Iceland is an incredibly beautiful country with so much to offer for anyone looking to really get away. Whether you are looking for the ultimate adventure or absolute bliss Iceland has it all. In this article we will provide you with some wonderful places to stay and the perfect activities to go along with it. The hotels we will cover in this offer experiences for the consumer to tack onto their rental costs. These experiences include volcano, glacier, and ice cave exploration, countless tour opportunities of the magnificent local landscape, and one of the most majestic features of the globe, the Northern Lights.
Places to stay:
Reykjavik Domes (https://www.reykjavikdomes.com/)
These unique pods are nestled at the foot of Mt. Esja, the queen of the Reykjavik Mountain range. The mountain provides a stunning, often snowcapped backdrop to the north for guest to enjoy. The domes are located on the outskirts of the capital city of Reykjavik and offers a magical place to stay for people looking to explore the city for all it is worth.
The price of a dome varies on if it is a standard or luxury dome. The standard dome offers a 25-square foot shared room with a shared room and hot tub and costs about $300 a night. The luxury domes go for a little over $400 a night and features a private 35-square foot room and private hot tub. This cost only pertains to stay at the dome and any additional activities will cost the consumer more. Both dome options offer one king size bed, genuine fireplace, mountain view to the north, and finally for guest staying in May through September can enjoy free admission to mini golf and football golf on site.
In addition to the stunning beauty this location has to offer, guests can enjoy three different private tours lead by locals to get the true experience of the country. The first tour option is the Golden Circle day tour. In this tour, guests can either be picked up via luxury jeep from the domes or from another hotel in the Reykjavik area and embark on an adventure that typically last about eight-to-nine hours. The price of the tour alone is about $1250, for the tour and a night in the standard dome it costs about $1550, and finally for the tour and one night in the deluxe dome it will run about $1670. Included in these tours are Icelandic snacks, sandwiches, soft drinks, and Icelandic beer; the accommodations for staying in the dome with the tour is sparking wine and a cheese platter.
The first stop on this tour is the Þingvellir which are the parliamentary fields and a national park. This is one of the few places in the world you can walk through the fault line between the tectonic plates that separate North America and Eurasia! In addition, this is the place where the Vikings made their parliament in 930 AD. The second stop on the tour is the Geysir. This is a geothermal area and where the name Geyser comes from. The third stop is the outstanding Gullfoss Waterfall; this is a massive waterfall that got the nickname Gold Waterfall and for good reason (featured below).
The second tour option is the South Coast day tour. Like the previous tour, guests can be either picked up from the dome or another hotel in the area and set out on a similar eight-to-nine-hour adventure via luxury jeep. The price of this tour is the same as the Golden Circle day tour. Icelandic snacks, sandwiches, soft drinks, and Icelandic beer included in the tour. If guests attend the tour in addition to staying at the hotel, they can enjoy complimentary sparkling wine and cheese platter. The first stop is Seljalandsfoss waterfall which is one of the many magnificent waterfalls Iceland has to offer. Another waterfall in the area is Gljúfrabúi waterfall, otherwise known as the one who lives in the Canyon. The second stop on this adventure is Skógafoss waterfall. This is a one of the waterfalls that can is on shows like Vikings or Game of Thrones! The third stop is Reynisfjara, otherwise known as the Black Sand Beach, and is claimed to be the most dangerous beach in Iceland if you don´t have a guide (featured below). The final and fourth stop is the small town of Vik near the beach. There are at least two fantastic, authentic lunch options on the South Coast and depending on timing, interest, and availability the guide and guests will pick one to stop at.
The third and final tour option is the Volcano Tour and Reykjanes Peninsula Tour. This tour typically last five to six hours and features five magnificent stops. In addition to the last tours, guests are picked up in luxury jeeps from the dome or other hotels in the area. The tour also includes Icelandic snacks, sandwiches, soft drinks, and Icelandic beer. The price of this tour is the same price as the previous tours and guests staying with the dome can enjoy sparkling wine and cheese platter. The first stop on this tour is the Bridge between the Continents which is one of the few other places in the world you can walk through the fault line between the tectonic plates that separate North America and Eurasia. The second stop is the Reykjanesviti lighthouse at a scenic rocky beach. Fun fact, this is where the fault line enters Iceland and is visible from the lighthouse. The third stop on this adventure is Gunnuhver hot spring, a powerful hot spring named after a ghost whose spirit was said to be trapped in the hot spring over four hundred years ago! The fourth stop is Brimketill cliff which is a unique phenomenon where tourist can see hexagonal basalt pillars rising out of the ocean, sea-arches, and lava formations. The fifth and final stop in this instance is a hike to an Erupting Volcano. This experience has limited availability due to possible hazardous conditions but, if able to, it is highly recommended to attend. There are also at least two good lunch options on the Reykjanes peninsula tour and depending on timing, interest, and availability the guests and guides to stop at.
