Walaker Hotell

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.