Scandinavia
Best and worst accommodations:
Worst: Re: Hotel Aerohus
Why: Re: Hotel Aerohus Aeroe Island, Denmark
AVOID THIS HOTEL
My wife and I had the misfortune of staying at the Hotel Aerohus on Aeroe Island Denmark, for 2 nights, earlier this year. The rooms were small, cramped and uncomfortable, with bright outside lights which shined through the curtains all night directly into the rooms, making sleeping difficult. The level of noise from tour groups that are permitted to play loud radio music until 1:00 a.m. and later, made going to sleep any earlier impossible.
Their restaurant is overpriced and has tasteless fried food, which is normally overcooked. We had the fried fish for $75.00 per person. The menu is in Danish only, and imagine our surprise to be charged $8.00 for tap water which we did not request and which is not stated on the menu we were informed. When we complained that we had not been informed by the waitress of this charge, the owner and his daughter, both of whom run this hotel and are extremely unfriendly and unhelpful, replied that charging for tap water was normal in Denmark. We knew this was not true, from having eaten in a number of good restaurants, none of which charged for tap water. While it may have seen better days in the past, the hotel Aerohus has deteriorated into a lodging that should be avoided at all costs.
Gary Kauffman San Rafael, California USA
Gary Kauffman in San Rafael, CA USA 11/12/2009
Best: Kvikne's Hotal
Why: Went in early Oct, practically the only place open. It was lovely. For dinner, we order only a $50 bottle of wine, the waitress then proceeded to ignore us sfor the rest of the meal. We had to ask for coffee, she automatically served it to others.
Worst: Heimly Pensjonat, Flam
Why: The owner was very stern. The breakfast was adequate, probably as cheap as she could do without looking totally cheap. The rooms were so small, we bumped into each other while passing the beds. When I asked if we could have coffee, because I saw her carrying it into the dining room, she smiled and said we could get it out of the vending machine. Considering the prevalence of rain and the need to stay in, we would have been happy to pay more for a more cheerful and welcoming accomodations. We used many of your recommentations, and liked all the other accomodations you recommended.
Mary Azevedo in Walnut Creek, CA USA 10/15/2009
Best: Hotel Nebo
Why: We booked 2 suites. Both were lovely rooms but ours in the back was much quieter. Our friends had a lots of street noise. Very nice breakfast, helpful staff and the free computer was handy. Highly recommend as a budget hotel.
Judy in Alexandria, MN USA 10/06/2009
Best: The Grand Hotel Leveque on Rue Cler
Why: Small rooms - excellent location
Larry Carrigan in Tempe, AZ USA 09/22/2009
Worst: P-Hotel Oslo
Why: The book recommended requesting an upper floor room to avoid street noise. At the 4th floor the sound of the city tram, right outside the door, was still loud. As was the late night (past 3 am) noise from the bar on the corner. People were hanging out in the street having a great time but it was not great for those of us trying to sleep.
Pat Kelly in East Sandwich, MA USA 09/03/2009
Best: Best: A and Be Hotel (Stockholm, Sweden) Balestrand Hotel (Balestrand, Norway) Good: Hotel Cristall (Cologne, Germany) Stavanger Bed and Breakfast (Stavanger, Norway) Cochs Pensjonat (Oslo, Norway) Guesthouse Sunna (Reykjavik, Iceland)
Why: A & Be Hotel (Stockholm): Excellent price, 2-3 blocks from CityBike rack, grocery store and 7-11. There was free wi-fi in the room, bathrooms were very clean, small but comfortable room and the folks running it were always nice and pleasant. Large and filling breakfast. The location seems a bit out of the way, but with the super nearby City Bike rack, and some nearby metro stops, it is very easy to be downtown within 10 or 15 minutes of stepping out the door.
Balestrand Hotel (Balestrand, Norway): This was the best place we stayed the whole three week trip! Owners and their children are very nice, especially through emails beforehand. Beds, bathrooms and common areas are great.
Hotel Cristall (Cologne, Germany) Clean rooms, relatively quiet given its location near the train station, excellent breakfast. Rooms look just like the photos on the website.
Stavanger Bed and Breakfast (Stavanger, Norway) Owner and staff are very friendly – great breakfast. Good value for money.
Cochs Pensjonat (Oslo, Norway) Not as loud as we had feared – even though there are bars on the street. They will loan you any pot or pan you need if you get a kitchen room. Location is excellent, friendly staff.
Guesthouse Sunna (Reykjavik, Iceland) If anyone is looking for a good B&B in Reykjavik this is a good one. Good value for money, nice breakfast, quality rooms (accurate website photos), kitchen access for all rooms and right next to the church and downtown action.
