Laugarás Lagoon, a new two-storey geothermal day spa destination, has opened on Iceland’s Golden Circle – a popular tourist route.

Located on the banks of the Hvitá River in the village of Laugarás, the facility honours traditional Icelandic turf houses – grass-roofed earth shelters that blend into the landscape.

Drawing on Roman and Japanese design principles, visitors can descend from an upper pool to a lower pool through a passage under the water’s surface, emerging through a waterfall.

Facilities

The bathing area, which features 1,000sq m of thermal waters, offers a range of pools that maintain temperatures of 37-39 degrees Celsius.

The bathing circuit’s forest pool is warmer (39-40 degrees Celsius) compared to the cold plunge pool that uses glacial water from the nearby river (5-10 degrees Celsius).

There is also a dry sauna and a wet sauna positioned on the forest edge in the facility’s 270sq m of outdoor spa space, separate to the lagoon.

Other facilities include two swim-up bars, a 6.6-metre waterfall and a secluded grotto with seating.

Amenities throughout the destination spa are by a specially-developed brand called Rjóður, which was created in collaboration with olfactory artist Sonja Bent of Nordic Angan.

Rjóður means “clearing” in Icelandic and features botanicals from Laugarás’ surrounding landscape, including extracts of larch, Sika spruce, birch, angelica, yarrow, crowberry, heather, moss and lichen.

The destination’s 280sq m Ylja Restaurant will offer guests meals made using hyper-local produce from the village of Laugarás, with farm-to-table preparation led by Icelandic chef Gísli Matt.

The restaurant has a capacity of 80 indoors, with additional outdoor space and a private dining room for up to 38 guests.

Creation, realisation and operation

Real estate company Norverk bought the plot in 2015 and appointed development firm Mannverk.

Architects T.ARK, engineering firm Efla and lighting design studio Hildiberg are also working on the project.

The spa is operated by Laugarás Lagoon ehf.

Hjalti Gylfason, one of the partners at construction company Mannverk, told local media last year that the construction cost was estimated to be around ISK 2 billion (US$15.6 million, €13.7 million, £11.6 million) and that the Lagoon anticipates between 150,000-250,000 visitors every year.

Admission costs

The individual adult price packages, named after different tree species, are:

• Birki (standard) gives unlimited access to the lagoon and facilities from ISK 6,900 (US$57, €50, £41).

• Lerki (premium) offers the same benefits as the Birki package, plus towel usage and one drink at the lagoon bar, from ISK 9,400 (US$77, €68, £55).• Ösp (deluxe) provides the benefits of the Lerki package, plus a two-course meal at the Yjla Restaurant, from ISK 15,900 (US$131, €115, £94).

A Birkitía membership offers 10 visits at a special opening price, ISK 49,000 (US$403, €354, £290) per person. This package is aimed at locals and frequent visitors seeking regular wellness rituals.

Read our earlier story on the development of Laugarás Lagoon here.