Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Svinoya Rorbuer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Facts in brief
Official star rating 3
Location On a small island reached by road bridge from Svolvaer
Annual opening All year
Closest airport Svolvaer
Distance from airport About 10 minutes by car
Closest railway station Narvik
Distance from railway station About 3 hrs 15 mins by car
Hotel facilities and services
Restaurant, art gallery, excursions arranged
Out and about nearby
There is a wide scope of places to visit and activities to undertake, both on the water and on land. Places of interest include the Lofoten Aquarium, the Lofotr Vikingmuseum, farm visits and visits to meet the locals. You can experience the Midnight Sun in summer and undertake many activities such as climbing, hiking, sailing, kayaking, sea safaris to visit Trollfjord and watch for sea eagles, fishing trips. There are scenic routes around the Lofoten Island affording ample photo opportunities and the chance to see striking artwork set amongst the natural landscape and near the viewing points. There are several art galleries on the Lofoten Islands displaying not only paintings and prints, but also glasswork and Lofoten woollen goods.
Sports nearby
Sea-fishing, hiking, climbing, sea kayaking, golf, surfing, horse-riding, snowshoe walks.
It was an excellent holiday - due to excellent planning on your side. Super efficient, very professional.Mrs F, Holiday to Norway, Oct 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Rorbu cabin S for 5 nights
From about
£1,220 1 Jan-31 May, 1 Sep-26 Dec
£1,420 1 Jun-31 Aug, 27 Dec-31 Dec
Holiday Code EXH46349
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Svinoya Rorbuer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
Located on a small island, Austvågøy and connected by road bridge to the administrative centre of the Lofoten Islands, Svolvær, deep inside the Arctic Circle, Svinøya dates from 1828 when Gunnar Berg bought half of Svolvær and started to build a main house and wharfs. Later came Krambua, the first shop at Svinøya which quickly became the centre of the village. The main house is today called the Manor House and across from the old trade wharf is Børsen Spiseri, the restaurant, and Krambua, the old shop, houses the reception. Within the course of the 19th century, there were 81 rorbu cabins, all built to house fishermen that came to the island every year to fish the code from January to March or April, but over the next 100 years, they fell into decline until 1993 when John Berg started to renovate them. Today there are 35 original cabins and 15 more recently-built ones, offering one to three double bedrooms, a well-equipped open-plan kitchen-living room and a modern bathroom with shower and wc. The original feel and authenticity of the cabins has been maintained, with the use of timber and craftmanship. The rorbu cabins are located between the fish landing station, quayside buildings, fish racks and other local buildings. On one side there is the sea, and on the other side, the spectacular outline of the Lofoten mountains. Fishing is still a major industry for the Lofoten Islands and the traditions of the region are preserved and for the visitor to experience. Børsen Spiseri is on the quayside and housed in a warehouse dating from 1828. The building’s historical characteristics have been preserved and the restaurant service excellent local food, both meat and fish. A speciality is stockfish, which is unsalted fish, usually cod, dried by the cold air and wind on wooden racks. Nearby is the Gunnar Berg gallery with over 70 of the artist’s paintings. At Svinøya all manner of outdoor experiences are offered including Lofoten fishing, kayaking, mountain hikes, northern lights hunts, snowshoe hikes, sea eagle and sea safaris by boat. Staying in a traditional rorbuer offers an authentic experience full of the traditions and culture of the Lofoten Islands.
Room descriptions
Svinøya Rorbuer has a total of 50 cabins sleeping from two to six persons located in the Original Rorbu cabins and the Rorbu suites. Rorbu cabin with one bedroom, bathroom with shower and wc, kitchen-living room, sea and mountain view, coffee maker/electric kettle, cable TV and Wi-Fi. There are also 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom Rorbu cabins. Rorbu suites are modern suites for up to 8 guests on two floors. Each has a private quay front terrace, 3 or 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen, dining room and living room. There are also Vestfjord suites, located in a small hotel with just 6 rooms and about 300 metres from the main building, and with parking outside. Here is a selection of the room types. Others are available on request.
It was an excellent holiday - due to excellent planning on your side. Super efficient, very professional.Mrs F, Holiday to Norway, Oct 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Rorbu cabin S for 5 nights
From about
£1,220 1 Jan-31 May, 1 Sep-26 Dec
£1,420 1 Jun-31 Aug, 27 Dec-31 Dec
Holiday Code EXH46349
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Svinoya Rorbuer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Svinøya Rorbuer you can fly to Svolvaer airport via Oslo and then we recommend hiring a car to make the most of your stay in the Lofoten Islands. The hotel is about 10 minutes’ drive from the airport. One suggestion is to fly one way from Oslo and then to take the train from Narvik through Kiruna and overnight to Stockholm, spending a few nights in Stockholm and then flying back to London.
