Dalsholt, near Gullfoss and Geysir · Golden Circle, Iceland · Suites, turf houses and a villa

Torfhús Retreat

A small village of turf-roofed houses on the open plain of Iceland’s Golden Circle, ten kilometres from Gullfoss, built of local stone, reclaimed wood and living turf after the Viking farm at nearby Stöng. Every Torfhús keeps its own basalt stone hot pool of geothermal water, the four-bedroom Torfvilla adds a cold plunge and a sauna, and the skies are dark enough for the northern lights from late September to late March. Arranged privately by Exclusive Villa Collection on inquiry.

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The house

In stills

A first reading of the stay: rooms, light, and the quiet between them. Each still is a note, not a catalogue.

A row of turf-roofed timber houses on the open plain at Torfhús Retreat, snow-capped mountains on the horizon — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Icelandic horses standing in the snow in front of the turf-roofed houses of Torfhús Retreat — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Timber gables and stone walls of turf-roofed houses lit by low winter sun, snow on the roofs — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Steam rising from a geothermal hot pool ringed by basalt columns in the snow at Torfhús Retreat — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A row of turf-roofed houses under snow in golden winter light — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A snow-covered turf-roofed porch with a wooden bench, basalt stones and houses beyond in low sun — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

The living room of a Torfhús, with a leather sofa, a sheepskin rug and reclaimed timber walls under a sloping ceiling — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

The kitchen and dining table of a Torfhús under a sloping oak ceiling, the door open to the veranda — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

The living area of a Torfbær Suite, with a sofa, reclaimed timber and the bedroom beyond — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A Torfbær Suite bedroom with a wide bed, reclaimed timber walls and a sloping oak ceiling — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A table dressed with sheepskins at a wide window looking out over two turf houses in the snow — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Iron lanterns beside a timber door set between walls of stone and turf in winter — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Stone walls, timber beams and an iron chandelier in the hall of the Viking Langhús — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

An old Icelandic fishing boat repurposed as a sofa beneath a skylight, a window framing two turf houses — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Tables laid for dinner in the Viking Langhús, sheepskins on the chairs and a wide window onto the snow — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

An open fire burning beneath a copper cauldron in a stone hearth, the dining room beyond — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A plate of vegetables and greens with a glass of white wine at a window table — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A main course on a grey plate with a deep red sauce and fresh herbs — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A plated main course with glasses of red and white wine, a soft mist across the table — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Basalt columns of a hot pool in the snow at sunrise, a timber house beyond — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

A dark timber turf house with a green turf roof in summer, snow-capped mountains beyond — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Two turf-roofed houses beside a gravel lane in summer, the plain and distant mountains beyond — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Stacked basalt columns before a turf-roofed house, a row of houses beyond under summer clouds — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Long turf-roofed buildings of stone and timber, green with summer grass, on the open plain — Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

The Experience

How the days feel

Torfhús Retreat stands on its own on the open plain at Dalsholt, in the Golden Circle of South Iceland: a small village of turf-roofed houses looking out over volcanic country to snow-capped mountains and, on the horizon, the Langjökull glacier, the second largest in Iceland. Gullfoss is ten kilometres away and the Geysir geothermal area twelve, yet the houses keep a seclusion the busy route around them rarely allows.

The retreat takes its form from the Viking farm at nearby Stöng, in the Þjórsárdalur valley. The houses are built of local stone, reclaimed wood and turf, and their living roofs, green in summer and white under snow, let them settle into the land as Icelandic farmhouses have for a thousand years. Turf was a modest luxury for the first settlers, warmer in this climate than wood or stone alone. Inside, oak lines the sloping ceilings, the floors are heated, and the furniture is made by hand in the retreat’s own workshop or reclaimed.

Water is the point of the place. Basalt columns from the surrounding area, the same stone that stands at Reynisfjara and Svartifoss, are set into the ground beside the houses as hot pools and filled with geothermal water at 38 to 42°C, adjusted to your liking. A geothermal source less than five kilometres away heats every house and pool, and the electricity comes from the local Brúarvirkjun hydroelectric plant, part of why Torfhús belongs to the Considerate Collection of Small Luxury Hotels of the World.

The days follow the light. The Icelandic horses that brought together the families behind Torfhús graze the mossy plain around the houses, breakfast and dinner are served in the Viking Langhús, and from late September to late March, with no light pollution for miles, the northern lights can be watched from the warmth of the pool.

Why EVC loves it

Why we would send you here

A hot pool under the aurora Geothermal water at 38 to 42°C in basalt stone pools beside the houses, under skies dark enough for the northern lights.
Turf, stone and reclaimed oak Houses modelled on the Viking farm at nearby Stöng, with living turf roofs, oak under the sloping ceilings, heated floors and furniture made by hand.
The Torfvilla Four ensuite bedrooms over 200 square metres for up to eight, with its own hot pool, cold plunge and sauna, a private chef and seasonal helicopter landing access.
The Golden Circle, quietly Gullfoss ten kilometres away, Geysir twelve and Þingvellir about an hour, with the quiet of the plain to come back to each evening.
Dinner in the Langhús A chef’s set menu that changes every night, from ingredients found mostly within ten miles: greenhouse herbs, river char and mountain lamb.

Suites & houses

A suite for two or a house of your own

Torfbær Suites in a row of three, and Torfhús of two bedrooms with a kitchen and a hot pool of their own. For up to eight, the Torfvilla stands apart with its own sauna and cold plunge.

