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The tourist
boards may decalre Norway Europe's last wilderness,
but civilized comfort abounds in its historic hotels. In all
cases, there is a tradition of family management. We do, however,
recommend these hotels with three caveats: Guest rooms can
be miniscule, even by Continental standards. Since Norway
has 13,000 miles of coastline, the distances between are shockingly
large. And the ubiquitous smorgasbord may conquer even the
most intrepid traveler. But there are the country's wonders.
Norway's scenery: 17,000 glaciers, 50,000 islands. And the
sunlight: mystifying at midnight, infuriating at 3:00 a.m.,
but nothing short of miraculous to those of us from lower
latitudes.
Oslo
Offering
old-world charm in a sometimes faceless city, Gabelshus is
a 1912, ivy-covered mansion set on a quiet sidestreet, 3 km
from the train station. The interior of this 44-room, English-inspired
inn is dotted with period antiques. Its small restaurant offers
solid, Norwegian fare with a tad too much fanfare. A light
lunch here is better than a formal dinner. That said, Ms.
Agatha Riekeles, the hotel's third owner, runs her establishment
with grace. The ground floor rooms are cramped; but throughout,
all have been redecorated with summery fabrics. The best offer
terraces. When booking, request either a Scandinavian modern
or traditionally styled room. Singles 600-930 NK. Doubles
800-1130 NK. Suites 1790 NK. Breakfast buffet included. Gabels
Gate 16, N-0272 Oslo 2. Tel: 22 55 22 60. Fax: 22 44 27 30.
Email: gabelshus.hotel@os.telia.no. Ground floor rooms wheel-chair
accessible.
Bergen,
the gateway to the fjords
Although
most of Bergen's historic hotels were destroyed during World
War II, the Grand Terminus Hotel still stands in the central
district. It's within easy walking distance of the sites in
Norway's second largest city, a hub for car and ferry trips
north. Opened in 1928 as a Lutheran Temperance Hostel, the
hotel now offers a more cosmopolitan charm. Yes, that downtown
locale, just steps from the train station, is not the quietest,
but the soft ambience inside the lobby can compensate. The
public rooms have been appointed with traditional woodworking,
and the finely detailed rugs were woven locally. Modernized
in 1994, the guest rooms have pastel furnishings and tiled
baths. In this convivial hotel, guests sometimes gather after
dinner in the lounge, sharing tales and tips from the stunning
backcountry just beyond. 130 rooms. Double with breakfast
1150 NK. Zander Kaaesgate 6, N-5001 Bergen. Tel: 55 31 16
55. Fax: 55 31 85 76. Email: booking@grand-hotel-terminus.no.
Wheelchair accessible.
Ulvik
on the Hardanger Fjord
At
a spacious bend of the fjord, the Brakanes Hotel provides
an excellent touring base. Two hours from Bergen by car, or
three and a half hours by express boat, the hotel has been
operating since 1860. Burned by the Nazis, it was rebuilt
in the 1950s to modern tastes. Only a small dining room is
original. Of the many recreational options--spas, saunas,
tennis courts, and a solarium--two are exceptional: sea plane
trips up the fjord, and fishing expeditions with local guides.
There are also windsurfing and boating rentals. The hotel's
two new lounges afford stunning views; the dining rooms are
darker, more subdued. They offer smorgasbord every night:
generous if uninspired. There may be problems with tour groups--but
a gentle request will speed the management to action. One
night, they set up decorative screens for us, affording us
a private dinner with a lovely view. 144 rooms. Doubles with
breakfast buffet 1400-1550 NK. N-5730 Ulvik. Tel: 56 52 61
05. Fax: 56 52 64 10. Wheelchair accessible.
Two
Choices on the Sogne Fjord
At
a sharp bend on the world's longest fjord, Kvikne's Hotel
has been offering its hospitality since 1913, although a hotel
has existed at this crosswater since the 1750s. There are
now several buildings, but the old, chalet-style complex remains
our favorite. Here, the rooms' balconies command magnificent
views. One can even request Kaiser Wilhelm II's old room.
