I love combinations. Like Oreo and ice cream, red wine and cheese, beer and pizza. Or perhaps beer and spa! If you fancy that combination, you are in luck. The Beer Spa opened last summer near the lovely town of Akureyri, and it has been a big hit. We tried to book there last summer, but it was completely full.

Book the Beer Spa and support Stuck in Iceland Travel Magazine

To be honest, it was a factor that we did not want to be driving ourselves and wanted to hitch a ride with my brother, who is always busy working. The beer spa is supplied by the nearby Kaldi brewery, which makes fantastic craft beer. So obviously, we didn´t just want to soak; we also wanted some fancy beer.

Free road trip plans with maps

Day-by-day plans for the four drives most people take, each on an interactive map with where to sleep, fuel stops, waterfalls and reader discounts along the way. Built for a relaxed pace, not a race.

See all road trip plans

Map of hot springs, spas and pools

Every lagoon, wild hot spring and town pool in Iceland on one map. Find warm water near you, and see which spas give my readers a discount.

  • 57 places to soak
  • % Reader discounts
Open the hot springs map
Relaxing benches at the beer spa in Iceland.
After you soak in the beer spa, you relax here.

Getting the travel innovation awards

The Beer spa has just been awarded the 2018 Innovation Award of the Iceland Travel Industry Association. It was selected out of 33 nominations, and it got the award for providing a novel experience that focuses on wellness and relaxation.

Ragnheiður Ýr, the Operations Manager of the Beer spa, was kind enough to take the time for an interview.

 

Bar at the beer spa in Iceland.
Hustle and bustle at the bar.

Hello Ragnheiður, congratulations on the awards and thank you for taking  time out of your busy schedule for this interview. Can you give me the backstory of the Beer Spa? How did this novel idea come into fruition?

The idea came from my mother-in-law. She was traveling in the Czech Republic with her husband, parents, and brew master, David Masa, in 2008. They visited a beer spa in Prague, and since then, it’s been a dream of hers. In 2014, we started talking about it again over coffee. My husband and I decided to join this great idea. In 2015, we visited the Czech Republic and Slovakia for ideas.

Can you describe the facilities and the experience you offer at the Beer spa

Our house stands alone in our little town of Árskógssandur. We are right by the ocean. There is great view in all directions. When you walk into our spa, there is calming music, and we greet you with a bathrobe and a towel. You don’t have to shower before your bath, and we recommend that you don’t shower afterward for at least 3-4 hours. That’s why we recommend using our hot tubs first. When you have changed in your robe, we show you to your private room where a tub filled with water, beer, yeast, hops, bath salt, and bath oil that’s both made from beer.

You stay in the bath for 25 minutes and get to enjoy a cold Kaldi beer from a draft next to it. After that, we knock kindly on the door and show you to our relaxation room, where you can relax for another 25 minutes.

When your bath experience is over, you can come over to our restaurant and bar. We offer all kinds of food and 6 kinds of Kaldi beer on draft. You can also buy a beer platter and taste all our beers.

Kaldi Brewery, next door to the Beer Spa, offers brewery tours and beer tastings. You can book a tour through their website www.bruggsmidjan.is or by e-mail: bruggsmidjan@bruggsmidjan.is

Man in a hot tub with a beer at the beer spa in Iceland.
Relaxing in a hot tub at the beer spa. With an ice cold beer!

What advice would you give to somebody who was visiting the Beer spa for the first time?

Be here for your reservation at least 30 minutes before and use our outside hot tubs. We have amazing views! And if we’re lucky we get to see some whales from the tubs.

What other destinations near the Beer spa would you recommend?

How to get to the Beer spa?

From Akureyri, drive on road 82. The drive is about 35 km (27.1 miles) long and will take you about 20-30 minutes.

 

Previous winners in the Innovation Award of the Iceland Travel Industry Association for the past decade

2017 – Friðheimar
2016 – Wilderness Center
2015 – Into The Glacier
2014 – Þorvaldseyri guest reception (now closed)
2013 – Saga Travel
2012 – Pink Iceland
2011 – KEX hostel
2010 – Mountain Guides
2009 – Sigurgeir´s Bird Museum
2008 – The Þórbergssetur Cultural Center

Tags #Beer