AS I ARRIVE at Highland Base by helicopter in August, the main hotel appears in the distance as a jagged sliver of blond wood dropped into a sprawling expanse of glacial mountainside. On approach, the gravel parking lot is filled with stacks of camping gear and hulking 4x4s on massive, knobby tyres; preposterously fluffy Icelandic sheep amble past A-frame cabins that dot the surrounding hills. Welcome to Shangri-La for the hard-core adventurer-especially one who still appreciates all the high-touch comforts of a luxury resort.
The air taxi came courtesy of The Retreat at Blue Lagoon, the five-star wellness destination perched alongside the country's famously turquoise geothermal pond; Highland Base, which soft-launched in July, joins the same portfolio. Located in the kaleidoscopically hued Icelandic highlands, the new property couldn't feel more temperamentally estranged from its spa-centric sibling. While the unofficial uniform of The Retreat is a robe and slippers, Highland Base is awash in hiking boots and muddy day packs. Yet visitors will recognise the former in the design language of the latter, all softly lit stone, wood and wool accented in every shade of matte black. And here, as at The Retreat, silence rules; there are no televisions to be found. But then, soaking in the suite's balcony hot tub with a looming view of Hofsjökull, Iceland's third-largest glacier, you'll hardly find yourself missing Netflix.
Denne historien er fra December 2023-utgaven av Robb Report Singapore.
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Denne historien er fra December 2023-utgaven av Robb Report Singapore.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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BREAKING DOWN WALLS
Georgina Atkinson, managing partner of Origin Private Office, on the evolving landscape of high-end real estate.
Aged Gracefully
The Benromach 50 Years Old by Gordon & MacPhail is a delicious single malt, touched by love, passion and the human hand.
This Month's Feed
Only the best dining and drinking spots in Singapore.
Small-scale Thinking
Architect Todd Saunders wants to change the way we approach hospitality design from the ground up.
Todd Snyder Is Exactly Where He Wants To Be
\"Our whole goal is to present product in a way that guys get it and understand it, versus 'Here's some crazy aspirational brand-you go figure it out on your own'.\"
Depp Dive Into Sauvage
Johnny Depp on music, scents and the mystique of creativity.
Time For Poetry
Pascal Raffy on his love affair with the 202-year-old house of Bovet.
One of a Kind
The incomparable Lange 1 turns 30 this year and A. Lange & Söhne marks the occasion with its trademark understatement.
P For Personality
Enhance your swing, and inject your personal style while you're at it, with TaylorMade's new P-770 and P-7CB irons.
The Short-hop-adventure-craft Category Takes Off
Inside the flight deck of Pivotal's Blackfly eVTOL, an ultra-smart ultra-light with eight propellers, electric propulsion and no pilot's licence required.