return to the blue lagoon
It is always a little surprising to realise that the Blue Lagoon – arguably Iceland’s most iconic feature – is actually manmade. Filled with seawater byproduct from the neighbouring geothermal power station, the waters mixed with minerals drawn deep from volcanic earth, creating liquids rich in silica and sulphur that is purportedly good for the skin. And because it is an artificial feature, that allows for the new, private extension of the lagoon and the new luxury resort built around it, which opens Autumn 2017.
The attraction is that instead of mixing with the hoi polloi, guests of the new Moss Hotel will have an entire new section of the pool to themselves. Hewn out of the 800-year-old lava field at Grindavik on the Reykjanes Peninsula, the new Lava Lagoon is meant only for guests staying in one of the Moss Hotel’s 62 rooms. Floor-to-ceiling windows in each of the Scandinavian-styled rooms offer a wondrous view of the rugged Icelandic scenery (and if you’re lucky, the Northern Lights), with ground floor rooms have direct access to the geothermal waters.
For additional wellness, the Lava Cove offers an underground spa experience with a lava-rock steam room, sauna and a range of mineral-inspired treatments. After a long, tiring day of soaking in vivid blue waters, dine at the hotel’s Moss Restaurant, which offers a seven-course tasting menu of traditional Icelandic cuisine. Wines will be plucked out of a wine cellar built deep in the rocks beneath the restaurant, sampled at table or The Lounge while getting lost in the dramatic views.
But for those that demand even more privacy, there is another option. Moss Hotel has its intriguingly titled Hidden Cove, a private suite with self-contained spa that comes with its own butler, on-call chef and masseuse. Oh, and its own private section of the lagoon. Life at the Blue Lagoon doesn’t get any better than this.
