135 Best Hotels in Norway

Anne Gerd believes in the recharging power of Norwegian nature and established her guesthouse 6 km (4 miles) east of Leknes to provide easy access to it. Climbing, hiking, biking, fishing, kayaking, and scuba diving are all within easy reach, and Anne Gerd helps arrange it. Nature for her also means a more familial experience, largely achieved through the excellent dinners and breakfasts she cooks, the fact that she lives on-site, and the limited number of guests at any time. Each of the rooms has a slightly different color scheme, size, and layout, but there's a shared hominess in the furniture and wall decorations. The handsome common areas encourage getting together as well, if only for a song around the piano.

When you're on the lookout for the northern lights, you can't do better than these spacious but cozy apartments with expansive bay windows where you can enjoy one of the world's most impressive natural phenemenons. Each apartment has its own kitchen and living area, meaning this is a good spot for families looking to spend some time together. There's also glass huts available. There's ski equipment for rent on the premises, along with a spa area where you can relax afterward.

If you’d like to get a sense of what life was like for Svalbard’s trappers back in the day, Basecamp Hotel gives you just that with rooms that are tastefully decorated with driftwood walls and slate floors, just like the lodgings of yore. No two are alike, but they all come with nice touches like historic maps and photos on the walls. The glass-roofed loft is a good place to check out the northern lights. Situated in downtown Longyearbyen, this small and intimate hotel is a comfortable, no-frills base for your adventures in the High Arctic.

With a beautiful location along the Hardangerfjord, this modern hotel makes sure that the rooms along the waterfront have expansive windows and balconies where you can enjoy your morning coffee or a drink after dinner; these rooms and suites have also been nicely renovated, making them far superior to the rooms facing the other direction. But all the rooms have modern contemporary decor and all the amenities you may need. Speaking of views, the restaurant also looks out over the water.

This was Trondheim's first grand hotel when it opened in 1897, and more than a century later the Britannia remains one of the most luxurious places to stay in the whole country. Rumor has it, its owner once stood in front of the building as a young working-class boy, and said he would one day run the show. The result is next level: curated art exhibitions (look out for queer photography and abstract paintings challenging the potential stiffness of this residence) lead to well-appointed rooms with marble bathrooms, Håstens beds, Chromecast TVs, Bluetooth stereo system, full mini bar and room service, remote-controlled lights, heating, and blinds. The Tower Suite, with its blend of across-time chandeliers, sofas and roll-top tub, is the highest tier stay.

Foliage, candles, and a fireplace welcome you to the lower-level leisure area. A superbly equipped gym and opulent spa help bolster this grand dame: there's a low-lit pool, saunas and plunge, steam rooms and gorgeously fitted changing rooms with dressers, powder rooms, hair appliances and complimentary products and well as all-Elemis cosmetics.

The hardest part might be deciding which of its restaurants to eat in. The elegant Palmehaven is popular for special occasions (even breakfast being one, with gentle table lamps, an OTT buffet and the best butter and eggs in Scandinavia from nearby Røros). Theatrical, Michelin-starred Spielsalen is a must-try for foodies, and the Jonathan Grill is more laid-back and fun: try the sake and cherry blossom martini and grilling your own steak and scallops at the table, Japanese-Korean style.

There's also a brasserie, afternoon tea, and in-room breakfast (served on a silver platter no less) available at this Trondheim institution.

Scenic views over the waterfront and marina are just one advantage of this centrally located hotel, named for the Norwegian International Film Festival (held in Haugesund), hence the film-named rooms. The others are friendly service, spacious rooms with hardwood floors, modern decor, and comfy beds. 

Overlooking the harbor, this centrally located hotel is looking spiffy after a complete renovation. It's among Bodø's best lodgings: the friendly, helpful staff and all-day free waffles get your visit off to a great start. Although rooms can be on the small side, some make up for it with views of the water. A copious buffet dinner and breakfast are included in the price, so you won't have to go far for a satisfying meal. If you do venture out, there's plenty of shopping and restaurants within walking distance.

Often ranked as Tromsø's best place to stay, this comfortable lodging in a twin-gabled building facing the harbor puts you within walking distance of the best of the city's sights. The popular top-floor lounge has skylights that let in lots of light, especially during the midnight sun. There's a variety of different rooms from which to choose, and many have private terraces that are ideal for the summer months.

