Walaker Hotel

When it comes to hospitality, Norway really does have it all, from avant-garde architectural experiments to this, the oldest family-run hotel in Norway, well into its fourth century in business. Walaker Hotel stands by the side of the Sognefjord, in the village of Solvorn, tucked in dramatically between the mountains and the coast. Its rooms are divided between four distinct buildings, from the main 1930s inn to the oldest one, Tingstova, which dates back to the 1630s.

While all of the rooms share a certain family resemblance, they’re also influenced by the eras of the buildings that contain them, from the antique style of the oldest ones to the modernist designs in the Sixties and Seventies additions. You won’t mistake it for a luxury hotel, but the comforts are substantial and coziness, as you’d expect in rural Norway, is a priority.

As lovely as the hotel may be, the outdoor environment is the obvious focus here — excursions include kayaking, hiking, waterfalls, glaciers, and the waterways of the fjord itself. The hotel’s restaurant serves an elegant and surprisingly formal four-course set-menu dinner, and breakfast features house-made jam made from fruit grown on site.