Walaker Hotell
Solvorn, Norway
Solvornvegen 324, Solvorn, Norway, 6879
Original Property Opened in 1640
Historic Hotels Worldwide member since 2023
With a history dating all the way back to 1640, time is most definitely on the side of the Walaker Hotell, which lays claim to the prestigious title of Norway's most historic hotel. Owned and operated by the same family for generations, its long-time tradition of hospitality is equally storied, having been passed down through the Nitter family since 1690. Today, the Walaker's ninth-generation hotel manager carries on the tradition that was started by the family more than 330 years ago. Although the former coaching inn has expanded a bit through the years, now boasting 26 guestrooms across three different buildings, the Walaker Hotell maintains the same intimate, welcoming, and homelike atmosphere that has led it to host Scandinavian royalty and travel experts alike. The hotel is even home to its very own restaurant, which serves breakfast and dinner crafted with ingredients sourced from the onsite garden, as well as the natural pantry that is the Inner Sogn.
Matching Walaker Hotell's more than 380 years of history is its storybook setting in the verdant Lustrafjord, the innermost tributary of the kingly Sognefjorden, Norway's deepest and longest fjord. The hotel rests only steps from the water's edge in the quaint village of Solvorn, a picturesque hamlet of only a couple hundred people. Thanks to the mountains that cocoon the community on three sides, Solvorn also enjoys beautiful weather and sunshine from April through August, while meltwater from the nearby glaciers keeps the Lustrafjord lush and green for much of the year. When visitors are not taking in the stunning scenery, they can also make their way directly across the fjord to the tiny town of Ornes, which touts the world's most historic stave church.
Please note that Walaker Hotell is only open seasonally, from mid-April through early October.
Discover
- Admire the quintessentially Norwegian charm of the Walaker Hotell. Designed in the historic Norwegian vernacular architectural style known as byggeskikk, the hotel, particularly the main building and Tingstova, features centuries-old building construction techniques that have been passed down for generations. Today, guests can get a sense of the hotel’s heritage by staying in one of its historically inspired rooms or drinking in the pastoral ambiance from the porch.
- Take a stroll through Walaker Hotell’s garden. Nestled in the shadow of soaring mountains, this serene retreat lush with fruit trees, lilac bushes, and climbing white bryony is the perfect place to unwind with a good book or a morning cup of coffee. Sweeping views of the Lustrafjord further set the scene.
- Marvel at the family dynasty that has watched over the Walaker Hotell for centuries. Owned by the Nitter family for almost ten generations, the family’s stewardship began in 1690, when it was purchased by Christian Nitter and his wife, Birgitt. Since then, nine generations—soon to be ten—have followed in their footsteps and truly perfected the art of hospitality. Their commitment to the hotel and offering travelers passing through warm hospitality continues today, earning it such distinguished guests as King Charles VX and IV of Sweden and Norway.
- Pay a visit to Gallery Walaker 300. Opened in 1990 to mark the 300-year jubilee of the Nitter family’s care of the Walaker Hotell, the art gallery features exhibitions by local and nationally known artists. A piece of history in its own right, the heritage building that houses the gallery was constructed in 1883 with materials sourced from a wooden church originally built in the village around 1600.
Explore
- Journey to Jostedalsbreen National Park, one of Southern Norway’s largest intact wilderness areas. The biggest glacier in continental Europe, Jostedalsbreen is made up of smaller glaciers, the most famous of which are Nigard and Brikdal. During a visit to Jostedal glacier, guests can try their hand at glacier walking on a guided hike, see a calving glacier from a kayak, go whitewater rafting down a glacial river, or learn more about the glacier at one of the national park’s visitor centers. Best of all, the Jostedalsbreen is also easily reachable from Solvorn, with the central part of the Jostedal valley only an hour-long drive away.
- Hop on the ferry across the Lustrafjord to see the Urnes Stave Church. Located in the idyllic fjordside village of Ornes, which sits on the shore just opposite Solvorn, the Urnes Stave Church is among the most historic in Norway, dating to around 1130. Richly decorated inside and out, this 12th-century church is resplendent in elements taken from Christianity, Viking culture, and Norse mythology. The building is so important that it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.
