Hotel Snapshot
Sure, the Blue Lagoon is Iceland’s headliner, that surreal, misty backdrop for a thousand Instagram reels. And yes, it’s worth experiencing. But if you want a stay that feels like you’ve actually gone somewhere, Silica Hotel is it. It’s a short walk from the main complex, but emotionally? Galaxies away. You swap tour buses for silence and end up in a setting that feels almost absurdly calming.
The hotel is embedded in the Illahraun lava field, as if it had grown there accidentally. It opened in 2005 as a medical clinic for patients with psoriasis and was reimagined in 2016 as a 35-room minimalist retreat. The mission now is different: fewer bodies, more breath.
Design & Character
This isn’t a hotel trying to be Icelandic; it is Icelandic. The low-slung buildings blend into the rock, like they were half-absorbed by the lava, and interiors are done in pale birch, warm textiles, and clean-lined furniture that doesn’t interrupt the views. Floor-to-ceiling windows make the surrounding lava field the main attraction. It’s minimal in that slightly Nordic way where everything is functional and calming. Still, there’s a tactile softness: wool throws, shadowy corners, that satisfying acoustics-muffling hush you only get in well-built places.
The Rooms
The rooms don’t scream luxury, but they don’t need to. There’s a clarity to them — concrete floors that are somehow never cold, thick linen curtains, one moody black-and-white photo above the bed that actually feels like someone picked it, not like a brand mandate. It’s all very spare, but in that considered way that makes you exhale a little when you walk in.
My room had a terrace that faced the lava field, which sounds dramatic but somehow isn’t. In the morning, it looked like weathered charcoal. By mid-afternoon, the moss had this almost neon green glow. I ended up standing out there longer than I meant to, just holding a mug and watching the color change.
Bathrooms? Bigger than expected: waterfall showers, stone tile, and Icelandic spa products that smell like mineral water and cold air. I would’ve liked a bathtub, but the underfloor heating made up for it.
Food & Drink
No restaurant, which sounds like a strike until you actually sit down for breakfast. Fresh skyr, soft-boiled eggs, still-warm rye bread, cured fish that tastes like someone caught it that morning, and coffee that doesn’t need milk to be good. Tip: Take your second cup to the lagoon-view lounge and just sit. I watched the light move across the water, as if it were performing for me.
For dinner, Lava Restaurant (a five-minute walk) is carved into an 800-year-old lava wall. It’s dramatic in that “we-don’t-do-candles-because-we-have-actual-fire” kind of way. But the food holds up: Arctic char, lamb, a tasting menu that’s just indulgent enough.
Wellness & Amenities
Let’s not overthink it: the private lagoon is the reason to come. Same geothermal water as the Blue Lagoon, none of the crowds. I floated next for over an hour and saw two other guests. There’s also a small gym and a concierge team that recommends hikes and hidden trails with uncanny accuracy. They even offer wake-up calls for Northern Lights sightings, which I assumed was a polite fiction until 10:42 p.m., when my phone rang. I went outside and saw the green haze dance across the night sky.
Location & Neighborhood Recs
Silica Hotel sits on the Reykjanes Peninsula, about 45 minutes from Reykjavík and 20 minutes from the airport, though you’ll feel like you’ve landed somewhere lunar. You could stay put and be completely content. But if you want to move, the hotel arranges everything from lava tunnel tours to float therapy.
Fast Facts
Location: Reykjanes Peninsula, Iceland
Vibe: Minimalist wellness meets lava field retreat
Rating: 4 stars
Room Count: 35
Starting Rate: $800
Amenities: Private Silica Lagoon access, premium Blue Lagoon access, daily breakfast, WiFi, concierge
Starting Rate: $800
Our Favorite Thing About the Hotel: The private lagoon—peaceful, warm, and open until late
Nearest Airport: 20 minutes from Keflavík International (KEF)
Hotels Above Par may be compensated and/or receive an affiliate commission if products are purchased through our links, at no cost to you.
