The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Add: Norðurljósavegur 11, 240 Grindavík, Iceland
Tel: +354 420 8700
Website: www.bluelagoon.com/accommodation/retreat-hotel
Price: from 162,000 ISK (~1290 USD) / night
Visited: Sep 2019
When planning our Iceland road trip (Part I, Part II), we decided to end it at the Blue Lagoon for two reasons. First, the Blue Lagoon is only a short 20-minute drive from the airport, making it a convenient last stop before we hop on the plane, and second, a good soak in an outdoor hot spring after days of driving and hiking sounds like a swell idea.
Having heard that Blue Lagoon can get quite crowded , we decided to splurge a bit and stay the night at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, a newly opened luxury resort (the first and only, for now, five-star hotel in Iceland) with its own private lagoon. It was, without a doubt, a pricey accommodation even by Icelandic standard, but…totally worth it!
在計畫冰島行程時（Part I, Part II），我們選擇將藍湖放在最後一站。第一是因為藍湖距離機場只有20分鐘的車程，是上飛機前很方便的一個 last stop，第二是因為在數天長途開車 + 日行兩萬步後，能在室外的溫泉裡舒舒服服的泡個湯，實在是個非常理想的畫面啊。
藍湖是冰島最著名的景點之一，遊客自然很多。為了避免人擠人，我們決定小小奢侈一下，入住新開幕不久的 The Retreat at Blue Lagoon。這是冰島第一家（也是目前唯一的）五星級奢華酒店，最吸引人之處是它有和大眾藍湖完全分開的私密溫泉。貴，但值得！
Arrival / 抵達
We were exhausted after an almost 6-hour drive from our previous stop, Akureyri, but our spirits immediately lifted the moment we stepped foot inside The Retreat. It’s not hard to see why:
從上一站 Akureyri 開車到藍湖花了快要6個小時，但趕路的疲勞在看到這般美景時，就瞬間蒸發於空氣之中了：
Built on an 800-year-old lava flow, the resort takes inspirations from Iceland’s natural beauty – carpets are grey-blue and moss green, the reception desk is made from slabs of solidified lava, and windows are woven into the design throughout the complex to let in views of the natural surroundings…linking the interior with the exterior to create a most harmonious flow.
The Retreat 蓋在一片800年前形成的熔岩地上，建築和室內設計處處充滿了來自冰島壯麗大自然的靈感 – 比如灰藍和青苔綠的厚實地毯、熔岩材質做成的接待處桌椅、以及無所不在的大片窗戶，讓室內室外的空間似乎是自由流動的。隱密、溫暖、平靜。
After a quick check-in, we were seated by the window and served a champagne afternoon tea, a much needed energy boost after our long drive.
辦好簡單的 Check-in 手續之後，正好是 The Retreat 每天給房客提供的香檳下午茶時間，順便補充了一下長途車程後所需的能量。
Lagoon View Junior Suite / 湖景小套房
Then, to the rooms. We had booked the Lagoon View Junior Suite (207,000 ISK or ~1650 USD / per night), which is 40 sqm in size with a beautiful backdrop of blues and greens. With this large floor-to-ceiling window, the boundary between the interior and the exterior felt almost non-existent.
接著，來到房間。我們訂了 Lagoon View Junior Suite（207,000 冰島克朗 or ~1650 美金 / 晚），40平米的大小，大片落地窗的設計讓人幾乎感受不到裡外的間隔，一看過去就是湖水的藍以及青苔的綠。
The patio is perfect for sipping a morning coffee, sunbathing in the afternoon, and Northern Lights gazing after dark.
露台，可以在這裡喝杯晨間咖啡、曬個下午日光浴、或者入夜後看極光。
Do note that the water outside is for viewing only (you wouldn’t want to soak in there anyway as this water is not heated), but if you really want, you can book the Lagoon Suite (340,000 ISK or ~2705 USD / night) which has its own private lagoon, as shown below:
不過要注意的是房間外的水並沒有加熱，所以不能直接泡。想要直接從房間踏入溫泉的話，就必須要訂最高等級的 Lagoon Suite，價格是 340,000 冰島克朗 (~2705 美金)/晚。
The view is certainly stunning, but we were equally impressed with the interior design, which employs natural, local textures to create a modern, minimalist yet warm space.
房間外的景觀非常驚人，但室內設計也沒讓我們失望。風格摩登、簡潔而不失溫暖，處處都是貼心的小細節。
Skincare amenities (made with silica and algae sourced directly from the Blue Lagoon) are supplied generously, and should you run out, simply call room service and ask them to send more (no extra charge, of course).
盥洗用品都來自 Blue Lagoon 自有品牌（添加了白泥、海藻等取自藍湖的成份），而且用量給的超大方，不夠還可以請服務人員送過來（無額外收費）。
And the shower. Three types of water jets with ultra strong water pressure, it’s like a mini spa right here.
淋浴也很令人驚喜，有三種水柱模式設定、水量均勻、水壓夠足，邊洗澡邊有在水療般的放鬆感。
Very thoughtful lighting design that comes in various settings.
