Very modern and convenient airport for Bergen…read more We took the tram from downtown Bergen and for 49Kr per person it was a bargain and only took around 40 minutes. Departures were on the second floor and most people were just checking in on the self service terminals. Baggage tags also printed there and we then had to self drop the bags. Scan each tag and then the machine trundled it away. Security was the slowest with only two lines open. Fast track line was wide open for paying customers. Also people were transferring their small liquid containers into plastic baggies. After security it was easily to walk to the gate. The international gates were the farthest away but only about five minutes of walking. Lots of restaurants located along with upper floors for sit down eating. Water refill stations on each side of the terminal were convenient. Bathrooms were clean and no lines. Seating areas by the gates were quite standard. I know they said to be here at least two hours shared of time but we had a lot more free time to kill while waiting for our flight.

Flew out of BER the other week and it was a quick and easy experience. Took the tram from the city…read moreto the airport and it took 40 minutes. The tram dropped me off at the basement level of the airport. Bag drop with the airline was fully automated, making it quick and easy. Security took a little bit, due to the manual inspection of my bags after the x-ray. There was a cafe right next to security serving full hot breakfast which was a great way to start my day. Surprisingly, their machine coffee was also decent. Breakfast was pricey, as expected at an airport, but the quality was surprisingly decent. Used the water closet after breakfast and was surprised by the cleanliness as well as the quality of the toilet supplies, from toilet paper, hand soap, to paper towels. I can see the Norwegian standard of living is quite high. Boarding of my flight was pretty much automated using a screen and e-gates.

The Clarion Collection Hotel is centrally located, within walking distance of the entire historic…read morewharf, and has a lovely clocktower available as a scenic lookout. The rooms are quite a tight fit if you have larger suitcases (in a retrofitted historic-building way) but manageable, and the dining is good. That said, for most tourists on a sightseeing schedule, it would be extremely helpful if breakfast was offered before 7:30 a.m. I also did not appreciate having to ask the front-desk clerk for coffee at 7 a.m. I watched her deal with admin and suitcase issues, then claw-grab two cups by the rim to serve me and my spouse. When I slipped over to the self-serve machine in the closed dining room to have a second cup, she chided me for doing so and told me I should have come to her at the desk for it. I did not wish to debate how unsanitary her service had been, but it was not the easiest way to start the morning, and 7 a.m. access to the self-serve would solve that.

My favorite hotel out of 5 hotels across 5 cities in 3 countries. The front door is hard to spot…read more The lobby is eclectic with a huge chandelier and purple or turquoise velvet chairs. There is a wall full of over 40 metal placards with famous people's autographs: Bjorn Borg, Deep Purple, Backstreet Boys, Jerry Seinfeld... When we checked in, we were given an upgrade to a room with 2 double beds (which is odd as I was unable to book 2 double beds). The room was spacious and beds were comfortable. There is free wifi. There was a complimentary breakfast... and dinner! The complimentary dinner was a nice surprise - it was chili with rice, lentil soup, chickpea salad, cucumber salad, quinoa and bread. It was tasty and saved us both money and effort to find a good restaurant. The breakfast was varied and excellent. The hotel boasts a tower with a gorgeous view and it does not disappoint (see photos). We would definitely stay here again! Our only regret was that we only stayed here 1 night!

The location of this hotel along with its charm are the best parts. The service was also pretty…read moregood - better than Thon Hotel Opera but not quite up to Hotel Rival. The room was pretty nice and the bathroom was large compared to Hotel Rival, but not as large as Thon. The breakfast was the worst of the 3 hotels in that the options were the fewest, but it was still pleasant. The hotel is right by the Fish Market and the city center, so it was a good centrally located place to stay.

Perfect location Renovated rooms that retain character yet…read morehave full modern comfort - that great combination of having heritage, but with class and without smelly, matted carpets Converted old wooden house which feels unique Good breakfast All in all pretty good value for Norway (it is all relative)

We took the entire west coast of Norway trip over seven days on the Hurtigruten MS Nordlys. It was…read morewonderful. We had booked a small cabin that was just too small for two people to be moving in at the same time. I went to the front desk to ask about an upgrade and that worked. Yes, I had to pay for the upgrade but we ended up opting for a mini-suite. This had a king size bed and a TV that was two scenes, one facing the bed and the other facing the couch. Also a nice bar area, but standard ship sized bathroom. Very comfy and worth the price paid. Meals were centralized, buffet and were excellent as to variety & quality. Our group had arranged for a beverage for each person at every lunch and dinner, so wine, beer or soft drink were included. This is a working ferry that stops many times day and night to take on or drop off pass angers, mail and/or equipment. After the first night, we never heard the docking and departure noises. The coast of Norway is vast with many settlements along it. Some are too small for anything large to dock and others just large enough. The in and out of port work is amazing to watch. Very efficient. The ship has outdoor seating areas and indoor cafes, ice cream shop, bars and gift shops. There is an optional restaurant where you seat in a separate area, order from their menu an are served away from the mass feeding in the main dining room. Crew is exceptionally nice, courteous and accommodating. There was at least one port of call where we could leave the ship for a few hours to see sights and history. We would do it again, maybe traveling from north to south on another Norway trip. Highly recommended.

This company has some housekeeping to take care of. I booked a 12 day cruise and have really mixed…read morefeelings. First of all travel in this part of the world is very expensive and I was hoping for better service. Parts of the crew like the expedition team, and most of the serving staff in the dining room were fantastic. But the reception team and housekeeping were not always pleasant. Heading north the reception team was excellent, but on the way back towards Bergen, not so much. They have an intern Sammy, who yelled at me for a solid five minutes because I was late boarding even after I apologized. I don't like spotlighting people, but I contacted the company with a complaint and so far no response. In the words of a crew member's toast,"Hurigruten is not a cruise, but a connection for the Norwegian people" I must agree. It is better to think of this boat line as a ferry and not so much a cruise expedition. They do not stop at ports for long so another reason why it's more like a ferry because you don't have much time to explore the different stops. Once I almost missed the ferry because it docked 15 minutes late which I didn't factor into the departure. time. Use it to get from point a to point B with a possible one or two night stay in the cabins, or if you want to be thrifty, just sleep in one of the lounges, but you have to expect there might be noise. Also, they need to do a better job cleaning the bathrooms in between trips because there was some mold at the base.