Marble, brass, glass, eggs every which way. Clarion hit the mark, and in recent years have really splurged on the renovations and new openings. The feel here at the group's latest outpost is similar to the others: somewhere between business stay and small design hotel, which is a good blend when you're staying so central, in the very new district of Bjørvika on the waters that also birthed the new Munch Museum and copious bars and eateries in the last couple years.

People come flocking for the gigantic breakfast buffet, which stops at nothing and will leave you full for the better part of a day---great if you're visiting Oslo on a budget. Rooms are airy, extremely clean, with telephone, desk and minibar. Downstairs a bistro offers fresh oysters and steak, with the bar whipping up a good martini or mojito. Downsides are barely openable windows with dowdy blinds/curtains and an unimpressive gym---but the fjord and nearby floating saunas are all you need.

Looking like it would be at home on any street in Paris, this grand dame with a mansard roof and Beaux Arts entrance is the choice of visiting heads of state, rock musicians, and Nobel Peace Prize winners. All the rooms have a regal touch, with the Mikado Suite—done up in cream, lilac, and red tones—being particularly palatial and plush. There are several different dining options, two bars, and a see-and-be-seen lobby. Norwegians book several years in advance for National Day, May 17, in order to have a room overlooking the parades below.

Close to the Heggefjorden, this gem of a hotel is surrounded by picturesque forests and lakes. Tucked inside a handsome wooden building, the rooms are spacious, luxurious, and have designs inspired by various cities around the world---stone walls and a toasty fireplace in the Aspen Suite, Louis XIV furnishings and elegant wallpaper in the one named for Paris. The top-notch restaurant attracts people from far and wide, and the service couldn't be better.

History meets modernity at this landmark—it's a sophisticated stay with stylish guest rooms and posh common areas. The handsome lobby lounge has Munch lithographs on the walls. Gracious service prevails throughout, but is especially notable in the restaurants: Theatercafeen, an Oslo tradition, and Eik Annen Etage, another great choice for dinner. The hotel is opposite the National Theater and close to many cafés, clubs, and movie theaters, making it ideal for leisure as well as business travelers.

Right on the harbor, this classic with a red-tile roof and white clapboard exterior has some of the best views in Lillesand. The sea-inspired guest rooms are classic yet modern, and no two are exactly alike. The common areas have the charm of a bygone era, especially the handsome library. The restaurant serves delicious seafood dishes.

At this hip, streamlined hotel with splendid fjord views, the well-outfitted rooms are decorated in soothing Arctic blues and greens. Both have a true Nordic feel to them, with lots of natural wood and pleasing color schemes. Many have terraces and sweeping views over Tromsø Harbor. Both Rorbua and Yonas Pizzeria are popular local hangouts.

For more than a century, this has been Drøbak’s most prized place for an overnight stay. This snowy white clapboard building has made it into the history books, as Room 213 is where Nobel Prize--winning author Knut Hamsun wrote some of his most celebrated works. Indeed, Oslo's glitterati used to come here to drink, dine, and read aloud to one another before taking refreshing dips in the nearby waters. Guest rooms are spacious and bright, mixing antiques and sophisticated modern furnishings.

Dating back to 1894, this stunning and distinguished hotel has a peaceful mountaintop setting with unparalleled views of the city below. Newly face-lifted guest rooms have relaxing color schemes and elegant wood furniture---public areas are vastly spaces and resemble Alpine lodges with an edge---including open fires and big couches. Next to the Holmenkollen Ski Arena, the property provides the perfect base for outdoor pursuits such as cycling, skiing, and running. It's worth a visit even if you don't stay here because of the excellent De Fem Stuer restaurant.

A stunning new residence, health spa and rooftop dining mecca, from an art and architecture perspective. This newly opened more-than-a-hotel is set in a restored Art Deco building from the 1930s with original details and murals from Norwegian painter Per Krogh. Design features include Oslo's first year-round rooftop pool and in-house wellness center, a gilded theater and suites dripping with Scandi contemporary design and antiques aplomb; 56 rooms, four restaurants, and three bars.

This hotel has a literary pedigree: Pulitzer Prize--winning author Knut Hamsun wrote his book Den Siste Glaede while staying here, and there's an impressive library dedicated to writer Lars Saabye Christensen, whose works are available to read in several languages. Although the exterior is rather dreary, this hotel offers spacious and comfortable rooms, some of which have fantastic views over the bay and across the city. The restaurant focuses on regional dishes, all of them utilizing local ingredients.