Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
( 79 02 50 00;
www.scooterutleie.svalbard.no
; per person Nkr550-950)
From the same stable as Svalbard Hotell and located right in the heart of Longyearbyen,
these two- and three-room modern apartments are a good base. There's a two-night, three-
person minimum-stay requirement.
Basecamp Spitsbergen
LODGE
( 79 02 46 00;
www.basecampexplorer.com
;
s Nkr1100-2500, d Nkr1590-2890; )
Imagine a recreated sealing hut, built in part from recycled driftwood and local slate. Add
artefacts and decorations culled from the local refuse dump and mining cast-offs. Graft on
21st-century plumbing and design flair and you've got this fabulous place, also known as
Trapper's Lodge. The 16 cabin-like rooms are the definition of cosiness and comfort, and
the breakfasts are splendid. It's a special place and easily the most atmospheric choice in
Longyearbyen.
Radisson SAS Polar Hotel
HOTEL
( 79 02 34 50;
www.radissonsas.com
; s Nkr1370-2890, d Nkr1570-3200; )
This 95-room chain hotel ('the world's northernmost full-service hotel') is the town's
premier address, although the rooms are functional and extremely comfortable rather than
luxurious. It costs Nkr200 extra for a 'superior room' with partial views of the fjord and
Hiorthfjellet mountain beyond, and a coffee machine. The annexe was originally accom-
modation for the Lillehammer Winter Olympic Games, then transported here.
Eating
Fruene Kaffe og Vinbar
CAFE
(The Missus;
79 02 76 40; Lompensenteret; lunch mains from Nkr79;
10am-6pm Mon-Fri,
10am-5pm Sat, 11am-5pm Sun; )
'The Missus', run by three sprightly young women, is a welcoming and popular cafe,
serving decent coffee, baguettes, pizza and snacks. There's free wi-fi, the walls are hung
with stunning photography and the food's good - lunch specials usually include a soup, or
a salad. The soups are particularly outstanding.
