Reykjanes hotels: the Blue Lagoon peninsula
Reykjanes is the peninsula between Keflavík airport and Reykjavík, home to the Blue Lagoon and a run of airport-adjacent hotels built for early flights and last-night layovers. The lava fields, the geothermal steam, and the Bridge Between Continents are all here. Distances are short: nowhere on Reykjanes is more than 40 km from the terminal.
Three we recommend
The Retreat at Blue Lagoon
Iceland’s marquee spa hotel, with private lagoon access and volcanic-stone in-suite baths. If you have to ask whether it’s worth it, the answer is probably no. Book six months out.
Price band: $1,600 to $2,400 per night (ISK 220,000 to 330,000)
Silica Hotel
The Blue Lagoon’s mid-tier sister property, five minutes from the main lagoon. Same silica-rich water, none of the day-trip crowds, and roughly a third of the Retreat’s price.
Price band: $450 to $650 per night (ISK 62,000 to 90,000)
Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavík Keflavík Airport
The most reliable pre-flight base, 4 km from the terminal, with a 24-hour shuttle and a bar that stays open for late arrivals. Rooms are compact but properly soundproofed.
Price band: $180 to $260 per night (ISK 25,000 to 36,000)
Practical tips
- The Blue Lagoon is 20 minutes from the airport and 45 minutes from Reykjavík; the Retreat and Silica sell out first in September and February.
- For a 06:00 flight, book Keflavík airport hotels rather than driving in from Reykjavík at 04:00 in winter darkness.
- Volcanic activity on the Sundhnúkur system has closed the Blue Lagoon on short notice several times since 2024; check the operator’s status page 48 hours before you travel.