This spot had amazing views The food and service was great! Just be mindful the portions are large…read moreand we over ordered! Definitely recommend this place!

Absolutely beautiful views! Great customer service! And a gastropub on site too! Wow wow wow!read more

About a 10 minute walk from the train station/town sits this lovely and small hotel. Staying 2…read morenights was the right amount of time to experience the area. The rooms are small, and the bathroom is very compact, but overall a wonderful stay. A very comfortable nights sleep, quiet, a delicious multi-course dinner & small buffet breakfast included, and friendly staff checked off all my expectations for my stay. Booked about 1 month prior to arrival, the availability in town was limited so very grateful for this place to stay and the staff that took care of us.

My wife and I spent a night in Flam during one of the hottest summers in Flam, so our review is…read morecolored towards that. Accommodation-wise Heimly Pensjona is decent. The rooms are quite small, but the beds were comfortable with plenty of pillows. Our shower room however only had scalding hot water. During a very hot summer, this was very problematic. The wash sink had appropriate-temperature water. There was basically no air movement even with the windows wide open. The place is fairly far out from the main Flam attractions -- about half-a-mile or so. Breakfast was included and decent. Fairly typical Norwegian fare of fish, caviar, bread, hard-boiled eggs, etc. I can't compare prices, as all other available hotels were unavailable by time we had booked.

Conveniently located only 200 m from the Håreina stop, and a lot less expensive than the hotels in…read moreFlåm, where most people book. So glad I booked this place because it was a nice break away from the stressful and crowded Norway in a Nutshell tour. It's a 2 mi / 45 min scenic walk to Flåm, where you can explore the small town that includes a free museum, some seafood places, a Coop grocery store, and a nice view of the head of a fjord. It's around $7 to take the Flamsbana from Håreina to Flåm. I would suggest walking to town and then taking the train back, or if you're up to it - walking both ways. This place is a great escape from tourists (and society, in general). It was so peaceful, tranquil, and completely unreal to be able to walk outside and read a book on a hammock with the cleanest air around me and the mountains as a backdrop. Our host was incredibly wonderful and sweet. She even fed us some of her homemade flat bread. She was considerate enough to send us a message saying that she wouldn't be in when we arrived, so she made arrangements for us to check in otherwise. The apt is so cute and was perfect for my girlfriend and myself. I think it'd be a great getaway for a small group or family of 4. The beds are queen-sized, and there's even a small kitchen if you ever want to cook your own meal. Plates, glasses, and eating utensils are provided. There was even tea bags, instant coffee, and a kettle for use. The laundry machine isn't very user friendly, but the user manual is provided. It definitely works, but can take a while. Linens and towels are not provided and can be rented. She just asks that you wash your dishes and throw out the garbage before you check out. Also! Her daughter has a forest cat that roams around the front of the apartments. She's sweet, friendly, and not afraid of people. Just a warning for those who are allergic.

Our bus from Gudvangen to Voss stopped by the Stalheim Hotel to give the riders an opportunity to…read moretake in the views and use the restrooms. This review only covers the amenities accessible by us. The restrooms here were pretty awful smelling inside. Significant improvements needed. The views from the back of the hotel down into the Nærøydalen valley would've been nicer on a clear day. One could just make out the old winding road below us. Too bad as others have posted some beautiful photos on a clear day. We did a quick walk through of the hotel and found the decor was of an older style with a mixture of antique statues, furnishings and other items. A gift shop also sold drinks and snacks so it was good opportunity to grab a quick snack before continuing on the bus to Voss.

Came here as a coffee and pastry break during a tour…read more Highlights: * the back terrace is the place to sit back and relax as it has amazing views of the Nærøy Valley * there is a rather larger gift shop that is split into multiple levels * the restrooms are located on the lower lever, and there was an elevator for those who couldn't use the stairs * they was a mini museum that was made of of various items from the previous hotel owners collection *the did off a nice gluten free brownie ***the main road getting into the hotel is narrow and two way, though really wide enough for a single car in a section, so there might be a brief queue when tour buses arrive/depart

Restaurant review: We enjoyed our first meal at Ullensvang…read moreGjesteheim so much we ate there again! Other restaurants in town were either over priced or had weird hours so Ullensvang Gjesteheim became a reliable option for us. The serve both Scandinavian and Thai food with lots of local beers and ciders. The shrimp Thai dish we had on our first visit was over-peppery so on our second visit we asked for less pepper and the dish was perfect. You can eat your meal inside, outside, or take it to go. I'd definitely recommend Ullensvang Gjesteheim for a delicious, casual, and well-priced meal in the Ullensvang / Lofthus area.