Also, there are many cheaper or shorter options such as snowmobiling down the mountain, views of the northern lights, ice cave and glacier exploration, and whale watching that can be offered in addition to the stay at the domes. Most of these smaller tours last anywhere from two to ten hours meaning there are options for all sorts of timeframes. One of the shorter experiences include one of the most popular attractions in Iceland, the Northern Lights! These tours typically last three to five hours and give you an up-close and in-person view of this spectacular phenomenon and only costs around $100 to $200 depending on inclusivity. The longer adventures include ice cave and glacier exploration. These tours are usually eight to ten hours and can cost you anywhere from $250 to $500 depending on length and features of the tour. This highlights just how much these small domes have to offer in such a vast country.
5-Million Star Hotel (https://www.buubble.com/)
The 5-Million Star Hotel is a hotel like our first listing regarding being a smaller, bubble style rental space. However, instead of being more traditionally themed, this experience offers a fully transparent igloo-shaped building that allows guest to gaze upon the stars or watch the Northern Lights dance as they drift off to sleep. These bubbles are extremely secluded and offer complete privacy and immersion into nature. This is the perfect place for anyone trying to experience Iceland for its raw nature. These hotels are in the southern-central region of Iceland just over an hour from Reykjavik and offer two options, the Golden Circle with nine bubbles and the South Coast with six. In addition, they also have one hanging bubble at the South Coast location which hangs from the snow-covered trees above. To stay in one of these unique bubbles it would cost you about $275 a night for just the room. If you wanted to attach one of the additional tours, it would total about $500 for an unforgettable experience. The bubbles feature a large bed fit for two, a small chest-cooler at the foot of the bed, and baskets on either side; there is nothing else in the bubbles to not distract the guest from the world outside.
Within this hotel, they offer a summer and a winter tour depending on the time of year and within both of those a Golden Circle and South Coast tour are offered. Each location has unique stops the guests get to experience them and the season changes the level of engagement for the guest. During the summer months, you can experience things like the “midnight sun” due to it being daylight all day, do not worry complimentary mask included, and can also experience the elements of the tour that involve water more closely. The main attraction in the winter months is the spectacular Northern Lights.
The Golden Coast tour offers a total of five stops and picks guest up from a chosen spot in Reykjavik and begins them on their journey. The first stop is Thingvellir national park offering a beautiful and peaceful mountain backdrop. From here guest will move to the second and third locations which are the same Geyser and Gullfoss Waterfall as mentioned in the Golden Circle Tour offered by the Reykjavik Dome tour. The fourth location the Secret Lagoon where guest will get to enjoy the feeling of the natural hot spring. The final location is the actual bubble where the guests will stay the night.
The South Coast tour offers a unique set of attractions to experience. Just like the previous one, guests are picked up from a chosen location in Reykjavik and begin on their endeavor. The first stop is Seljalandsfoss which is a stunning waterfall two hours from the capital city. In this experience, you would get to walk behind the waterfall and see a one of a kind sight. From there you would be taken to Skogafoss which is another amazing waterfall; at this location guests are allowed to stand near the bottom and feel the tremendous power of nature. The third location is Black Sand Beach which was mentioned in South Coast tour offered by the Reykjavik Dome company. The final stop on this tour is the bubble hotel for guests to reside in overnight.
Each of these tours, summer and winter, cost about $500; however, one thing to keep in mind is that this hotel does not include any sort of food, so it is up to the guests to plan for that. There will be restaurants at certain locations, but the cost is not included in ticket price. In addition to the tours there are also bonus amenities offered. The first is the “Easy Going” package which includes non-alcoholic sparking tea to be prepared in your cooler and cost $50. The next is called “A Little Treat” and features cheese plate, crackers, and grapes in addition to 6-330ml locally brewed craft beer from Ölvisholt Brewery and cost $85. The third option is called “Special Moments” which features a special rose petal setup, strawberries, grapes, and a chilled bottle of Prosecco for an additional $125.