It was an excellent holiday - due to excellent planning on your side. Super efficient, very professional.Mrs F, Holiday to Norway, Oct 2023
Holiday price guide Sample prices are per person based on two people sharing a Rorbu cabin S for 5 nights
From about
£1,220 1 Jan-31 May, 1 Sep-26 Dec
£1,420 1 Jun-31 Aug, 27 Dec-31 Dec
Holiday Code EXH46349
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Svinoya Rorbuer, Lofoten Islands, Norway
About Norway
Norway is a fascinating destination for a luxury, tailor-made holiday. The land and the culture of Norway lend themselves to a diverse and rich array of holiday experiences and a choice of mode of transport. At first glance, Norway offers magnificent, dramatic, severe and wild natural surroundings in its glaciers, Arctic snow and ice, majestic fjords, crashing waterfalls and mystical natural phenomena such as the Aurora Borealis and Fata Morgana. However, Norway also offers cultural ties, a shared history dating from the days of the Vikings, a cosiness in its orchards and pastures, brightly-painted wooden houses, folk tales and mythology, world-class art, literature and music in the works of Munch, Ibsen and Grieg, to name but three, and international philanthropy as exemplified by the Nobel prize. Many towns have superb museums, ancient wooden stave churches are well-preserved, the heritage of the Vikings is visible not just in major centres such as Oslo but all around, and seemingly small places are rich with music and drama festivals. Whilst the length of Norway with is 2518 km poses a challenge to the visitor, this also means that it makes sense to use a variety of transport modes to travel around; scenic trains, sleeper trains, boat rides, coastal cruises and car-hire can all be incorporated. The landscape lends itself well to hiking and cycling and there are many national parks that offer a variety of conditions depending on your ability. Norway’s cities are vibrant and manage to blend modernity with tradition. The iconic Oslo Opera House sits a short distance from the Akershus fortress, the Old Town Hall dating from 1641 is a stroll away from the Akrobaten pedestrian bridge, a near-futuristic construction of steel and glass.
Highlights of Norway
The numerous fjords: Eidfjord – branch of the Hardangerfjord, Geirangerfjord – precipitous, one of Norway’s signature images, Hardangerfjord – rolling hills and pretty villages, Jossingfjord – vertiginous fjord in the flatlands of the south, Lysefjord – plunging cliffs, cruises and look out points, Naeroyfjord – narrow and very pretty, Sognefjord – Norway’s longest and one of the most beautiful, Trollfjord – very steep fjord on Lofoten, Vestfjord – sheltered bays and pretty villages separating Lofoten from the mainland. The Hurtigruten ferry that covers over 2500 km from Bergen to Kirkenes with over 30 stops. The Midnight Sun and the Northern Lights. Stave churches, beautifully preserved in wood, dating from Viking times, for example at Borgund, Lom, Ringebu and Urnes. Viking ships and artefacts, burial mounds and trinkets in museums throughout the country. The red, wooden houses perched stilts over the sea on the Lofoten Islands. The modern architecture of Oslo. Picking wild blueberries, sampling aquavit made from potatoes and caraway, and tasting reindeer steak with cranberries. The charm of Oslofjorden with its pretty, arty village and towns, harbours with sailing boats, islands offshore and beaches. Hike over the Jotunheimen and relish the natural landscape of this stunning National Park.
Cultural highlights of Norway
The architecture of stave churches dating from the Viking era and Viking treasure in museums around the country. The literature of Henrik Ibsen and Knut Hamsun. Folk tales and mythology. The music of Edvard Grieg and the art of Edvard Munch. Contemporary jazz and folk music.
Gastronomy of Norway
Norway’s gastronomy is a clear reflection of its land and sea. From the land come reindeer, venison, lamb, cured meats and potatoes of all types: boiled, roasted and fried. From the freshwater lakes and streams come salmon served grilled and smoked, and freshwater fish. Sea fish is a vast array of cod, haddock, shrimps, mackerel, fish soup, fish balls, salt cod. From the orchards particularly around the Hardangerfjord come apples, cherries and plums as well as berries of all sorts including blueberries, cranberries, bilberries and, a great delicacy, cloudberries. Cheeses include Jarlsberg and brown cheese. Coffee is almost certainly the national drink, followed by beer, of which there are all sorts of craft beers brewed locally, and Aquavit is the national spirit made from potatoes and caraway.
Facts in brief
Capital OsloAirport Oslo Gardermoen
Size 323,878 sq km
Population 4.4 million