Note: This review is for the restaurant only. We stayed elsewhere down the road and this was…read morerecommended to us by our local host as a place to eat. It should not be classified as a $$$$ restaurant IMO, as it had extremely reasonable prices when you consider that Norway is a very expensive country. The guest house Ullensvang was easy to locate on our drive. It's a beautiful red building right off the narrow fjord road. There is a small parking lot in the rear that is reserved for guests, so no need to worry about where to park. In mid-September, nearing the off-season for hiking, we didn't have any trouble getting a spot. The restaurant is downstairs in the main building, but still has lots of windows and natural light inside. We came for dinner the night before hiking Trolltunga, thinking it'd be a good idea to stock up on carbs and not stress about cooking anything ourselves. Outside was a little stand selling local fruit, and a few other goodies - but get something before dinner if you're so inclined as they were packed up by the time we left later in the evening. The menu might seem a little odd at first...Thai and Scandinavian, say what?! But the couple who runs the restaurant reigns from each place and knocks their own cuisine out of the park. The last page of the menu was great as a reference key for any type of allergy. There were notations for shellfish, nuts, different seeds, and gluten. I really think the restaurant is knowledgable about their ingredients and would be able to ensure any allergy request was met based on this page. In diving into the menu, I will say that some of the translations from Norwegian to English aren't as descriptive of the traditional Norwegian dishes, so we did do a little looking up to see what the components were (more than just a basic translation). My husband and I decided to order something from both sides of the menu. When in Rome! (Or Århus?) He chose the traditional Hakkasteik while I selected the Kaeng Keaw Wan Khai. Both portions were larger than expected - definitely a good value! The green curry was most definitely spicy, as described on the menu, and tasted very fresh. There was a great balance of veggies mixed in and plenty of rice to soak up that delicious sauce. Originally there was a thought of, "Hey, this would make great left overs. I should really take some home for later", but who am I kidding? I cleaned that plate. The Hakkasteik wasn't as much to my taste, but I knew it probably wouldn't be my favorite dish ever based on the description. It was an excellent take on a traditional Norwegian dish though, and my husband loved it. The Hakkasteik comes with a wafer thin cracker crisp that you can put the meat mixture on. This gave the dish some texture variation (a crunch) since it is a fairly uniform consistency otherwise. His dish was much heavier due to the blend of meats and barley, and VERY filling. My husband somehow finished the entire thing (by now I really shouldn't be surprised by this). We decided to make room for dessert and I'm so glad we did. We ordered the apple cake as the entire nearby region is filled with orchards. It was incredible. We kept joking (kind of?) about licking the dish for that sauce. While I didn't order anything to drink, my husband did have a glass of cider. I snuck a sip and it was absolutely delicious. I would have indulged in a glass had I not been driving. I'd definitely recommend being the passenger on a trip here! Overall, I'd 100% recommend this to anyone in the region and will definitely be back should we travel to this area of Norway again. We were so satisfied after dining here versus some of the other meals we indulged in during our trip that were just as pricey, but left me hungry.

