way through lava canyons and a series of enchanting pools. If you’re lucky, the Northern Lights might be visible above you. It was a huge tick on my bucket list, against an entry that I didn’t realise should’ve been on there until I’d done it.
At the heart of the subterranean spa, guests are guided through a ritualistic fullbody experience, utilising locally sourced minerals and silica. Try the speciality treatment: an in-water massage. Afterwards, you can feast on fresh sushi in the spa restaurant, where wearing your bathrobe is actively encouraged.
This laidback approach has also been adopted by the Retreat Lounge—a cavernous, glass-walled space overlooking the mountains. Breakfast, an all-day menu and afternoon tea are served here; it also doubles as the hotel’s reception. Despite its vast size, there’s a feeling of true comfort and well-being.
Privacy is of tantamount importance to luxury hotels, but this often leads to guests being quietly ushered from one room to the next—never the twain to meet. It’s refreshing to find one deliberately designed around social interaction. A guided hike with fellow visitors is highly recommended—talented staff double as guides, yoga teachers and more and are more than happy to impart some of the country’s fascinating folklore and Viking history.
For a dose of formality, book a table at Moss Restaurant, deserving of a Michelin star. The five- and seven-course menus focus around some of Iceland’s most prolific produce—lamb, rutabaga, Skyr yoghurt and Atlantic fish. The wine cellar isn’t officially open to the public, but, if you ask nicely, the sommelier might sneak you in. Underground, its temperature is naturally regulated by the exposed, porous rock walls.
Upstairs, the 62 suites are all clean lines and myriad textures, inspired by the local environment. Most of them boast open bathrooms and some come with a private lagoon, mere steps from the bed—beds that I’m happy to proclaim the world’s most comfortable. RP Suites from £1,029 per night, including à la carte breakfast (00 354 420 8700; www.retreat.bluelagoon.com)