打燈的亮度也有各種貼心的設定。
Floor heating throughout the suite.
房間整個都有地暖，非常舒服。
These are some of the most comfortable hotel slippers I’ve ever slipped my feet into.
應該是我穿過最舒服的酒店拖鞋之一了。
Fully equipped with all the amenities you need, even a hair straightener.
個人護理用品應有盡有，連直髮夾都有。
This little lounge area is perfect for staring out into the blue or reading one of the Iceland-themed books provided by the resort.
小小沙發空間，可以坐在這裡欣賞窗外景色，或閱讀房間裡的冰島書籍。
No TV in the room (rightly so), though there is a nifty little B&O speaker.
房間裡沒有電視（有這樣的景色，真的不需要電視！），不過有個很棒的 B&O 小音響。
Customized Moleskine notebooks.
訂製的 Moleskine 筆記本。
Wool shawls, which came in handy when we stayed out late at night to watch the Northern Lights.
羊毛披肩，晚上在露台上看極光的時候非常好用。
The Retreat also offers complimentary group yoga session daily, though it’s scheduled at 9am which awkwardly dissects breakfast service…so I had to skip. There is also a daily group hike at 2pm, but our stay was too short for us to take advantage of that.
The Retreat 也有免費提供瑜珈課程，不過時間定在有點尷尬的早上9點（正好是早餐吃到一半的時候），所以這次沒有參加。酒店也會在每天下午2點帶客人去附近健行，可惜我們當天抵達的太晚，也無法參加這個行程。
An efficient design for shoes and coats at the entrance of the suite.
門口掛大衣和穿鞋的設計，規劃的很有效率。
Another detail to love: instead of using room keys or cards, each guest is given a bracelet to open suite doors. This bracelet is also recognized at all the facilities, including the public Blue Lagoon, where resort guests can enter free of charge.
另一個我非常愛的小細節：The Retreat 的房客用專門手環就可以進出房間，無需帶著鑰匙或門卡。有了這個手環，進出 spa 或者藍湖也都通行無阻，只要在營業時間內都可以無限次泡澡。
Yet another small detail: when you indicate “do not disturb” on the in-room control panel, your room number will be lit up in red instead of yellow so housekeeping knows to leave you alone.
另一個小細節：在房間的平板電腦上點擊 “請勿打擾” 後，房號會從黃光變成柔和的紅光，非常低調的一個小變化，但足以讓服務人員明白客人的需求。
Retreat Lagoon + The Ritual / 私密溫泉 + 身體煥膚
The centerpiece of The Retreat, of course, is its private Retreat Lagoon, which flows from the same wellspring of geothermal water as the Blue Lagoon.
The Retreat 最重要的部分，當然是它的私密溫泉。Retreat Lagoon 雖然和藍湖是分開的，但裡面的水是來自和藍湖一樣的地熱水流。
Bounded by the earth’s natural ridges and usually shrouded in steam, the geothermal lagoon offers a particularly atmospheric soak. The water is milky blue because of the lagoon’s chalky floor of white silica, and the temperature is at a pleasant 40C – warm enough, but not the type of HOT spring you would experience at a Japanese onsen.
To protect guest privacy, no personal phones or cameras are allowed in the lagoon and spa area, but the staff are more than happy to help you take photos with the official phone and send them to you later. They are super sweet, know all the right angles, and will switch between different shooting mode to get you the best shots. To see photos of the lagoon and spa, click here.
Retreat Lagoon 的周圍有熔岩構成的天然屏障，煙霧繚繞，非常迷人。因為瀉湖底部有白泥，所以水是柔和的奶藍色，溫度維持在40度左右，溫熱舒適，但不像日式溫泉那麼高溫。由於 The Retreat 客人不多，泡溫泉時經常有包場的感覺，私密感滿分。
為了保護客人隱私，在溫泉以及 spa 區內不能帶私人手機或相機，但服務人員可幫忙拍照。他們不但知道那裡角度最好，還會非常熱心地切換人像/遠景模式，拍出各種美照。也因此我沒有什麼溫泉和spa區域的照片可以分享給你，不妨點擊酒店官網查看更多。
Be sure to reserve 30 minutes or more to experience The Ritual, a three-part process using the minerals, silica, and algae naturally found in the Blue Lagoon’s waters to scrub and cleanse your skin. You will leave feeling brand new!
The Retreat 還有一個很酷的 The Ritual 空間，在這裡可以用藍湖的礦物質、白泥、海藻等做身體護理，從去角質到敷面膜共三個步驟，別忘了安排至少30分鐘在這裡區域好好玩一下。
The Retreat After Dark / 入夜之後
We got back to our suite just as the sky turned dark…
在溫泉區流連忘返，終於回到房間時，天色已晚。
Some chocolate truffles as part of the turndown service.
服務人員趁我們泡溫泉是默默地做好夜床服務，還在桌上為我們留了幾顆巧克力松露。
View of the lobby from outside, as if it’s floating on water.
