Finse, Norway

Hotel Finse 1222

The Nordics • Stay • Hotel Finse 1222 in Finse, Norway

What’s the hotel in a nutshell?

It is quite a feat to get to Hotel Finse 1222, a hotel edged in between the Finsevatnet lake, the Hardangerjøkulen glacier and the Hallingskarvet mountain range. As the only means of transportation is the train (there are no roads in Finse, and the train only stops at the station four times a day), the tiny mountain village of Finse has greatly remained untouched. Hotel Finse 1222 was originally built as a mountain lodge in 1906 but was converted to a hotel for railway builders in 1909. In 2020, Norwegian architectural firm Snøhetta revamped the property, bridging the gap between past and present and offering its take on a contemporary mountain retreat.

What are the rooms like?

The 45 rooms of the property are sparsely decorated and feature custom-made wool blankets. For guests wanting to enjoy the landscape to its fullest, the floor-to-ceiling windows in the two Jøkulen suites offer spectacular views from both the bed and the bathtub.

What else?

The reception and bar area is the heart and soul of Hotel Finse 1222. Displayed on the walls are photographs by some of the prominent guests that have passed through its facilities in the last century. Take a seat in one of the Norwegian craft-style armchairs in the library to enjoy the flickering flames in the original fireplace, which is still in use. In the gorgeous dining room, floral William Morris wallpaper now covers its walls – an ode to Alice, a British woman who was one of the hotel’s former managers.

What’s the area like?

A much-loved yet unexploited mountain destination, Finse is located at 1222 metres above sea level and is the highest station on the Bergen Railway. The unique location can only be reached by train, by bike and by foot, as there are no paved roads in these parts. Very few places in Norway offer the kind of might nature experience that this small mountain village does. The snow falls in early autumn and allows for skiing and other winter-related activities all the way through May and June.