Walaker Hotell, the oldest hotel in Norway (Jenny Johnston)
Staying in historic hotels truly enriched my overall experience in Norway. Not only did it give me a glimpse of an intriguing past, but it afforded me to witness the great pride and love Norwegians have for their history. We had the pleasure of meeting the proprietors of these special hotels – third and fourth generation owners with unbelievably interesting stories. Sleeping among so much cultural, family, and even political history makes for a unique hotel stay!
Kviknes Hotel, Balestrand (Jenny Johnston) Picture perfect fjord view from Kviknes Hotel, Balestrand (Jenny Johnston) Coffee with a view from my room at Kviknes Hotel, Balestrand (Jenny Johnston) Apple trees all around Balestrand (Jenny Johnston)
The Kviknes Hotel looked like a mansion from a fairytale as we arrived. In the quaint town of Balestrand, Kviknes is set right along the shore of the Sognefjord – the longest & deepest fjord in Norway, as well as the longest fjord in the world! My private balcony provided the perfect place for a cup of morning coffee with a priceless view. Kviknes takes guests to an elegant era of generations past with ornate wooding furniture, narrow doorways, and a regal air. I was given a glimpse of the history and current operation by both the owner, Sigur, as well as the head chef during our group’s private tours.
Walaker Hotell, the oldest hotel in Norway - set on a picturesque fjord (Jenny Johnston) Owner of Walaker Hotell, the oldest hotel in Norway (Jenny Johnston) Sheep at the Walaker Hotell, the oldest hotel in Norway (Jenny Johnston) Post-dinner tea at Walaker Hotell, the oldest hotel in Norway (Jenny Johnston)
My favorite accommodation of the entire trip was the Walaker Hotell – the oldest hotel in Norway. Also set on the shore of a seemingly endless fjord, it had a comfortable charm that made me never want to leave! Again, the owner joined us to give more insight into Walaker’s history. He shared his hopes of his 8-year-old son, Theodore, taking over this family establishment in around 25 years. This kind of family legacy is so foreign to me, so it is interesting how it seems fairly common in Norway. If given the choice, I might still be curled up under a sheepskin blanket in my room that had heated floors and a view over the Sognefjord…
Fretheim Hotel in Flam started in a small house and barn that it eventually out grew. The structures were added to over the years, so some sections are modern and others antique. Now a stately estate sprawling along a fjord, it is full of character, history and perhaps even a ghost story or two.
Excellent travel advice and service
This is my second experience working with Adventure Life. I’m sold. Jess Heuermann is an experienced traveler and provides a lot of useful information when planning a trip. These are the questions I like to ask at the outset - What’s it like to go here, there, what would you suggest, what do people report, can we add any additional side trips? Jess took the time to answer my questions and seek additional information to share with me. Petchie Colina is outstanding in helping with travel logistics and final preparations. Adventure Life has excellent guides and offers private guides and small group adventures. We enjoyed the opportunity to talk with the guides and drivers to learn more about their countries, cultures and histories. A highlight was having the guides pick local restaurants where we could share meals together. Highly recommend.
Claire Cordon
5 days ago
Our six-day tour in Iceland went smoothly with one exception. We had asked for two rooms each night. Somehow we were booked with one room with three beds. It could not be fixed at the first hotel in Reykjavik because the hotel was fully booked. Once informed of the problem, however, Adventure Life rebooked for two rooms for the remainder of the trip. As an 85-year-old traveler, I appreciated that one could participate at different physical levels at many of the stops. Iceland is a great place to visit but on the expensive side.
Mary Warren
6 days ago
Jess was very easy going and answered all our questions. It’s not easy dealing with 6 people at once but she did an outstanding job!
Diane Foster
1 week ago
Kassandra and the Adventure Life team have been incredible! Kassandra was very knowledgeable and attentive to our asks while making sure we kept within our budget. This was our first experience with a travel agent and we were blown away by the booking/initial exploration service. We will use Adventure Life again.