Saturday, September 7, 2013

Smokey's at the Cove



We stopped at Smokey's at the Cove, located at Cove Bay, for lunch and were pleasantly surprised to find tables right on the beach, as well as very attentive staff.

Diners with small children can let the kiddo's play in the clean sand and the crystal clear water while waiting for lunch or dinner, or while the parents are enjoying beach-like adult drinks.

For lunch, we ordered the fish sandwich, which was the best fish sandwich I had had on the island. It came on perfectly soft bread with a nice chewy outside and the fish was cooked blackened with just a light breading. It was served with a salad and fries.

We also ordered a cheeseburger, which was a good size and cooked well and had a distinct taste of grill to it - which is exactly what I want when eating on the beach.

Friday, September 6, 2013

Johnno's Beach Bar




Johnno's Beach Bar, located at Sandy Ground, had a good reputation and is known for live jazz music on the weekends at lunchtime. While we almost drove past it, we were thankful that we found it. The location is right on the beach, just past the boat dock on Sandy Ground.

We ordered a round of rum punches - which were strong, refreshing and delicious - and lunch. During lunch, a live jazz band played, and locals and tourists streamed in and enjoyed drinks, snacks, meals and the music. We definitely recommend this place.

Thursday, September 5, 2013

Clarion Collection Hotel Hammer





Written by Matt Rosenfeld
Lillehammer is a quaint community with a few hotel options for visitors.  The Storgata is the main drag in town, and the Clarion Collection Hotel Hammer is located directly on it, only 2 blocks from the pedestrian-only area, which makes it a perfect location.


The hotel has its own parking garage for 60 NOK/night, or there is plenty of on-street parking, but that requires you to fill the meter during the day.

The staff was very welcoming as soon as we walked in the door.  The hotel provided a good free breakfast AND a quality free dinner.  In addition, there is ready-made coffee/tea available 24/7 for guests.


The room itself was very comfortable.  The 2 single beds provided are separated by a table, so a guest would need to move the table to push the beds together, but that isn't a big deal.  The beds were comfortable and the room was very clean.  In addition, the hotel had an excellent wi-fi signal.


Address: Storgata 108B, Lillehammer, Norway
Wifi: Free
Parking: 60 NOK/night
Restaurant: Yes
Bar/Lounge: Yes
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Breakfast: Free

In-room safe: No

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Flåmsbrygga






Written by Matt Rosenfeld
In Flåm, there aren't many hotel options, and they are all pretty expensive.  However, the Flåmsbrygga is a gorgeous hotel that is worth every penny.  The hotel has plenty of free parking for guests visiting by car, and is also only a few steps away from the Flåm railway station and docks.  The building itself is in a vintage-style log-cabin.

The room was quite spacious, along with a large balcony with a beautiful view of the Fjord that all visitors come for.  The staff was friendly in our small interactions with them and the free breakfast (located in the restaurant next door) was pretty good.  In addition, an excellent wi-fi connection is provided for free. One thing to note, though, if staying here, is when you leave your room, you MUST manually lock your door with your keycard.

Address: PB44, 5742 Flåm, Norway
Wifi: Free
Parking: Free
Restaurant: Yes
Bar/Lounge: Yes
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Breakfast: Free

In-room safe: No

Tuesday, September 3, 2013

Tyssedal Hotel






Written by Matt Rosenfeld
The Tyssedal Hotel was just a 1 night stop for us on the way to Bergen from Flåm.  Being at around the halfway point between the two, it allowed us to make the trip more slowly and see more on the way.  The hotel hallways can use some sprucing up as they have a "college dorm" type of feel.  There is also no elevator, but the hotel staff was more than willing to help carry our luggage up the stairs.

The room was very large, with a new view of the fjord.  The bathroom was the largest we saw in Norway, but be aware there is limited sink/shelf space for putting your toiletries.  The breakfast served was pretty average, but the dinner (an additional cost) was one of the best we had in Norway.  There is also a wi-fi connection provided for free, but the speed was a bit lacking.

Address: Gamle Oddaveg 3, Tyssedal 5770, Norway
Wifi: Free
Parking: Free
Restaurant: Yes
Bar/Lounge: No
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Breakfast: Free

In-room safe: No

Monday, September 2, 2013

Thon Hotel Opera




Written by Matt Rosenfeld
Upon arrival in Oslo, we took the Flytoget directly from the airport into the main train station of Oslo (Oslosentralstajon).  The Thon Hotel Opera was located right next to the train station, making it very easy to get to with all of our luggage.  

As soon you walk in, you can tell the hotel is very modern, but with a classic feel.  The lobby is beautiful and it has different areas that are perfect for bringing in quick-to-eat food or just sitting down and relaxing to play cards.

Each morning, a complimentary, full buffet breakfast is served and this was by far the highest quality breakfast we received during our time in Norway.  The baked pancakes were especially unique and delicious, as well as the freshly squeezed orange juice.

The staff was quite helpful whenever we had any questions about the hotel or Oslo.  At one point we found our room to be a little bit cold and within 2 minutes they had a portable space heater brought up to our room.

Our room was quite spacious, especially for European standards and the bed was very comfortable.  The room also had an excellent wi-fi connection.

Overall, this hotel was an excellent choice for the quality of the room, the service of the staff and the location inside of Oslo and we'd recommend it to all visitors to Norway's capitol city.

Address: Dronning Eufemias Gate 4, Oslo 0154, Norway
Wifi: Free
Parking: Street parking only
Restaurant: Yes
Bar/Lounge: Yes
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Breakfast: Free

In-room safe: No

Sunday, September 1, 2013

Choice Hotel Holberg




Written by Matt Rosenfeld There are numerous hotel choices in Bergen, and for our 2 night stay, we gave the Choice Hotel Holberg our business.  The location is pretty good as it is only a 10 minute walk from Bryggen, and within walking distance to all the other attractions within Bergen. 

The room itself was very clean, had a comfortable queen sized bed and had heated bathroom floors, which was a nice bonus.  Unfortunately, the room also had paper thin walls as we could even hear a cell phone from next door vibrating.  The housekeeping kept the room clean, but they did not replace bathroom cups in the morning, which was disappointing.

The hotel also has a nice rooftop for guests to sit, relax and have a cup of coffee on.  The restaurant for breakfast has good food, but gets extremely crowded with bus tour groups.  The same holds true for dinner time.  Parking was also a bit problematic.  When we arrived, we were told their garage was sold out and we could not park there, even though when asked prior to our trip we were told there was no need to make a reservation for our car.  We were able to get in on the 2nd day, but this still should've been informed to us when we inquired about it originally.  The garage is quite small with room for only 7 vehicles and it's very tight to maneuver around. 

Address: Strandgaten 190, 1949 Bergen, Norway
Wifi: Free
Parking: 160 NOK/night
Restaurant: Yes
Bar/Lounge: No
Smoking: Non-smoking
Hidden Fees: None
Breakfast: Free

In-room safe: No