從外面看酒店大堂，像漂浮在水上一般。
We had originally booked Moss Restaurant, the fine dining restaurant of The Retreat, but decided to cancel so we could enjoy the lagoon and spa at our leisure. It was already 9pm by the time we got ready for dinner, so we simply ordered some dishes from the casual Spa Restaurant, which could be served in the lobby as well.
我們原本想試試 The Retreat 的 fine dining 餐廳 Moss Restaurant，不過因為想更悠閒地享受溫泉，所以將預約給取消了。等我們準備要吃晚餐時已經晚上9點，便從 Spa Restaurant 點了一些簡單的料理，在大堂輕鬆解決了。
It’s also worth noting that The Retreat has a wine cellar that is carved into a cavern of lava that dates back to 1226. Here are some photos from the afternoon wine cellar tour:
順帶一提，The Retreat 還有一個在地下酒窖，深藏在 1226 年火山爆發後冷卻形成的熔岩洞穴，非常酷。酒店每天下午有安排酒窖參觀，其他時間應該也能另外安排：
The minibar in the suite also includes complimentary red and white wine in addition to coffee, tea, soft drinks, and Icelandic beer.
在房間當然也能輕鬆喝一杯，minibar 有附送的紅白酒，冰島啤酒，等等。
And just as we were about to go to bed, we spotted the Northern Lights right from our patio! Soon after we also got a call from The Retreat’s Northern Light wake-up call service, and headed up to the rooftop terrace in hope to see more of it.
酒足飯飽，正準備去睡覺時，我們突然發現在露台上可以看到極光！不久後也收到前台打來的極光電話通知，告訴我們可以到頂樓的更開闊的平台欣賞極光。
Though it soon got too clouded, we still felt extremely fortunate to have seen the Northern Lights for a second time on our trip, and happily fell into a deep sleep under our ultra fluffy duvet…
雖然後來因為多雲而看不清楚，但我們已經覺得能在冰島看到兩次極光，是非常幸運的事了。心滿意足地回房間，爬入溫暖鬆軟的被窩睡個好覺…
Good Morning & Good Bye
We woke up to a beautifully soft morning, and started the day with a coffee on the patio.
早上醒來，先在露台上喝杯咖啡，享受一下這個柔和的早晨。
Waking up to this view…
這景色啊…
We then took a quick peek at Blue Lagoon, which at this early hour is still pleasantly empty and shrouded in mystic steam. Retreat guests have free access to this, and as our host suggested, it’s best to visit early during the day or later in the evening to ensure a more relaxed ambience.
The Retreat 除了有私人小藍湖外，還有通往大藍湖的私人通道。我們趁一大早，人還不多時去看了一眼，那煙霧繚繞的景象十分迷人。
Breakfast is served in the lobby, a combination of a la carte and buffet featuring staples such as skyr (Icelandic yogurt) cured salmon, fresh fruits, etc. (Note the natural texture of this bar!)
早餐在酒店大堂，有單點也有自助餐的部分，非常豐富。（岩石做成的吧台，很美吧？）
Breakfast in bathrobes with a view like this, can’t complain.
穿著睡袍，面對這樣的風景吃早餐，實在無可抱怨了。
Since our flight wasn’t until the afternoon, The Retreat gave us a late check-out at 2pm, so we could enjoy another good soak in the Lagoon followed by a light lunch at Lava Restaurant.
由於我們的飛機是下午的，The Retreat 給了我們 late check-out，讓我們有時間再悠閒地泡一次溫泉，並在 Lava 餐廳吃個午餐。
The Lava restaurant is accessible from the main Blue Lagoon site and felt more lively / less calm compared to other parts of The Retreat. The staff kindly offered us a glass of bubbly (probably having recognized our Retreat wristbands), a small but pleasant surprise.
As you can see, by this hour the Blue Lagoon is becoming quite packed:
Lava 餐廳可以從藍湖進入，所以客人較多，跟 The Retreat 其他空間比起來要熱鬧不少。可能是注意到我們的 The Retreat 手環，服務生在餐前請我們喝了一杯氣泡酒，令人開心的小小的細節。
話說，中午時的藍湖，人果然開始多了：
As reluctant as we were to leave, thus concluded our short but extremely sweet stay at The Retreat at Blue Lagoon. In the midst of sprawling lava fields and the shimmering blue, this is an ethereal location to remind us that the world is full of beauty and wonder. If time and wallet allow, stay two nights for a fuller, more relaxing experience.
雖然很捨不得離開，但在 The Retreat at Blue Lagoon 的短暫停留就這樣告一段落了。覺得這裡值得，不僅僅是因為它提供的奢華享受，更是因為它讓我們深刻感受到大自然那無與倫比的壯麗。如果時間和錢包都沒問題的話，建議待個兩晚，更從容地享受這裡的每個細節。
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
地址：Norðurljósavegur 11, 240 Grindavík, Iceland
電話：+354 420 8700
網站：www.bluelagoon.com/accommodation/retreat-hotel
價格：from 162,000 ISK (~1290 USD) / night
日期：2019年9月