Hotel Norge by Scandic is Bergen's big city-centre hotel, a four-class property at Nedre Ole Bulls plass 4 in a single ten-storey building with 415 rooms. It is one of the larger hotels in the city and offers a wide choice of room types, with more than thirty-five variations in all, from compact standard rooms to suites. In-room extras include minibars, safes, coffee and tea makers and, in most rooms, blackout curtains. The hotel is a full-service property with two restaurants, Cafe Norge and Nova Restaurant, a lobby bar and a coffee shop, a spa with massage, couples treatment rooms and a steam room that requires a reservation, a gym, a terrace, a library, a 24-hour front desk and limited room service. Free bicycle rentals and free Wi-Fi in public areas add to the practical appeal. There is no swimming pool.
The setting is the second reason to choose it. Ole Bulls plass is the main square of Bergen's cultural quarter, with the lake and park of Byparken close by, and the hotel is only about five minutes on foot from the Fish Market and about seven from the Bryggen waterfront. The Byparken light rail stop is two minutes away, so the airport line is easy to use, and the Bergen railway station is about seven minutes' walk.
The Hurtigruten terminal is roughly eight minutes away, which suits travellers combining Bergen with a coastal voyage. The airport is around twenty-six minutes by car. For a first visit, the combination of a central square and quick access to the harbour is hard to beat.
Rooms vary widely, so it is worth studying the room types when you book. Standard rooms are practical rather than spacious, and upgrades give you more floor area, better views and in some cases a quieter location away from the square. Breakfast is a buffet that reviewers often praise, but it is charged separately, so decide whether to add it.
Cafe Norge and Nova offer different styles of dining, and the lobby bar is a good meeting point at the end of the day. The spa is a real bonus on a wet, cold evening, though you should reserve treatments in advance.
Good to know
Self-parking is available for an extra charge, and the central location means a car is not needed in the old town. Because the hotel is large, it hosts conferences and groups and can be busy at certain times, so book early for weekends. It suits couples, families and business travellers who value scale, services and a central position, and it is less suited to guests who want a boutique or intimate atmosphere.
Compared with the harbour hotels, you trade a direct water view for a lively square and extra facilities such as the spa.
Why stay here
- ✓415 rooms in one building
- ✓Cafe Norge and Nova restaurants
- ✓Lobby bar and coffee shop
- ✓Spa with steam room
- ✓Gym
- ✓Free bicycle rental
- ✓Terrace and library
- ✓24-hour front desk
Good questions
Where is Hotel Norge by Scandic?+
At Nedre Ole Bulls plass 4 in central Bergen. The Fish Market is about five minutes on foot and the Bryggen waterfront about seven.
Does it have a spa or pool?+
It has a full-service spa with massage, couples treatment rooms and a steam room, which require a reservation. There is no swimming pool.
Is breakfast included?+
A buffet breakfast is available but charged separately, so check your rate. The hotel also has two restaurants and a lobby bar.
