Blue Lagoon Iceland
Blue Lagoon Iceland uses LS Retail solutions to run its resorts holistically, covering everything from accommodations to ticketing, retail, and food service.
Blue Lagoon is one of Iceland's most popular attractions. Founded in 1992 to utilize the benefits of the local geothermal seawater, Blue Lagoon is often mentioned as one of the top global travel destinations and must-visit places. In 2012 the volcanic spa was named one of 25 wonders of the world by National Geographic.
The resort, powered by sustainable energy, now boasts two luxury hotels, a subterranean spa, a mineral-rich lagoon, four restaurants, and four retail stores, as well as an online store for its skincare line and wellness products.
Business case
In 2018, Blue Lagoon opened the Retreat, a luxury spa resort designed for year-round relaxation and pampering. However, as they expanded, they quickly realized they had outgrown their existing software setup. At the time, they were using multiple software solutions that didn’t give them the unified view and management capabilities they needed. This prevented them from transforming the company as they wanted. Seeking a more cohesive approach, Blue Lagoon researched solutions that could streamline and support their ambitions.
Solution
“We needed a holistic solution for our hotel, restaurants and retail operations. We were already satisfied with Microsoft Dynamics as our ERP system, so we chose LS Central and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central,” says Sigurdur Long, Chief Information Officer and Chief Digital Officer at Blue Lagoon.
LS Central for hotels covers retail, restaurant, hotels, activities, and member management within one platform. All the functionality resorts need is already part of the solution, so companies don’t need to invest time and resources in software integrations. Blue Lagoon leveraged the forced closure caused by the Covid-19 pandemic to implement LS Central, meeting their goal of a swift implementation just in time for the reopening of the spa and resort to guests.
Blue Lagoon also adopted LS Pay to streamline payment processes. With LS Pay, businesses can choose their preferred Payment Service Provider (PSP) without the hassle and cost of a complicated integration process.
Blue Lagoon selected PSP Planet to ensure a seamless payment experience across its physical and digital touchpoints. Planet’s integrated payment solution allows guests to make secure, multi-currency transactions effortlessly. A standout feature is the wristbands with a secure deposit, which enable guests pay for services, spa treatments, and products throughout their stay - from lagoon access to checkout. Payments are automatically deducted from the guest’s card upon departure. By using Planet through payment processing software LS Pay, Blue Lagoon has improved the guest experience and increased operational efficiency, allowing staff to focus on exceptional service.
Benefits
Blue Lagoon has seen major benefits from the solution, especially in terms of data and self-service. “We even exceeded our expectations, observing almost 90% uptake on our self-service checkout kiosks. After the pandemic, our guests are more demanding and require more self-service and automations, so we must deliver that to stay competitive,” Long says. “LS Retail does not only assist us with the technical infrastructure and frequent upgrades, but also understanding how guests behave and how we can serve them better.”
Blue Lagoon recently launched Highland Base, a new mountain resort in Iceland's interior highlands and an exclusive high-end luxury hotel, for which they use all the standard functionality available within LS Central for hotels.
The company will now focus on developing self-service on the web to enable guests to customize their experience at the Blue Lagoon before arrival and on the spot with a variety of experiences and services. “With LS Retail software solid infrastructure and ability to stay up-to-date, the future is bright at the Blue Lagoon,” concludes Long.
