Scandic Vadsø

The price felt fair at 1376kr for a night in a standard room, and check-in was easy, though it seemed like just one person was working at the front. The place has an old-fashioned feel, right down to the traditional door keys. My room was really cramped. I could barely get around the bed with my luggage, and the bathroom was tighter still. The toilet was manageable, but I knocked my arm twice because the tiny shower sat right beside it. At my height, it wasn’t usable, so I gave up on showering. The TV was squeezed into a corner, and the only real view was the city center. Breakfast didn’t offer many choices, in my opinion, and there’s no restaurant in the hotel. It’s decent enough, just keep expectations modest.

We used this modest three-star hotel as a base for two nights while exploring the Varanger peninsula and its birds. The staff were pleasant and helpful, and breakfast had all the usual things. There’s no evening meal, though they’ve arranged a 15% food discount at a restaurant in town, drinks excluded. The rooms were okay, but they won’t be cleaned unless you specifically ask. The shower cubicles are very tight if you’re overweight, and twin rooms have narrow beds, so keep that in mind.

The best hotel I stayed at during my holiday route through Finland and Norway.

The breakfast was a standout, definitely one of the most extensive I’ve had in the region. But I paid over 150e for the priciest single room in the Varanger area, hoping to recover after all the activities, and I’ve felt more rested in cheaper places. I can understand turning off the heat in summer, but with it at 0°C outside and all my gear wet, that was miserable. The shower spray hit the bathroom door and threshold, which were already pretty worn. There was hair on the room floor when I arrived.