Hotels

There is a very wide range of hotels of all standards in Norway and prices are surprisingly reasonable, especially compared to the UK.  There is no official star grading system but the price is a very good indicator of the standard.   Breakfast is always a self-service buffet which you can return to as often as you like, and so is a much more substantial meal than in many other countries.  Rooms with their own shower and WC are standard in all hotels, and the higher priced ones will normally have a bath as well..

We normally recommend staying a few days in each hotel where possible, as you will often get a better rate for a longer stay with half board included (breakfast and evening meal). Longer stays also make a much more relaxing holiday than constantly moving on.

City hotels often do not have an evening restaurant and so a half board rate is not normally offered. Reductions for longer stays are also unusual in cities, though special offers with free nights are sometimes available.

There are several distinct types of hotel in Norway and the page links above will take you to a separate page for each of them.

We can supply information about recommended hotels which cover most areas and the whole range of standards and prices.  We can usually supply individual hotel brochures on request, but  the most comprehensive information can be found on hotel web sites. Click on the link above for more details.

Self-catering

A self-catering property in Norway is called a 'hytte' (the 'y' is pronounced as a combination of the 'u' in 'put' and the 'i' in 'hit'), and the term is used to cover all the many different types of holiday home. It is difficult to find the equivalent term in English, but ‘cottage’ probably gives the right feel for the ‘cosy’ atmosphere which Norwegians like to have in their holiday homes.

There is a huge choice of wooden cottages and chalets, log cabins, houses and apartments in all the popular holiday areas. Many of them are in exceptionally beautiful locations and most are privately owned by friendly, helpful people who live nearby and will do their best to make your stay a pleasant one. A boat is often included or available to hire.

The normal minimum booking period is one week, usually Saturday to Saturday.

Rental rates generally are significantly lower than in popular parts of the UK and  southern Europe, especially in high season. As Norwegian school holidays start and finish earlier than in the UK, the second half of August can be surprisingly inexpensive. There are also no premiums to pay for holidays at Whitsun or October half term.

Winter rental rates for cottages in the mountains follow a more complicated pattern according to demand from Norwegians keen to go skiing. New Year and Easter are particularly expensive, while Christmas, January and March are very reasonable.

Unfortunately there are no longer any brochures printed in English which give much useful information about holiday cottages in Norway, but the page link above will give you more detailed information and help you find a holiday home to suit your particular requirements.

Lindstrom Hotel, Laerdal

Hotel or self-catering accommodation - it’s not easy to choose.

Grass-roofed log cabin by Eikesdalsvatnet lake, Romsdal.

Before planning a holiday most people know whether they want hotel or self-catering accommodation, but if you are undecided there are some general points below which will help you choose. More detailed information can be found on the page links above.

You may like to consider a mixture of hotel and self-catering, and indeed it is often necessary to do this to fit in a typical weekly cottage rental with ferry and flight schedules.