"You're going to disappoint the children. They expect a fat Santa." ~Mrs. Claus, Rudolph the Red…read moreNosed Reindeer When travelling close to Flåm, a restorative and quaint side tour for regular humans (or pit stop for fjamous men in red suits needing to fatten up before a worldwide tour) is a trip to Fjaerland by passengerboat. Fjaerland is a fjolksy village of about 300 people, sitting along the Sognefjord where it meets the Jostedahlsbreen glacier. The town, dubbed "Norway's Book Town", is known for its secondhand bookshops...some even set in old cow sheds and pigpens! If you haven't come for the books, you are likely there to see and experience the surrounding magical scenery by kayak or by hiking through the mountains or glaciers. Whether you've worked up your hunger by hiking, bumming around bookshops, or delivering presents, you'll eventually be fjamished for lunch. There is no fjiner choice than to dine at Fjaerland Fjordstove. Fjabulously situated overlooking the fjord and glacier, Fjordstove hotel and restaurant charms with its amazing setting and shabby chic décor. At the reception desk, we met the fjastinating and hospitable hotel owner, Bard Huseby, who promptly guided us to a seat outside on the wrap-around deck. We felt like we were sitting in the middle of a live postcard with unbelievable views in every direction! Bard was quick to make us feel at home and ensure that we swiftly had beer in our hands to help us cool down and relax. We had grown so fjond of Hansa beer that we all ordered it without a second thought. Unfortunately though, we all regretted that choice later once we found out that Bard makes his own craft beer, Fjaerlands Ale. Hansa glasses in hand, we considered ourselves very fjortunate to enjoy such a tranquil spot where time seemed to stand still. The scene almost fjelt fjictitious, but our hungry stomachs quickly brought us back to reality. While looking over the menu, we appreciatively noticed that the hotel procures its ingredients locally (beef will come from grass-fed cattle in fields close to the hotel), including the reindeer meat in the burgers we ordered. Let's hope none of that meat came from everyone's favorite reindeer, or there will be a lot of sad boys and girls (and adults) this Christmas! So what is reindeer meat like? Our burgers were very flavorful and juicy with no hint of reindeer game-iness or tinsel at all. There was a fjaint aftertaste of wrapping paper, but that quickly crumpled away. I wouldn't say the meat glowed, but it was very lean and tender--definitely a burger that would go down in history! Our lunch and the great views at Fjordstove were some of our fjavorites from our trip! Though we likely won't be back in the fjorseeable fjuture due to the remoteness of the village, you should definitely pop in for fjeast here if you are in the area. If you're lucky, maybe you'll get to peek at Santa's "Naughty or Nice" list!

Amazing dinner - way more inventive and delicious than anyone would expect to find out here in…read morebeautiful, remote Fjærland. Three course dinners are served here each evening with seasonal, local ingredients at 7:30 sharp. This charming hotel has a farmhouse feel overlooking the water and nearby glaciers, and the setting is intimate with about a dozen tables. We weren't guests at the hotel but we decided to make a reservation as this was a quick walk from where we were staying. It was a relaxed fine dining experience, definitely one of the best meals of our Norway trip and worth a detour if you are wandering the fjords. I would recommend making a reservation in advance using the contact number on their website, note the price for dinner was 550 kr per person as of Aug 2017. Tonight's menu was smoked fish to start with a lovely beetroot creme, a hearty plate of braised ox and cabbage, and finally a creative dessert of rhubarb topped with ice cream and a delightful sweet wafer. This was the type of food we hoped to enjoy in Norway!

This place is like heaven. Loved the view, the area and the…read morefacilities. The breakfast was awesome and also the dinner. The staff was so nice to let us have the bonfire outside even tho it was sprinkling. It's a place where you can take the Fjord tour so its very convenient for us. Also the viking village is pretty much next to it so that is nice too. I am not a fan of the village tho. Would definitely come back and stay here for a 2nd visit in Norway.

Hotel was great. Nice spot in the world. View was spectacular. Nice after the boat from Flam…read more Dinner was amazing. But- I would recommend not staying here. Taking the bus to Flam and then ferry to Balestrand. More hiking opportunities and a cute little town. You could continue back to Bergen from there.

We stayed here as a part of a BA holiday package and it was our first time skiing in Geilo. The…read morehotel has bags of old charm and the staff are very welcoming and friendly. We had a standard room and use of the cosy guest lounges with free coffee and tea on tap. The beds were wonderfully comfortable. We stayed half-Board and the food and selection was excellent. A free ski bus and shuttle service made staying here a breeze for getting to all the slopes. So good we are thinking of coming back next winter and also one summer.

A short walk from the water at the port, this small cafe offers a place to sit to enjoy some…read morepastries, sandwiches, soup, and drinks that include homemade apple juice for which they are known. There is table dining as well as takeaway. Chairs are available inside and out. We got one of their premade pesto sandwiches and a wonderful cherry cake called kirsebaerkake. Of course, we got a glass of apple juice and specified the one made in-house. All of it was delicious. That dessert was amazing.

I would give it 100/10 if I could. This place is fantastic. Came for dinner after Trolltunga hike…read more Very hungry. Didn't have a booking and still sat us. Had the most delicious dinner; split between 2 ppl Smash Burger and the Ravioli daily special and fudge brownie local chocolate. The service was amazing, love the ambiance and food is absolutely delicious. Will likely come back for breakfast in the morning.