We accompanied our mains with a glass of flavoursome Masi Masianco Pinot Grigio (ISK 2,200 / around £13 per serve). For this course, there’s vegetarian, meat and marine options, each priced at ISK 5,900 (about £38). I settled on a dish which was composed of two moist pieces of cod and al dente baby broccoli.
It was presented with a bowl of fennel oil, plus a baked avocado half on a bed of barley-type risotto, incorporating finely chopped pieces of almond and more broccoli. My dining partner went for another carnivorous recipe in the form of lamb fillet and shoulder of lamb, garnished with Rutabaga, carrots, spring onion and caramel-tasting mustard. Once again, both were oozing with different textures, and we were treated to a taste of Icelandic gastronomy at its very best.
For dessert (ISK 2,400 or around £15 each), there’s an Icelandic cheese platter for those who wish to close their meal on a savoury note, or for something a little sweeter, “Ástarpungar” (which literally translates as “love balls”). This interesting concoction consists of Mango chocolate mousse, vanilla ice cream and salted caramel, and with the aforementioned name, I had to try it.
My other half concluded with some strawberries and sorbet, before leaving the Blue Lagoon and venturing back across the lava field to Silica Hotel. All-in-all, the Lava Restaurant really does flow with creative ideas and its team of chefs have combined the finest ingredients from this part of the world, with an elegant presentation to show off what the Icelandic culinary scene does best.
In the morning, breakfast back at Silica Hotel is served between 07:30 to 10:30 in the main lounge area, and to kick off the day, there’s a generous buffet made up of a magnificent spread of pastries, cereals, hot waffles cheeses and different types of sliced meat.
After breakfast, they leave pastries and juices out for you to help yourself when you get peckish. Check-out is at 11 am, and if you don’t fancy taking advantage of the Premium Pass for the Blue Lagoon, you can have another dip in the private lagoon, prior to heading to your next destination.
Summary
With the Blue Lagoon being such a highly frequented destination on the tourist map, Silica Hotel gives you the more private and secluded experience, as well as the time and space to really immerse yourself in this unique environment. It really is money well spent if you wish to create special memories for years to come.
Getting to and from the Blue Lagoon
If you don’t hire a car, you can get a taxi, or the bus ride takes 20 minutes from Keflavík International Airport or around 40 minutes from Reykjavik city centre (tickets can be pre-booked via Destination Blue Lagoon), so it’s not a long journey if you’re staying in this part of Iceland.
The Blue Lagoon and Silica Hotel – Where and How?
Silica Hotel is located at Norðurljósavegur 7, 240 Grindavík, Iceland. For more information, or to make a reservation, visit www.bluelagoon.com/accommodation/silica-hotel.
For more information on the Blue Lagoon in Iceland, visit www.bluelagoon.com.
For more photos of Silica Hotel, visit the Luxurious Magazine Instagram page.
Photos by Blue Lagoon and Simon Wittenberg.
If this travel feature on Iceland has inspired you to make a visit, read our interview with Bessi Jónsson, founder of Moonwalker here.