The Retreat at Blue Lagoon Iceland

Yes, Iceland’s famous Blue Lagoon is a manmade tourist attraction, but only a killjoy would shun it on that basis — especially now that it’s also the site of the incredibly stylish and unmistakably high-end Retreat Hotel. It’s got its own guests-only lagoon, so that you can skip the very busy public pool, and a couple of suites come with their own fully private baths. It’s also got a lavish day spa that makes the most of Iceland’s unique volcanic resources.

The upgrade to the bathing experience is a welcome one, but perhaps even more impressive are the Retreat’s accommodations, a set of minimalist-luxe suites and junior suites, all of them with floor-to-ceiling windows offering views of the lagoon, the volcanic rocks, and/or southwestern Iceland’s unique lava-field landscape.

Lava, the more casual restaurant, is open all day — some diners arrive in robes — while the Spa Restaurant maintains a focus on healthful cooking. Meanwhile the hotel’s flagship Moss Restaurant is most memorable of the three, and not only for its dramatic space and far-ranging views; in 2023 it earned a Michelin star for its artful interpretations of Iceland’s homegrown flavors.