Scandic Valdres

It's a quiet, laid-back place with a great fitness studio and a lovely little Island right outside the hotel. Most of the staff were friendly. The brown haired Norwegian woman at reception hardly smiled and spoke bluntly…

The bathroom seemed newer than the rest of the room, which was clean, and we enjoyed the good breakfast, sauna, pool, and spacious gym. Still, we've stayed in other hotels with much nicer facilities for less money. These rooms are old and badly need updating. There were several holes beside one of the bedside lamps that could easily have been fixed. The two lamps didn't match: one was black, the other a tiny steel fixture that got very hot with its halogen bulbs. There was a faint cigarette smell when we arrived, as if someone had smoked on the balcony and not shut the door properly. The carpets were worn, the curtains looked like they belonged to another era, and our street view wasn't much to write home about. We were also surprised to be charged 150 kroners to park at the hotel.

The restaurant was great, with excellent food, especially the halibut, and breakfast was a real highlight. There was a fabulously varied spread that should make just about anyone happy. The Margit Sandemo duplex suite was pretty cool too, with lots of room, a balcony, and nice lake views. It's genuinely a very good hotel, even if it's probably the *only* hotel in this small town that's apparently geared towards campers and caravans.

We had dinner at Hippegarden, a family owned restaurant with very good food, just a short walk away. The hotel room was clean and well appointed, and the front desk staff were professional and friendly. Breakfast was AMAZING, with a huge selection and great quality. We paid an affordable fee to charge our EV, and they even lent us an adaptor. The community is lovely for walking. A very nice hotel, highly recommend.