Mountain Hotels (Høyfjellshotel and Høyfjellstuer)

Enjoying life in the open air has always been important to Norwegians. As a result there are many hotels and guesthouses situated in the main mountain areas where there are extensive networks of marked paths and trails for walking in summer and skiing in winter. They vary in standard from quite simple mountain lodges, to large and luxurious hotels with indoor swimming pools and many sports and other facilities.

 

Ski rental and tuition is usually available at the hotel or nearby, and there are an increasing number offering a wide range of activities for their guests, such as horse riding, dog-sledding, snowshoe excursions and other adventure sports..  

 

Prices vary according to the standard but are generally very reasonable, typically about £45 - £80 per person per night, which includes breakfast, evening meal and a packed lunch, which you make yourself at the breakfast buffet.

 

Recreation in the mountains has well-defined seasons according to the weather, and so this type of hotel is normally only open when conditions are right, which is Christmas to mid-April, and from June to September.

 

As these hotels are usually far from the nearest main road, they offer a wonderfully peaceful place to stay, however active or relaxed you choose to be. There are always warm and comfortable lounges to sit in the evening, where you can have a drink and chat with friends old and new about what you have experienced during the day. There is nearly always a sauna to help ease aching muscles if you have been active outdoors all day.

 

These hotels can be used as part of a normal tour itinerary with a stay of just 2-3 nights, but most people stay for a week or more as a base for their chosen activity. Even though mountain hotels may be remote from the nearest main road, most of them can be reached by public transport as the hotels normally offer a pick-up service from the nearest town.

 

The hotels below are ones we can recommend from personal experience and good feedback from our customers. Which one will suit you best depends on many factors, both practical and personal, so it is probably best if you let us help you choose. We can always book at the same price shown on the web sites.

 

Austbo Hotel at Rauland in the Telemark area, close to the scene of the wartime resistance action by the ‘Heroes of Telemark’.

 

Kamben Hotel in the Golsfjellet mountain area near Gol, on the Oslo to Bergen rail line.

 

Hindseter Hotel in the Jotunheim mountains, with a wide choice of activities available. The quality of the food here is outstanding, and described in great detail on the web site.

 

Nordseter Hotel in the village of Nordseter near Lillehammer. This is the most easily accessible mountain hotel with a frequent train service from Oslo airport to Lillehammer, from where there is a regular bus service. Wide choice of apartments and log cabins in addition to the hotel.

Fefor Hotel in the Gala mountain area is typical of the higher standard mountain hotels with an indoor pool, tennis courts and magnificent lakeside setting.

 

Venabu Hotel is close to the Rondane mountain area and offers an especially good choice of guided activities. They also have several traditional style log cabins.

The Hindseter Hotel in the Jotunheim mountains is a fine example of a traditional mountain hotel, offering comfortable rooms, a wealth of outdoor activities both winter and summer. and superb local food, such as this cloudberry desert.

 

Mountain hotels are warm, friendly places where you will always feel welcome.

Mountain hotels usually have the most wonderful views, as here from the terrace and lounge of Austbo Hotel in Telemark. You can often see elk wandering along the lake shore.

 

 

A typical day in a mountain hotel in Norway is not complete without some time spent relaxing in the lounge by the fire. This is the place to share with your friends and fellow guests your experiences of a day in the great outdoors. Kamben Hotel, Golsfjellet.