The West Coast Fjord Country - Norway - page 320

cascading waterfalls as you enjoy your freshly caught trout. The cafe is closed from
October to April.
From the cafe it's a 2km (1 1 ⁄ 4 -mile) hike to the glacier's face.
From Sande boats depart from June to August, leaving daily at 10:30am. You
can also drive up, but the toll road above Lovatnet narrows to a single track. The
toll is 30NOK ($4.25).
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
Alexandra The most luxurious hotel in the area, the Alexandra dates
from 1884 and has been run by the Grov family since it first opened. The hotel
is also the best equipped in the area, making it the town's only real resort hotel.
The hotel received its last wholesale renovation before the millennium, but
needed repairs have occurred every year since that time. All the bedrooms are
different sizes, but all come with new furnishings. Each unit is equipped with a
well-maintained bathroom with a shower and tub (a few have shower only). The
location makes a good base for touring the attractions of the Nordfjord and the
national park, including the Briksdal Glacier. It's also a fine choice for dining for
nonguests, serving a lavish buffet dinner costing 380NOK ($54) per person.
N-6789 Loen. & 57-87-50-00. Fax [phone]. www.alexandra.no. 191 units. 980NOK-1,250NOK
($139-$178) double; 1,450NOK-3,500NOK ($206-$497) suite. Children under 5 stay free in parent's room.
Rates include buffet breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Dec 15-27 and Jan 1-25. Amenities: Restaurant; 3
bars; pool; fitness center; spa; sauna; 24-hr. room service; babysitting; laundry service/dry cleaning; non-
smoking rooms; rooms for those w/limited mobility. In room: TV, minibar, hair dryer.
Briksdalbre Although primarily a restaurant, Briksdalbre is also a lodge offer-
ing you a rare chance to stay near the Briksdal Glacier. The original lodge was con-
structed in 1890, but it's been rebuilt many times, most recently in 1997.
Bedrooms are simply furnished and have small bathrooms equipped with showers.
Expect little in the way of amenities, as most of the staff is engaged in tending to
the restaurant. However, they will advise on glacier walking and even arrange a trip
in a horse and carriage. The lodge serves some of the best regional cuisine in the
area, and is particularly busy at lunchtime. The cuisine is very regional, with many
different cod and salmon dishes caught in local waters (ever had deep-fried cod
jaws?). Typically you can order filet of reindeer in a well-flavored sauce, or sautéed
trout. Dinners range from 115NOK to 180NOK ($16-$26) and are served daily
from 8:30 to 9:30pm, with no reservations needed.
N-6792 Briksdalbre. & 57-87-68-00. Fax [phone]. www.briksdalsbre.no. 6 units. 500NOK-800NOK
($71-$114) double. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Nov-Apr. In room: TV, no phone.
Loen Pensjonat Built in 1910, this B&B is family-friendly. It lies
on a sheep farm but in summer the owners send the herd to the upper elevations
for better grazing in the mountains. The little inn has a large garden with beau-
tiful views of the fjords. The location is only 400m (1,312 ft.) from the center
of Loen, in the middle of great hiking and fishing country, with many opportu-
nities for glacier trekking. The carpeted bedrooms are small to medium in size,
coming with doubles or twins. Five of the units have a bathroom with a shower;
occupants of the other rooms share the adequate bathrooms in the corridors.
N-6789 Loen. & 57-86-76-24. Fax [phone] units, 5 with private bathroom. 400NOK ($57) double
without bathroom; 500NOK ($71) double with bathroom. Children stay free in parent's room. No credit cards.
Amenities: Breakfast lounge; nonsmoking rooms. In room: No phone.
Olden Fjordhotel Very close to the Briksdal Glacier, this is a good base for
glacier excursions, and a center for such activities as summer skiing, horseback
riding, and fishing trips. Built in 1971, the hotel added a modern annex in

Kids Finds