In the annexes, unfortunately, the dÚcor is a modern mishmash
from a popular Swedish chain. Dinner is a nightly smorgasbord
buffet, but the sheer variety of fish--twelve forms of herring
one evening! lifts it above the standard. Tour groups are
usually warehoused in the annexes. Parties not associated
with these gaggles can request a serene dining room with views.
The hotel will also arrange local jaunts, including a not-to-be-missed
helicopter ride over the Jostedal Glacier. There is some ferry
noise in front-facing rooms. 110 rooms. B & B 430-635 NK per
person. 1/2 Pension 630-835 NK per person. Discounts given
for multi-night stays. Balholm, N-5850 Balestrand. Tel: 57
69 11 01. Fax: 57 69 15 02. Email: booking@kviknes.no. Some
rooms wheelchair accessible.
In Solvern,
farther up the fjord, the small but charming Walaker Hotel
has been run by the same family since the 1690s. In the pretty
gardens and shaded walks, the hush of tradition reigns, but
is also readily broken by weekend folk-dancing fests. The
rooms, small, are quite comfortable. Indeed, the whole place
feels more like a pristine farmhouse than a hotel. The charm
of the owners and the pleasant sidetrips make this choice
a peaceful alternative to the more crowded locales downstream.
26 rooms. B & B 440-550 NK per person 1/2 Pension 680-1140
NK per person. Tel: 57 68 42 07. Fax: 57 68 45 44. Email:
walaker.hotel@sf.telia.no. Some rooms wheelchair accessible.
Three
Choices on the Nord Fjord
The Visnes
Hotel is a charming alternative to the spa-like establishments
that dot this wilder slice of Norway. The hotel offers no
cruises on the fjord and is off the main tourist beat. Cruises
can be booked in Stryn, five minutes away. Guest rooms are
homey, as befits a small hotel run by the same family since
the 1860s. Fresh flowers, crisp linens, plain chairs„the rooms
embody the Norwegian ethic of simplicity. The small smorgasbord
features the local catch. In the morning, after a hearty breakfast
buffet, a short drive will lead to spectacular vistas: waterfalls
leap off the cliffs in every direction. Closer to the ground,
the stave church in Stryn is also remarkable. Prestevegen
1, N-6783 Stryn. Open mid-June through August. 19 rooms. Rooms
with breakfast 550-1550 NK. Dinner without wine 250 NK. Tel:
57 87 10 87. Fax: 57 87 20 75. Email: vibeke@visnes.no. Not
wheelchair accessible.
Less charming
and less historical, but perhaps the nicest place on this
northern fjord, the Olden Fjordhotel lies a little west of
Stryn. With its card room and a cozy bar, the hotel's genteel,
summery interior transcends its faceless, white faÙade. Most
of the 60 simple rooms have terraces where breakfast can be
taken. The Olden Hotel is a perfect spot to explore the Briksdal
Glacier, a titled wall of ice hanging over a narrow valley.
The hotel will also arrange skiing packages even in summer.
N-6870 Olden. B & B 550 NK per person. 1/2 Pension 750-850
NK per person. Single supplement charged. Tel: 57 87 34 00.
Fax: 57 87 33 81. Email: post@olden-hotel.no. Wheelchair accessible.
In Sandane,
on a southern arm of the fjord, the genteel Gloppen Hotell
has been offering rooms since 1866 when a local farmer, hard
pressed, cleared his land and built a hotel near an open stretch
of water, hoping to attract summering Continentals. The gabled
edifice offers luxury amenities without discounting local
charm. For example, some of its simple rooms have surprisingly
capacious baths. But this is not a tourist hotel„it derives
its primary business from local weddings and fairs. The 20
km Panorama Road from Norisada (directions at the hotel) is
a must-take outing. Also noteworthy are the ancient petroglyphs
west of town. 30 rooms. Singles, 1/2 Pension only, 760 NK.
Doubles, 1/2 Pension only, 1220 NK. N-6823 Sandane. Tel: 57
86 53 33. Fax: 57 86 60 02. Email: gloppen.hotell@vestdata.no.
Some rooms wheelchair accessible.
