Test & Reviews: Relax at Spa Laugarvatn Fontana (Iceland)
It is already our last day of visits in Iceland, I take advantage of it to experiment an ultimate spa, the Laugarvatn Fontana.
Anh isn’t feeling very well and prefers to stay for a hot chocolate in the spa restaurant (a buffet is offered at the rate of 2900 ISK for lunch and 3900 ISK for dinner).
The price of the entrance ticket is 3800 ISK (free for children up to 12 years old and 2000 ISK between 13 and 16 years old), it is expensive but these are the Icelandic prices and it is much cheaper than the blue lagoon.
I strongly advise you to come with towel and bathing suits to avoid having to rent them (800 ISK for each)
For my part, having stayed at the (superb) guesthousse just next door (booking link) I benefit from a nice 10% discount.
As in every spa or swimming pool in Iceland, you must first remove your shoes before entering the locker room.
Common rule also, one must shower and wash oneself WITHOUT one’s swimsuit before entering the baths (apparently it is even written in the Icelandic law!). This is explained by the fact that the baths aren’t treated, so they must be left as clean as possible. This reminds me of the onsens in Japan. Don’t forget to apply conditioner to moisturize your hair.
For the more modest, there is a cabin which enables you to wash you discreetly but frankly, your nudity will not interest anybody so much this practice is normal in Iceland.
All clean, we can finally leave the locker room. With the rain and the wind of the day, the few meters to reach the baths are painful ^^.
The spa is composed of 4 mineral water baths with temperatures between 30 and 40 degrees. As the outside temperature is low, to which wind and rain are added, it is very pleasant to relax inside by switching from one to the other
The view on the lake and the mountains is nice but must be much more beautiful under the snow or under the sun which isn’t the case today.
Then I go to a hammam cabin which makes the originality of this spa. The hammam isn’t electric but 100% natural. It is indeed the steam from a source of water – boiling – which is used.
There are three cabins of this type, all made of wood and existing since 1929! If we don’t see it, we can hear the water boiling under our feet, it’s quite surprising.
My cabin is at a temperature of 58°C (while a window is open!) and I have a feeling of warmth much more important than in other hammams where I could go, so I only stay a few minutes.
After the hammam, it is generally advisable to bathe in cold water. The solution is therefore to go diving directly into the lake! The water isn’t very deep so there is no risk to drown 🙂
In such cases, do not overthink and jump straight into the water. That’s what I do, it’s less violent than I thought but to be honest, I get out of the water quickly, it’s still cold!
After that, I go to warm up… in the sauna. It is a classic electric sauna heated to 70° which I find a little “cold” for a sauna. At this temperature, it takes a bit of time before I sweat a lot.
I go back to take a dip in the lake and that’s the end of my session, back to the shower and then to the locker room, all relaxed!
I thus recommend this Laugarvatn Fontana, the double specificity of the natural hammam and to be able to bathe directly in the lake make it very interesting. Especially as the price is rather correct according to the Icelandic standards.