Room 01

Torfbær Suites

30 m² · For two · Double or twin beds · Private veranda · Shared basalt hot pool

Three turf-roofed suites stand side by side, each with a bedroom whose double bed separates into two twins on request, a luxurious bathroom, a cosy living area and a private veranda. Reclaimed oak and handcrafted furniture give them the warmth of a mountain chalet, and between the three a geothermal basalt stone hot pool is sunk into the ground.
Room 02

Torfhús

60 m² · Up to four · Two bedrooms, king or twin · Full kitchen · Private basalt hot pool

The turf houses proper, with two bedrooms set as king or twin, a luxurious bathroom, a spacious living room and a fully equipped kitchen and dining area, a natural choice for a family or two couples. Inside are reclaimed oak, rustic painted walls and handcrafted furniture; outside, beyond the veranda, a private geothermal hot pool is sunk into the earth.

Photo courtesy of Torfhús Retreat

Inside the stay

The house, in notes

Where you sleep, what you eat, and how you arrive: the essentials, in brief.

Suites, houses & the villa

Suites, turf houses and a villa

Three ways to stay, all lined in reclaimed oak with handmade furniture and heated floors, with large bottles of bath products, a Nespresso machine, herbal teas and a minibar restocked each day.

Torfbær Suites. Three turf-roofed suites of 30 m² in a row, each for two, with a double bed that separates into twins, a living area and a private veranda, sharing a basalt stone hot pool sunk between them.

Torfhús. Houses of 60 m² for up to four, with two bedrooms set as king or twin, a living room, a full kitchen and dining area, a veranda and a private hot pool.

The Torfvilla. A standalone residence of 200 m² for up to eight, with four ensuite bedrooms, a lounge, a dining room and a full kitchen, and its own hot pool, cold plunge and sauna.

The table

A set menu in the Viking Langhús

Breakfast and dinner are served in the Viking Langhús, a longhouse of stone and reclaimed wood hung with old pictures of turf farms and leathered salmon skins.

By day. Light and open, with Icelandic horses grazing beyond the windows and the mountains and glacier behind them; breakfast arrives on an old horse-drawn cart.

By night. Candlelit and cosy, with a chef’s set menu that changes every evening: informal, creative and a little dramatic.

From close by. Most ingredients come from within ten miles: berries, vegetables, herbs and salads from greenhouses heated by geothermal water, salmon and char from nearby rivers, and mountain-grazed lamb and beef.

From the sea. Seafood from coastal fishermen, and wines from a carefully chosen cellar.

The pools

Basalt, hot water and the sky

Bathing in geothermal water is an old Icelandic habit, and at Torfhús it happens at your own door, in any season and at any hour.

The hot pools. Basalt columns from the surrounding area, set into the ground beside the houses and filled with geothermal water at 38 to 42°C, adjusted to your liking.

Private or shared. Every Torfhús and the Torfvilla has a pool of its own; the three Torfbær Suites share one sunk between them.

At the Torfvilla. A cold plunge and a traditional Icelandic sauna set into the earth beside the hot pool.

Under the sky. In bright sun, in falling snow, through the white nights of summer or beneath the northern lights.

The Golden Circle

Waterfalls, geysers and the glacier

Torfhús lies inside the Golden Circle, the classic route of South Iceland, with the Highlands to the north and the South Coast within a day.

Gullfoss and Geysir. The two-tiered Golden Falls are ten kilometres away; at Geysir, twelve, Strokkur erupts every five to ten minutes.

Þingvellir. A UNESCO World Heritage Site where two continental plates meet, seat of Iceland’s first parliament in 930, with snorkelling in the Silfra fissure.

The glacier. Langjökull, in view from the houses, for ice caves and snowmobiles.

The Viking valley. Þjórsárdalur, with the ruins at Stöng and Háifoss, 122 metres high.

From the air. Private helicopter flights to the volcanoes and the south coast.

Who it suits

Couples, families and friends

Family
Two travelers

For travelers who want Iceland at its most elemental, with privacy, warmth and a very good dinner.

Couples. A Torfbær Suite or a Torfhús, and the hot pool at midnight under the aurora.

Families. A Torfhús of two bedrooms with its own kitchen and pool, or the Torfvilla for up to eight.

Friends. The Torfvilla, with four ensuite bedrooms, a private chef and its own sauna and cold plunge.

Riders. The retreat’s own Icelandic horses on the plain, and guided rides nearby to try their five gaits.

The curious. Saga sites and a reconstructed Viking farm, with a guide.

Getting there

Two hours from Keflavík

Torfhús stands at Dalsholt in the Golden Circle, about two hours by car from Keflavík International Airport and about an hour and a half from Reykjavík.

By air. Keflavík is Iceland’s main gateway, with direct flights from North America and Europe.

By road. A private transfer with a driver who knows the roads in every season, by way of Þingvellir if you wish.

By helicopter. The Torfvilla has helicopter landing access, depending on the season.

On arrival. Check-in at the Torfvilla is flexible, subject to availability.

We arrange the flights, the transfer and the days out as one plan.

When to go

Aurora in winter, light in summer

Torfhús is open all year, and each season changes the view from the pool.

Winter. The northern lights from late September to late March, long sunsets and snow on the turf roofs, with the hot pool steaming in the cold.

Spring. Green returns to the plain and wildflowers to the turf, and the lengthening days open the waterfalls, hot springs and glaciers.

Summer. The midnight sun and round-the-clock daylight, the busiest weeks of the year, with the Highland roads to Landmannalaugar open from late June.

Autumn. Colour on the land, crisp air and the first auroras, and the réttir, when sheep come down from the hills on horseback.

Pair it with

A natural companion

A second stay that belongs on the same itinerary.

Related stays

Houses we would weigh alongside this one.

Also in these collections

The collections that hold this stay

Each collection gathers houses that share a way of traveling. Open one to see its companion stays and shores.

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Begin with a conversation.

Tell us the season, the company, and the feeling you want to keep. We will write back with a considered path, not a link to a search.

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Torfhús Retreat, The Golden Circle, South Iceland