- Take a stroll around the pastoral village of Solvorn. Although the star of the scenic Lusterfjord is its abundant natural beauty, this quaint community on its western shore also offers a storybook setting of its own. There is no better way to spend a leisurely afternoon than by wandering the hamlet’s streets, which are peppered with colorfully painted wooden homes. Stop by a café for a cup of coffee and a pastry or, if in season, pluck a handful of wild berries that grow near the roadside to enjoy along the way.
Experience
- Climb aboard a RIB boat or a kayak for a breathtaking on-the-water voyage around the Lusterfjord and Sognefjord. The best way to drink in the untouched beauty of Fjord Norway is from the water, allowing adventurers sweeping views of soaring mountain tops, rushing waterfalls, frolicking seals, idyllic farms, and pastoral villages. Go with the flow with a rental kayak or guided tour, or for something more exciting, pick up the pace with a ride on a high-speed RIB boat.
- Take a hike through the wild landscapes of the Lusterfjord. With mountains greeting the fjord on three sides, the Walaker Hotell and the village of Solvorn make for an ideal base camp for hikers. Routes run the gamut from short and sweet one-hour treks to longer, more challenging adventures, each providing stunning views of forest-blanked mountains, icy glaciers, magnificent fjords, and more. Talk to the hotel staff or refer to the Norwegian Trekking Association’s website for suggestions.
- Set off down the road for a scenic drive or bike ride through some of the most dramatic landscapes on the planet. The northern shore of the Lusterfjorden is home to the National Tourist Route Sognefjellet, which runs between Gaupne, in Luster, and Lom and boasts the distinction of being the highest mountain pass in Northern Europe. On the southern shore, the Romantic Road takes travelers along the Lusterfjord, past the Feigefossen Waterfall and through the ”juice village” of Sørheim. Alternatively, drivers can also go further west, stopping at the Norwegian “book town” of Fjærland and the municipality of Jølster before crossing the Gaularfjellet mountain pass.
Taste
- Savor the flavors of Inner Sogn with a meal at the Walaker Hotell’s onsite restaurant, which serves up a spread of Norwegian dishes made with locally sourced or homegrown ingredients for breakfast and dinner. In the morning, guests can start the day with house-baked bread, jam made with fruits harvested from the hotel’s garden and area orchards, and apple juice made at a local farm in the village. Dinner, meanwhile, brings fjord-caught langoustines, mountain venison, beef that grazed on ten kilometers (around six miles) from the hotel, and locally made cheeses.
- Sample a Norwegian tradition with a taste of lefse. Made with riced potatoes, this Scandinavian-style flatbread looks like a tortilla or crêpe and often serves a similar purpose as a wrap. However, in Western Norway, Vestlandlefse is popularly enjoyed folded or rolled up with a spread of butter and a sprinkling of cinnamon and sugar. A true labor of love, the lengthy endeavor of lefse-making is a practice that has been passed down for generations, with each region, village, and family having their own baking traditions.
- Enjoy a taste of the Lusterfjord while supporting a local business. Located only a seven-minute walk from the hotel, Eplet Farm is a small-scale producer known for its raspberry, blueberry, blackcurrant, and apple juices. Freshly picked fruits, pressed and bottled juices, and other fruit products are available for purchase at the farm’s reception area. Another local business worth a visit is Kvitabui Matnaust and Gallery. Nestled in a historic boathouse only a four-minute stroll from Walaker Hotell, this slow food-inspired seasonal eatery and art gallery specializes in local dishes made with ingredients sourced directly from the Lusterfjord, such as crayfish, whiting, and venison. The restaurant is also home to the permanent photo exhibition of award-winning action and nature photographer Vegard Byrkjeland Aasen.
FEATURED ACCOMMODATIONS
Featured Offers
Enjoy a romantic getaway with that special someone in the idyllic village of Solvorn on the storybook shores of the Lusterfjord.
Begin the day with the complimentary breakfast buffet or fresh-from-the-kitchen a la carte options delivered straight to the room. Then, in the evening, fuel up after a day of fjord adventures with the Walaker Hotell’s signature four-course dinner.
Book the Best Available Rate at this property on HistoricHotelsWorldwide.com and receive a complimentary one-year family membership (a $30 value) to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the United States, a member of the International National Trusts Organisation.
