One of the main reasons my best friend and I visited Iceland over New Years was to visit the Blue Lagoon Spa & Resort. We had been talking about ‘spa-ing our way into 2025’ for months, and we did just that at the Retreat Spa at Blue Lagoon on January 1st. I have to say, it really was the most indulgent way to see in the New Year, and we were even lucky enough to see the Northern Lights dance over the spa as we left for the day.
After our time there, I wanted to share some tips for anyone planning to visit the Blue Lagoon, and the pro’s and con’s of the Retreat Spa as well. It’s definitely more expensive, but is it worth it? Read on to find out, and be sure to check out my tips for visiting Iceland too.
The Blue Lagoon Resort Review
The Blue Lagoon is one of the most popular attractions in Iceland. This giant spa resort is renowned for its vast, open-air geothermal pools where you can swim about while gazing out on the surrounding snow-topped lava fields. It is a sustainable resort, becoming a certified B-Corp in 2023, and it even has its own eponymous skincare line.
The resort itself is divided into three main areas: the Blue Lagoon, the Retreat Spa, and the Silica Hotel. This map shows how each area has its own pool and building access. Guests of the Retreat Spa and Silica Hotel have access to their own private pools as well as access to the main Blue Lagoon.
It takes around 45 minutes to get to the Blue Lagoon from Reykjavik, and the most economic transport is the spa’s partner coach service, Destination Blue Lagoon. You can book your transport directly when booking your visit. Just be aware that timings are strict, so keep to your time of arrival and exit to ensure you have a place on your coach.
Tickets for the Blue Lagoon start at 9.900 ISK (around £57 per person), while the Retreat Spa costs 79.000 (around £450 for two people). We ended up taking the plunge (literally!) and booking in to the Retreat Spa, which I’ve shared more about below. If you’re currently deciding on a spa, be sure to also check out the Sky Lagoon and the Secret Lagoon, which both come highly recommended by locals we spoke to on our trip.
4 Top Tips For Visiting The Blue Lagoon
- Book your transport in advance. I’ve already mentioned taking the Blue Lagoon’s bus service, but wanted to reiterate that here. Taxis are expensive in Iceland, and getting to the Blue Lagoon is at least a 45-minute drive. Having a coach booked took the stress out of the day for us.
- Bring your own swimwear. Just like any spa, you’ll need to bring your own swimwear and ablutions. I wore my Berlook one-piece, which was great for the pools, but a bikini would have been better when taking part in the ‘Blue Lagoon Ritual’, a series of exfoliants and masks for the face and body.
- Protect your hair. The Blue Lagoon’s pools are filled with geothermal sea water, which is abundant in silica, a naturally-occurring mineral that can be extremely drying on the hair. To protect your hair, it’s recommended to coat it in conditioner before entering the pool. We opted to bring Philip Kinglsey’s Swim Cap Hair Mask* to be doubly sure the water wouldn’t mess up our hair!
- Time your visit around dawn or dusk. This is a personal tip, especially for the winter months! Daylight is short during the winter in Iceland, so make the most of the dreamy sunrises and colourful sunsets by booking your visit across one of these times. We booked our arrival for 9am, and were treated to an incredibly beautiful, balmy sunrise when entering the pool. It’s a feeling I’ll never forget!
Is The Retreat Spa Worth It?
My best friend and I decided to book into the Blue Lagoon’s Retreat Spa for our New Year’s visit. This cost us around £300 per person (note: prices fluctuate with demand), which was a lot more than the £100 fee for a standard ticket to the Blue Lagoon on the same day. So, was it worth it?
A Private Experience
Once we arrived at the Blue Lagoon, we made the short, beautiful walk from the car park to the entrance, and then found ourselves a little lost. The entrance is geared up for visitors to the Blue Lagoon, however signage is less than ample to find the Retreat Spa. After running around the maze-like building alongside a couple of newlyweds, we found the private Retreat Spa reception, and were shown to our changing room.
This is the first big benefit of booking the Retreat Spa. We had access to our own private changing room for the full five-hours of our visit. The changing room comes complete with robes, slippers, towels, dressing table with electricals and amenities, and a huge double shower. Our bags were kept securely locked in the changing room too.
Once we were changed and hair prepped, we headed to the reception and were given a tour of the Retreat Spa. Alongside the private outdoor pool that spans three levels, we could spend time across the restaurant, sauna, steam room, outdoor terrace, and four other relaxation areas with daybeds and chairs to relax in.
All-Pool Access
We were also able to visit the Blue Lagoon through a private door, which we did out of curiosity, and found it to be a much larger area. This was both a positive and negative – you could swim more freely, but the steam made it harder to navigate. The Blue Lagoon was also much more crowded, and each bar and treatment station had a queue trailing across the pool.
Back in the Retreat Spa, we found ourselves quite isolated from the other guests, being able to stop and chat in secluded spots or at the in-pool drinks window without getting in anyone else’s way. We were treated to our first drink on the house, and I had a pretty incredible flat white while bobbing about in the warm water!
Staff at the Retreat Spa were very helpful, and one member of staff was kind enough to take photos for us – as phones weren’t allowed in the spa – and send these to us later on.
Dining & Spa Ritual
Halfway through the day, we stopped to have lunch at the Spa Restaurant, an additional expense but well worth it. We had selected a time when making our booking, however it is possible to ask for a table on the day.
After lunch, we re-entered the pool for another hour, before finishing our visit with the Blue Lagoon Ritual, a series of face and body treatments to leave the skin feeling good as new. It starts with a trip to the outdoor steam room, followed by a number of self-service stations where you stop and cover yourself in an exfoliant, two mud masks, and a body oil. This differs somewhat from the Blue Lagoon’s skincare, where you have access to a face masks at the ‘Mask Bar’. I do think this area could benefit from more attentive staff members – as we were left to figure it out for the most part – and the ambient temperature actually had me feeling a little cold, but I can’t complain too much!
My Overall Rating of Blue Lagoon Iceland: 9/10
Visiting the Blue Lagoon has to be one of the best ways I’ve ever celebrated New Years, and one of the best spas I’ve ever been to as well. Iceland is a magical place, with incredible natural beauty, and the Blue Lagoon makes the most of it in a truly interactive and relaxing way.
Our visit to the Retreat Spa was absolutely worth the additional spend. We had private facilities, ample space to relax, and much less interaction with fellow guests, which is ideal when all you want to do is melt away in the naturally warm water.
I’ve given Blue Lagoon a 9/10 due to the confusing entrance and additional confusion we had in taking part in the Blue Lagoon Ritual. That being said, I would go back there for another spa day in a heartbeat!
Let me know if you plan to visit the Blue Lagoon – I hope you have a great time!