Blue Lagoon Retreat of Iceland (https://www.bluelagoon.com/)
We saved the best location for last for this wonderful trip to Iceland with the Blue Lagoon Retreat. This all-inclusive retreat offers guests an experience like no other…if you are willing to pay for it. These hotels were designed for serenity and complete relaxation and showcases two hotels each with a theme. The first is Silica Hotel which was designed for sublime comfort and hospitality. This hotel is built on a lava field which generates its own personal hot spring called the Silica Lagoon and allows rooms to have views of mountains, lava, and Silica waters. There are three room options within this hotel. The first is the Lava Deluxe room for about $575 a night; this room features a geothermic landscape as the view. The other two rooms are the Mountain Deluxe and Silica Deluxe at about $630 and feature a mountain or water view from the room. All these three rooms come with premium entrance to Blue Lagoon, complimentary breakfast, walk-in shower, king size bed, cable TV, entrance to Silica Lagoon, and access to fitness center.
The second hotel is the Retreat Hotel and was designed for timeless sophistication and more centered on luxury. The rooms have views of lava fields and turquoise blue waters. With architecture inspired by nature, guests can become one with their surroundings. This hotel offers three rooms; the first is the Lagoon Suit which cost just over $2,500 for two nights (minimum of two nights required) and features a private lagoon, lower-level location, living area with sofa, large floor-to-ceiling windows immerse the guests in the geothermic volcanic landscape. Included with the stay are a la carte breakfast, access to Blue Lagoon and Blue Lagoon Ritual, in-room minibar, Wi-Fi, unlimited access to Retreat Spa, concierge services and much more. The next room is the Moss Suite which costs just over $2,000 for a two night stay and features an upper-level balcony, horizon view, living area with sofa, and comes with all the services listed with the above room. The final room is the Lava Junior Suite for just over $1,300 for a two night stay and includes a lower-level location, small private terrace, and lava landscape view; this room comes with all the additional features as the two above it.
In addition to the wonderful rooms the Blue Lagoon has to offer they also give guests the opportunity to expand their trip to the next level. The first package is the “Weightlessness and Wonder” and is a $3,300 expansion for two people for two nights. This package includes a 45-minute float therapy, two in-water massages, complimentary breakfast, unlimited access to the Resort Spa, and a 30ml bottle of the BLT Serum. The next expansion is the “Night Retreat + Dinner” which is a $1700 trip for two people and one night. It includes a welcome drink, complimentary breakfast, unlimited spa access, and a seven-course dinner at the Michelin star restaurant The Moss. The next package is the “Romantic Getaway” and cost $3,700 for two people and two nights; this includes complimentary breakfast, unlimited spa access, two in-water massages, four-course dinner at Lava Restaurant, seven-course tasting meal from The Moss, strawberries, and two small bottles of champagne. The fourth additional package is the “Luxury Getaway” and will cost you $4,900 for two people and three nights. This lavish package includes complimentary breakfast, unlimited spa access, two in-water massages, two-course lunch from the Spa Restaurant, four-course dinner for Lava Restaurant, seven-course tasting meal from The Moss, and visit to The Moss wine cellar. The final expansion is the “Ultimate Retreat,” and this is no understatement. This trip cost an astounding $10,000 for two people and three nights and features complimentary breakfast, unlimited spa access, two in-water massages, two indoor massages, two-course lunch from the Spa Restaurant, four-course dinner for Lava Restaurant, seven-course meal from The Moss, luxury airport transfers to and from Keflavik Airport, private one-hour helicopter tour, and a two-hour private ATV tour.
If these lavish packages may not be your ideal choice, the Blue Lagoon offers other experiences. The first is through day visits to the retreat I either the Retreat Spa or the Blue Lagoon. There are three packages for the Blue Lagoon; the first is comfort for $65 and gives access to the lagoon, silica mud mask, towel, and first drink. Next is premium for $90 and includes all the comfort features plus an additional facemask, use of robe, and sparkling wine if dining at The Spa; the final package is luxury for $450 and gives the guests all the premium features for five hours, a private changing room, and access to the Retreat Lagoon and the Blue Lagoon. If you are more interested in the spa for just under $450 you could have five hours of access to some of the best spa treatment in the world. Included in this is access to the Retreat Spa, Retreat Lagoon, Blue Lagoon, the Spa Restaurant, private changing room, Blue Lagoon Ritual, skin care amenities, drink of your choice, access to eight subterranean spaces (saunas). In addition to all the amenities available on the resort, they also have listed many tours, activities, hikes, and sightseeing locations on the accommodations page for each hotel. This allows guests to better plan their trip based on activities around the retreat.
Iceland is a vast and alluring country with countless things to offer. Whether you are looking for a relaxing getaway to disconnect with busy everyday life or are looking for excitement and adventure Iceland has you covered! We highly recommend checking out what this beautiful country had to offer you and we hope were able to give you valuable insight into this glorious culture and experiences within.
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