Grand Skei Hotel

The location is easily the best thing about this hotel, and I thought the breakfast buffet was fantastic, with lots of hot and cold food, drinks, milk options and baked goods. Our room was clean, comfortable and spacious, and the TV and kettle worked fine. There was complimentary tea and coffee too. Storage for clothes and personal things was oddly limited for a room that size. The building feels quite old, especially in the halls and the room. There's a pool, table tennis and a regular tennis court, though the pool wasn't open during our April stay.

We were lucky enough to get a room with a view of the fjord. The bathroom was a bit cramped, but breakfast was great. They also offer a dinner buffet for a per-person price, whether you're staying at the hotel or not.

We chose the hotel for hiking in the national park, and the location works really well: the bus stop is right outside, and the hiking tour meets there too. The dinner buffet looked appetizing and had a good range of choices. The salads and vegetable dishes were great, though the meat was dry. Unfortunately, our room hadn't been cleaned properly. There was an empty drink bottle in the bin, plus hair under the sink and around the toilet.

The breakfast is what really stands out here. There was a huge choice, from pastries and made-to-order omelets to smoked salmon and fresh fruit, all laid out beautifully. The coffee was freshly brewed, and the baristas made it the way you wanted, strong and black or milky. Honestly, it could almost make the stay worthwhile on its own. We had a spacious, cozy room with a comfortable bed and plenty of amenities, plus a lovely balcony looking out over the lake. Sitting there with a coffee or wine was a treat. The hotel is showing its age, but it's been kept up well and we found it comfortable and relaxing. With some renovation elsewhere, it could be a five-star place for me. For now, four.