Sweet dreams: 10 unique hotels in Fjord Norway

Fjord Norway is home to a world of unique accommodation options. Whether your tastes run from boutique design hotels to luxury lighthouse stays or from family-run fjord inns to homey farmstead forays – Fjord Norway has got the place for you. Here is a compilation of ten special spots to consider for your next stay.

Turn-of-the-century elegance
Fjord Norway is rich in history and heritage, and you can live it out for yourself at grand historical hotel properties like the Hotel Union Øye, a favourite of global notables since 1891. A Victorian-era, gingerbread-style gem, this exquisite hotel offers 30 antique-laden rooms that have hosted the likes of composer Edvard Grieg and authors Henrik Ibsen and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Relax in the garden or sip coffee in the Sun Lounge as you soak in views of nearby waterfalls. Those who prefer to be more out and about can scale a local peak, join a fjord safari or borrow a bike to cycle the Norangsdalen, which is said by some to be Norway’s most beautiful valley.

By hook or by crook
Large numbers of British sports fishermen looking to hook prize salmon started visiting Fjord Norway more than a century ago. This led to a wave of hotels catering to their every whim. Some of them are still in business today. Properties like the Gloppen Hotel carry on this legacy of service. With traditions dating back to 1866, this 61-room family-run hotel, still attracts fishermen each summer to Sandane. There are other big draws these days, too — not the least of which is the food. Chef Bodil crafts home-cooked dishes using local produce, much of it from no more than three kilometers away. Work off those calories with a hike from Tystadstølen farm up to Haugsvarden peak for stunning mountain and fjord views.

The beautiful boutique property 29/2 Aurland occupies a former farm two and a half hours northwest of Bergen and it has accommodated anglers for generations. The guestroom décor reflects therefore a hardy fisherfolk sensibility. Heritage, design, tradition and attention to detail define your stay — from the Fisherman’s Cabin’s bedrooms to the reconstructed Goat Barn that houses The Smoke House dining room, as well as lounges and suites. Dine on organic local fare, try your hand at local crafts, indulge in fly fishing, or simply soak in the scenery. This is traditional living in style!

Sea breeze
Experience the North Sea lifestyle at Skårsnesheimen Raw Ocean Lodge, a “community-oriented eco-lodge” on the island of Karmøy between Stavanger and Bergen. Here, the focus is on curated adventures, cultural experiences and local cuisine. The exclusive property boasts just three accommodations options, including a retro-chic “surf bungalow” just steps from the sea. Rent stand-up paddleboards on site, fish from the pier and strike out on nearby bouldering routes. Surfers, take note: Some of Karmøy’s best waves are just a three-minute drive away.

Coastal Retreat
Heritage, authenticity and homey elegance are on the manifest at Angvik Gamle Handelssted. This lovingly restored 37-room retreat on the Tingvollfjord has roots dating back to the 16th century, when the local Angvik family first began catering to timber traders. Still family run, the hotel is distinguished by fine china, fireplaces, a museum, an art gallery and an 18th century log house that is home to one of Norway’s finest spas. Its renowned kitchen sources ingredients from the surrounding region’s fjords, mountains, forests and fields.

Another coastal retreat beckons in the waters off Askvoll, in Vestland county. Hop on a ferry to Værlandet and check in at the general store for your stay at the Værlandet Havhotell. It is set on a headland two kilometers from Norway’s westernmost fishing village (population 200) and offers eight modern rooms with endless sea views — interrupted only by the majestic cliff island of Alden. The beautiful islands of the Værlandet and Bulandet archipelago, linked by a web of bridges, are yours to explore.

All natural
Lose yourself even deeper in nature at Juvet Landscape Hotel, whose nine guest units let you leave the world behind. Seven rooms are spacious glass cubes on stilts, where transparent walls offer carefully oriented views of the surrounding landscape. Two smaller “Bird House” units hug the hillsides above, mimicking traditional Norwegian log houses once used for food storage. Indulge in three meals daily at The Barn, a renovated century-old farmhouse, and sink into a hot tub or sauna at The Bath House, Juvet’s riverside spa. The design hotel is located midway along the Norwegian Scenic Route Geiranger-Trollstigen.

Lighthouse luxury
Add extra shine to your Fjord Norway vacation with a stay at a fyrhotell, or lighthouse hotel. The Høyevarde Lighthouse Hotel offers comfortable accommodations in a 1858 complex comprising a keeper’s house, custom’s house, warehouse, boathouse, elegant gardens and a wood-fired bakery. The 60-acre property’s distinguished dining room is managed by Haugesund-based caterer Lothes Mat & Vinhus, serving dishes using fresh local ingredients and seafood. They even keep their own sheep, hens, beehives and herb garden.

The simple life
Travel back in time to 1850 with a a stay at the husmannshus — or “smallholder’s cottage” – of Haukali 33/3. Go off the grid amid untouched nature just an hour’s drive from Stavanger. Chop firewood, boil your bath water, harvest vegetables and fish your own dinner out of the lake just opposite the cottage. This 38-square-meter cottage houses up to eight people and offers power outlets and a refrigerator, but other than that guests will be living the “slow life” of almost two centuries ago and thus will get an insight into the life in the Fjord Norway of old.

The farmer’s life
On the innermost reaches of the spectacular Sognefjord lies Nes Gard. Nestled fjordside in view of Feigumfossen — one of Scandinavia’s highest waterfalls — the traditional architecture and interiors mix authentic atmosphere with modern conveniences. Friendly, personalized service is on the menu at Nes Gard — along with breakfast and a three-course dinner daily. Relax in the garden or on the pier, or rent a bicycle, rowboat or kayak. Better yet, hike through breathtaking Breheimen National Park to Navarsete, the mountain hut where the farmer would stay with cattle each summer — a must for any guest