On
two, tiny, northern fjords
The Geiranger
the smallest fjord on the western coast of Norway. At its
end, perched on a hill with a memorable view, the Union Hotel
is now run by the Mjelva family's fourth generation. The guest
rooms are generous, and the bathrooms have underfloor heating,
perfect after a morning stroll. At night, the dining room
offers typical smorgasbord, but the fare is fresh and well-prepared,
so lines are long on summer evenings. The gardens were relandscaped
last year and are now a pretty setting for the swimming pool.
Other amenities include a putting green, a sauna, a solarium,
and a shooting gallery. Still and all, the main attractions
are the 6000-foot mountains that encircle the town. A cruise
on the sheer-drop fjord is also a must. Closed January and
February. 168 rooms. Singles 620-875 NK. Doubles 940-1200
NK. Suites 1450 NK. N-6216 Geiranger. Tel. 70 26 30 00. Fax:
70 26 31 61. Email: booking@union-hotel.no
Far from
the call of ship or bus, the Hotel Union øye used to offer
Kaiser Wilhelm II's hunting parties room and board each season.
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was also known to haunt the halls.
(According to the staff, he still does.) Everything here is
Norse baronial, seemingly undisturbed by time. But just a
few years ago, the hotel was boarded up. Thankfully, it's
been lovingly restored: locals donated their talents, and
the new owners tracked down the original furnishings across
Europe. The food here is pleasant and hearty. Yes, there are
aspirations to originality„and in a daze of smorgasbords,
we could well forgive an excess of experimentation (although
clam chutney seemed beyond the pale). After dinner, Mr. Arnfjord
can be cajoled into playing Chopin nocturnes in the lounge.
The best rooms have a view of a 600 foot waterfall. 26 rooms.
Doubles with breakfast, 1200-1600 NK. Set dinners 260 NK per
person. N-6196 øye. Tel: 70 06 21 00. Fax: 70 06 21 16. Email:
dhh@atm.no. Ground floor rooms wheelchair accessible.
Trondheim,
the gateway to the Arctic
Rich
in Victorian tradition (or kitsch), the Britannia Hotel was
built for the last century's well-heeled, English traveler.
Its elegant exterior is a white wedding cake of cornice ornamentation.
Inside, there's a traditional pub as well as the original
Palmehave (Palm Garden): a jewel box where breakfast and lunch
are served. At night, Jonathan's Wine Cellar offers roast
beef with Yorkshire Pudding or Steak and Kidney Pie. Travelers
who have come this far north will perhaps relish the choices,
no matter how forced. The rooms have been recently renovated,
and the quietest, unfortunately, are the smallest, facing
the interior courtyard. 175 rooms. Doubles with breakfast
850-1350 NK. Dronningens Gate 5, N-7001 Trondheim. Tel: 73
80 08 00. Fax: 73 80 08 01. Wheelchair accessible.
Narvik
and the Lofoten Islands
The Lofoten
Islands are a lunar landscape, forbidding yet strangely familiar,
little houses lining icy bays. The islands offer Europe's
best birding and protect some of the finest stave churches.
A natural place to stop before exploring is Narvik, two hundred
miles north of the Arctic Circle. Unfortunately, The Grand
Royal Hotel is rather joyless, despite its being the late
King Olav's favorite. Built in 1921, the hotel must believe
his portraits pass for decorating. The rooms are moderately
sized--but towels are in short supply. That said, the hotel's
restaurant offers a reindeer curry with apricots that can
warm the chilliest night. 119 rooms. Doubles with breakfast
700-1100 NK. Suites 1600 NK. Kongensgate 62, N-8501 Narvik.
Tel: 76 94 15 00. Fax: 76 94 55 31.
Honningsvaag,
the top of the world
The North
Cape Hotel has one claim to fame: it's the world's northernmost
hotel in the world's northernmost town. Almost fourteen hundred
miles north of Oslo, this spare, yellow-frame hotel has looked
out on the harbor since all was rebuilt after extensive shelling.
It can be distressingly functional, but the beds are firm
and the food is fresh. Outside, the landscape is bare, treeless
and frigid, a stern beauty; and the midnight sun is relentless.
The hotel can arrange expeditions to the North Cape, the top
of Europe, if not the world. Open year round. 163 rooms. Reserve
well in advance. Doubles 850-1250 NK. Suites 1345-1800 NK.
Tel: 78 47 23 33. Fax: 78 47 33 79.
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