Grande Fjord Hotel Review – A Must Stay in Geiranger

Splurge for a Balcony Room at the Grande Fjord Hotel

One of the main reasons we chose to stay at the Grande Fjord Hotel is that most (not all) of the rooms have some form of view of Geiranger's fjord. In fact, many of the premium options also have private balconies where we could sit out and enjoy the views with a bit of privacy too.

When it comes to splurging, we're in for just that.

Suffice it to say, the view from our premium balcony room was simply stunning, and when you throw on a comfortable bed, fluffy pillows, and decent blackout curtains in a part of the world that only had a few hours of darkness during our visit, to say we had a relaxing stay was an understatement.

Although you could argue that the rooms are somewhat simple here as far as luxury hotels are concerned, compared to other places we stayed in our travels in Norway, this was simply heaven. A night of good sleep and an even better view?  You'll hear no arguments from us.

But while the room itself was pleasant, it is the hotel's other amenities that truly make this an excellent place to stay in Geiranger.

A Proper Restaurant Worth Enjoying

Grande Fjord Hotel's on-site restaurant was one of the highlights of our stay as they served up modern Scandinavian fare in an almost fine-dining level ambiance at night with an approachable breakfast buffet in the mornings.

Appetizers like smoked salmon offered up a decently sized portion for two and our entrees of fresh-caught fish filets and risotto with wild foraged mushrooms were served in such generous portions that we felt like we certainly got our money's worth (especially when compared to other higher-end restaurants we ate at in Norway).

The only true regret we had from our dinner here was that the menu was admittedly somewhat small, and our desire to go back to this one for a second night clashed with our interest in variety (partly due to some allergy concerns in other dishes on our end). As such, despite the fact that we very much could've ordered the same meal twice, we opted for another meal near town instead.

One final gem of the restaurants menu was their on-site bar and cocktail program, featuring many novel creations with Norwegian gins and other local flavors in the form of fruits and fruit syrups. 

We're always a bit hesitant on ordering cocktails at a hotel bar, because everyone knows how they can vary wildly, but the attention to detail and balance each had at the Grande Fjord Hotel certainly justify the price point- even when you factor in just how exorbitant alcohol is in Norway to begin with. Yes, we would've gladly paid for another round here, cost be damned. 

Don't Overlook the Jacuzzis

One of the biggest surprises about the Grande Fjord Hotel was its outdoor patio with two massive jacuzzis. 

In retrospect, this one shouldn't have been as big of a surprise- we knew they had them when we booked. But it wasn't until seeing them in person and, more importantly, enjoying them, that we realized how awesome they are.

Part of the reason is simply the view- you'll be hard-pressed to ask for a better view from a jacuzzi than the fjord in Geiranger. The words stunning and beautiful are often thrown around when Norwegian fjords are involved, and this one is no different. Being able to soak in a hot jacuzzi while taking in the breathtaking views is something we're glad we got to experience in Norway at least once.

The other part is that we stayed at the Grande Fjord Hotel after a few days hiking in Jotunheimen National Park and were completely beat up (you can read more about the insane Besseggen hike here to understand why). Even kayaking to the Seven Sisters waterfall in Geiranger is a tiring endeavour, and we were shocked at how much a good jacuzzi rejuvenated us to the point where we were ready to tackle yet-another adventure activity in Norway.

So when visiting this one, plan for a bit of time each day to enjoy the outdoor jacuzzis if you can!

The Best Perk? It is Away from the Town

Normally when we talk about hotels, a prime location is something we view as immensely desirable. In Geiranger, we'd go as far as saying that being just outside of town is a better option.

Why? Cruises.

Geiranger is an incredibly popular cruise town that is known to regularly have massive cruise ships at port during the summer season, and sometimes even two in a single day! This is something that obviously brings in a literal boat load of revenue for local businesses, but considering the population of Geiranger sits at about 250, it also is rather intense when 5,000+ visitors flood the streets. 

Staying outside of the town proper was one such solution that we learned was quite nice. Instead of being in the middle of what could only be described as chaos during arrival hours, we were on the outskirts, away from it, and could pick and choose when we wanted to drive into the town center (namely, at off hours when ships were not in port). As many of the great highlights of the region are outside of town, this made it easy for us to avoid most of the crowds with only just a little bit of effort. 

Going beyond that, the hotel has a few other perks that tie into its location as well.

For those who do not want to drive, during our visit in September 2023, the hotel offered a complimentary shuttle to drop off / pick up guests around town. We never utilized the service since we were happy to drive (and as such, don't have any comment on frequency and availability issues), but it was nice that it was available if needed. As always, shuttle options can and do change regularly, so reconfirm this before visiting.

One final element of the location that is hard to beat is that the hotel is located just steps away from a campground that offers kayak rentals for those who want to check out the Seven Sisters waterfall and/or the Skagefla hike- we highly recommend both. This was also quite convenient as we were able to get to the rental spot right when they opened, all without driving, and were one of the first ones out with rentals for the day (the line got long rather quickly thereafter, although likely cleared up later in the day).

Overall, the Grande Fjord Hotel surprised us in many ways, well beyond simply offering a luxurious room with a view. From its perfect location, stellar views, great food, and amazing jacuzzis, we really wish we would've had more than two nights at this gem!

Grande Fjord Hotel is located at 6216 Geiranger, Norway. To book a room, click here.