AURA Retreat Iceland: A Private Glass Retreat Beneath the Southern Icelandic Sky
Iceland has a way of making you want to spend more time looking out the window.
At AURA Retreat Iceland, that is almost the entire point.
This small adults-only retreat in South Iceland offers a very private kind of stay, with ground-floor accommodation designed around the landscape. Large windows bring the surrounding mountains and volcanic countryside into view, while a private sauna and outdoor hot tub give you a reason to stay in once the weather turns cold.
There is no sprawling resort here and no long list of facilities to work your way through.
Instead, the experience is wonderfully simple.
Wake up to the landscape. Make coffee in your kitchenette. Spend the afternoon exploring South Iceland. Then come back, light the sauna, and sit outside in the hot tub while the sky changes overhead.
For Iceland, it feels exactly right.
The Location
AURA Retreat is in Hvolsvöllur in South Iceland, at Rangárvallavegur, surrounded by open countryside and views toward the mountains.
This part of Iceland is particularly useful for travellers planning to explore the south coast.
The area around Hella and Hvolsvöllur gives you access to waterfalls, volcanic landscapes, historic sites and some of the country's most memorable natural attractions. Nearby highlights include Keldur Turf House, Ægissíðufoss waterfall, the Caves of Hella, and the LAVA Centre.
The location also gives the retreat something that is increasingly difficult to find in popular Icelandic destinations: a feeling of space.
There is countryside rather than city noise outside your door.
First Impressions
AURA is deliberately intimate.
The accommodation consists of individual ground-floor units with private entrances, terraces or patios, and views toward the surrounding landscape. The interiors are contemporary but warm, with tiled floors, comfortable furnishings and large windows that make the scenery impossible to ignore.
One recent guest described the experience as staying in a "glass case," which captures something important about the design.
You don't simply look at Iceland from here.
You wake up surrounded by it.
The Accommodation
The retreat offers Deluxe Bungalows, each designed for a private stay with a large double bed, private bathroom and kitchenette.
The rooms include a refrigerator, stovetop, toaster, dining table and coffee and tea facilities, so guests can prepare simple meals and snacks without needing to leave the property for every meal.
The bathrooms include both a bath and shower, while bathrobes and toiletries are provided.
But the feature that matters most is the view.
Large windows frame the countryside and mountains, creating the feeling that the landscape is part of the room rather than something you have to go outside to see.
The Private Sauna and Hot Tub
This is where AURA really comes into its own.
Guests have access to a sauna and outdoor hot tub, positioned so that the wellness experience remains private. The setting is deliberately secluded, with the surrounding landscape providing the backdrop.
Imagine returning after a day exploring waterfalls and black-sand beaches.
You change into a robe.
The sauna warms up.
Then you step outside into the cold Icelandic air and settle into the hot tub.
It is the kind of experience that makes the weather part of the holiday rather than something you have to tolerate.
A Retreat for Two
AURA is adults only, which immediately gives the property a quieter character.
The intimate accommodation and private wellness facilities make it particularly well suited to couples.
There is enough space to spend a day doing very little, but the location also makes it easy to use AURA as a base for exploring South Iceland.
That balance is what makes it appealing.
You can spend the morning on the road and the evening completely alone.
The Kitchenette
One of the more practical details is the kitchenette in each unit.
There is a refrigerator, stovetop, toaster and basic dining setup, allowing guests to prepare breakfast or a simple dinner in their own space.
This suits Iceland particularly well.
After a full day driving the South Coast, you may not want to find another restaurant. Having the option to pick up groceries and prepare something back at the retreat gives you another level of freedom.
And breakfast in bed, with a view of the Icelandic countryside, is hard to argue with.
The Little Details
AURA's appeal is also in the details.
Guests have access to coffee-making facilities, a speaker, bathrobes and a thoughtfully equipped kitchen. Recent guest reviews specifically mention touches such as fresh eggs and a well-stocked kitchen.
These are small things.
But small things matter in a property this intimate.
When you are staying somewhere without a large hotel operation around you, the little details become part of the experience.
Exploring South Iceland
The great advantage of staying in Hvolsvöllur is how much of South Iceland can be reached from here.
The LAVA Centre offers an introduction to Iceland's volcanic and geological history, while the surrounding countryside leads toward waterfalls, glaciers and the dramatic landscapes of the south coast.
The nearby Caves of Hella offer another glimpse into Iceland's history, while Keldur Turf House provides a very different perspective on how people once lived in this harsh landscape.
Then there are the waterfalls.
Ægissíðufoss is close by, while other famous South Coast waterfalls can be incorporated into a longer day of exploring.
The beauty of AURA is that you don't have to choose between adventure and relaxation.
You can have both.
The Volcanic Landscape
The landscape around the retreat is unmistakably Icelandic.
Volcanic peaks, open farmland, changing weather and enormous skies create a setting that can look completely different from one hour to the next.
Guests have specifically mentioned views toward the volcano and mountains from the accommodation.
That makes the windows more than a design feature.
They are your connection to the changing landscape.
On a clear morning, the mountains are sharp against the sky.
On another day, mist may roll across them.
And if the Northern Lights appear in the colder months, you already have the perfect place to watch.
Evenings at AURA
The evenings are probably when the retreat makes the most sense.
After dinner, there is nowhere you need to be.
The roads have quietened down.
The temperature drops.
You can sit in the hot tub, warm up in the sauna and watch the sky over the surrounding countryside.
There is something particularly satisfying about ending an Iceland road trip this way.
No restaurant reservation.
No crowded bar.
Just the landscape and a warm place to sit.
What Sets It Apart
AURA Retreat isn't trying to compete with Iceland's larger design hotels or full-service resorts.
Its strength is privacy.
The accommodation is small in scale, each unit has its own entrance and outdoor space, and the retreat's wellness facilities give guests a place to relax without joining a communal spa.
The landscape does most of the decorating.
The windows frame it.
The hot tub lets you experience it.
And the sauna gives you somewhere warm to retreat when the Icelandic weather reminds you who's in charge.
AURA Retreat Iceland understands something important about travelling in Iceland.
You don't need to compete with the landscape.
You just need to give it enough space.
The retreat does exactly that with its glass-fronted accommodation, mountain views, private entrances, kitchenettes, sauna and outdoor hot tub.
During the day, South Iceland gives you waterfalls, volcanoes, caves, historic sites and wide-open roads to explore.
At night, AURA brings you back to something quieter.
A hot tub under a huge sky.
A sauna after a long day outdoors.
A comfortable bed behind enormous windows.
And, if you're lucky, a sky that decides to put on a show.
That is the beauty of AURA Retreat.
It doesn't try to distract you from Iceland.
It puts you close enough to simply watch it.
Official/booking reference: AURA Retreat Iceland
