Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
WHERE TO STAY & DINE
Geiranger Hotel
In the center of the village, its best rooms facing the
fjord with scenic balconies, this is the durable favorite. A hotel has stood on this
spot since the 1860s but today's facility is completely up-to-date. Overcrowded
with summer visitors, the hotel nonetheless manages to offer personalized serv-
ice. Last renovated in 1995, the bedrooms are midsize and comfortably carpeted,
some painted in the deep greens and blues of the fjord itself. Most units have a
tub/shower combination; the rest come with a shower only. Nonguests often
stop in to patronize the 300-seat Restaurant Skageflå, serving regional special-
ties. A Norwegian buffet at 275NOK ($39) is a special delight. The staff can
arrange for you to rent rowboats to explore the fjord, or advise on how to obtain
a fishing license to fish that same body of water.
N-6216 Geiranger.
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70-26-30-05.
Fax 70-26-31-70. www.geiranger.no. 151 units. 1,150NOK-1,270NOK
($163-$180) double. Children under 4 stay free in parent's room. Rates include continental breakfast. AE, DC,
MC, V. Closed Oct-Apr.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; outdoor pool; nonsmoking rooms. In room: TV.
Grande Fjordhotel
This 1996 inn looks like a Norwegian country lodge
with a wooden interior. Its magnet is its sixth-floor restaurant with a panoramic
view of fjord waters and some of the world's greatest cruise ships coming and
going. The bar/lounge on the sixth floor is the best place to begin or end an
evening at Geiranger. Bedrooms are tastefully though rather simply furnished
and are midsize and immaculately maintained. The carpeted rooms open onto
views of the fjord, and 42 of them have a tub and shower; the rest come with a
shower only. Many cruise-ship passengers can be found in the restaurant in the
summer, enjoying the classical Norwegian buffet of regional specialties at a cost
of 250NOK ($36) per person. The staff can arrange boat rentals for tours of the
fjord, or book tours on sightseeing vessels.
N-6216 Geiranger.
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70-26-30-90.
Fax 70-26-31-77. www.grandefjordhotel.com. 48 units. 890NOK-980NOK
($126-$139) double. Children under 4 stay free in parent's room. Rates include continental breakfast. MC, V.
Closed Oct-Apr.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; laundry service. In room: TV, dataport, coffeemaker, hair dryer.
Union Hotel
An old family hotel dating from 1891, this is one of the
area's largest hotels, scenically perched along fjord waters. It's also an all-time
favorite. Over the years, it's hosted kings, queens, and kaisers, plus thousands of vis-
itors. The hotel was last renovated in 2001, and it's never looked as good. The bed-
rooms are beautifully furnished; all come with immaculately kept bathrooms with
tub/shower combinations. Try to book into one of the rooms with a balcony or into
the 50 or so accommodations with views of the fjords; the other units have moun-
tain views. The hotel restaurant is the finest in the area, serving a classic Norwegian
buffet for 300NOK ($43), although you can dine a la carte as well. The staff can
arrange for you to use a rowboat, for 200NOK ($28) per half day, 450NOK ($64)
per full day. In summer a live band entertains and there is dancing.
N-6216 Geiranger.
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70-26-83-00.
Fax 70-26-83-51. www.union-hotel.no. 168 units. 1,230NOK ($175)
double; 2,700NOK ($383) suite. Children under 12 stay free in parent's room. Rates include continental break-
fast. AE, DC, MC, V. Closed Dec 15-Feb 1.
Amenities:
Restaurant; bar; pool; sauna; limited room service;
babysitting; Turkish bath. In room: TV, minibar, hair dryer, beverage maker.
Kids
13 Åndalsnes: Launch Pad for Trollstigveien
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127km (79 miles) E of Ålesund; 1,058km (658 miles) W of Oslo
Although situated in one of the most scenic regions in Norway, Åndalsnes itself
is rather banal. That's because the invading Nazis in 1940 bombed it out of exis-
tence. The king and his family used Åndalsnes as their exit route in their dramatic
