There are quite a few articles online that question the value of The Blue Lagoon which is understandable when you consider how pricey it is compared to the less touristy 'local' options (offered at a fraction of the price). While there are a lot of really positive reviews, the negative ones we came across were quite compelling so we really needed to consider if we wanted to use our limited time in Iceland at The Blue Lagoon.
In truth, logistics heavily factored into our decision as to why we opted to go. Flights from Newark to Iceland land at either 530 AM or 630 AM and our hotel check in was 2 PM. The Blue Lagoon sits in between the airport and city center, and knowing we would be quite tired, we decided to go to the The Lagoon and unwind for a few hours.
You need to reserve online and we purchased entry to their 8 AM check-in which is basically when they open. There was a huge benefit to this as we completely avoided the large crowds (tour buses usually come around noon time) and had plenty of room in the their changing facilities to get ready.
As a rule, you have to shower prior to entering the lagoon and one of the benefits of this touristy option is that they offer private shower stalls (unlike the local experience) and had private changing rooms as well. As a modest person, I didn't mind paying a premium for this luxury.
The lagoon is huge and there was plenty of space for everyone so we never felt crowded. The brief flash of cold you experience from the door to the pool was quickly alleviated as we waded into the thick, warm geothermal spa. It was exactly what our sore bodies needed, especially after an uncomfortable flight. We spent roughly 90 minutes in the pool, did a couple of face masks, drank their smoothies from the swim up bar, and just spent most of the time unwinding our muscles as we soaked in the realization that we really arrived in Iceland!
There was also a cafe and free wifi, a gift shop, and a restaurant on-site so you have a few things when you tire of the lagoon.
In summary, we were all glad we went and enjoyed the experience. Would we return? Unlikely, but are we glad we tried it? Absolutely!
In truth, logistics heavily factored into our decision as to why we opted to go. Flights from Newark to Iceland land at either 530 AM or 630 AM and our hotel check in was 2 PM. The Blue Lagoon sits in between the airport and city center, and knowing we would be quite tired, we decided to go to the The Lagoon and unwind for a few hours.
You need to reserve online and we purchased entry to their 8 AM check-in which is basically when they open. There was a huge benefit to this as we completely avoided the large crowds (tour buses usually come around noon time) and had plenty of room in the their changing facilities to get ready.
As a rule, you have to shower prior to entering the lagoon and one of the benefits of this touristy option is that they offer private shower stalls (unlike the local experience) and had private changing rooms as well. As a modest person, I didn't mind paying a premium for this luxury.
The lagoon is huge and there was plenty of space for everyone so we never felt crowded. The brief flash of cold you experience from the door to the pool was quickly alleviated as we waded into the thick, warm geothermal spa. It was exactly what our sore bodies needed, especially after an uncomfortable flight. We spent roughly 90 minutes in the pool, did a couple of face masks, drank their smoothies from the swim up bar, and just spent most of the time unwinding our muscles as we soaked in the realization that we really arrived in Iceland!
There was also a cafe and free wifi, a gift shop, and a restaurant on-site so you have a few things when you tire of the lagoon.
In summary, we were all glad we went and enjoyed the experience. Would we return? Unlikely, but are we glad we tried it? Absolutely!