Worst: Absolute worst: Chicken's Private Pension (also called Morten's Guesthouse) (Copenhagen, Denmark). Bad: Citybox (Bergen, Norway).
Why: Absolute worst: Chicken's Private Pension (Copenhagen, Denmark).
I have stayed at numerous B&Bs, pensions, etc. of varying quality (I am comfortable with spartan, threadbare and bathroom down the hall) all throughout Europe and this is by far the least value for money I have ever experienced. I would highly recommend removing it from the Scandinavia book. Below is a list of problems, but the highlights are: false advertising, poor quality rooms, unwelcoming and unpleasant owner.
Expanded explanation: 1. Were told before we paid that kitchen was available to use for breakfast, and the RS book says "kitchen available for breakfast on your own." We then paid and bought food to cook only to have the owner then tell us you are only allowed to heat up coffee or tea - nothing else allowed. This does not count as breakfast in my book. 2. Our double was a narrow L-shaped room with two very short beds next to the alley. Two of the lights were burnt out. Our trash was not taken out during our five day stay. The alley is very loud as it is full of garbage cans that are picked up in the early morning. The room is below the shared bathroom and you can hear with crystal clarity people using it. There was also pipe noise constantly loudly emanating from the walls. Another shared toilet was just outside our room, it was dirty and had a large crack so you could see people inside it. This toilet was shared with the store next door. This toilet was frequently occupied by a lady who worked in the shop next door who came to sit in the bathroom with the door open and talk on her cell phone (because there was an outlet). Folks are allowed to smoke in all the rooms. Two children were washing their hair in the kitchen sink every morning. One of the showers has no door, just a curtain, making it awkward to share with other folks. The other shower leaks onto the floor. In an attempt to clean this water up, I used one of the hand towels from the bathroom, since there were no bathmats. I was then chastised by Morten (FYI Morten is a woman, as apparently this can be a female name as well) for not using a damp towel sitting in the "private do not use" area, despite the fact she had not instructed us to do so. You are forbidden from washing your laundry in the sink or drying it in your room (she wants you to pay her 100 kr for her to do it for you). 3. The owner is highly unpleasant. We were never asked one thing about where we were from, what we were going to see, how our stay was, etc. during our five night stay. She just asked for the money and that was it. She truly seems to dislike running a pension.
It does seem difficult to find places in Copenhagen. Prior to the trip I contacted 10 B&Bs (through Bed and Breakfast Denmark) whose calendars indicated they had free rooms on the dates I wanted and not one ever wrote back.
Bad: Citybox (Bergen, Norway).
The way this place is set up seems like it will work in theory, but make sure you have a cell phone you are willing to place a five minute international call on. The room was fine for the price, shared shower and toilet (apparently this building used to be a dorm for the university!). Nice view and the coffee shop (unaffiliated) next door is decent. The problem lies in the fact that the check in terminal is constantly broken. We had to phone and then wait 30 minutes for a security guard to let us in. The next day no one's card appeared to work and we had to phone again. The magnetic door cards are also on flimsy paper so if you bend it at all it doesn't work! The front desk is actually only staffed between 9:00-12:00. Our double room did have a fridge and sink, however.
Dave in Seattle, WA USA 08/31/2009
Best: Thon Opera Hotel in Oslo
Why: The hotel was very modern and well maintained. It is only a few steps from the central train station and made getting around easy. It was perfect for doing the Norway in a Nutshell in one day. They start serving buffet breakfast at 6am so we could eat and still make the 6:35am train without rushing. You can also use the metro and other transportation easily. The ferry to/from Copenhagen is not far. And you are right next to the beautiful new opera house. Despite being so close to the train station the room was very quiet. And you have access to the food, grocery stores, and liquor store in the train station that Rick describes. I got a cheap rate on the Thon web site by prepaying a month in advance. It came out to about $130 per night for a large, very comfortable room, including a nice buffet breakfast for 2.
J. Perschbacher in Atlanta, GA USA 08/02/2009
Best: Hellsten Hotel-Stockholm
Why: Small (80 rooms) boutique hotel; Wonderful staff, comfortable (though small by American standards) and interesting rooms; excellent breakfast-wide variety of items for Europeans or Americans; great bar to meet other travelers; the owner Per Hellsten is on premises and is a very nice gentelman.
Eric Schultz in Wauwatosa, WI USA 07/15/2009
Best: Flam Camping
Why: The cabin we rented for one night was a great way to really experience the area. Unfortunately it rained the entire time we were in Flam, but it was a fun way to break up the Norway in a Nutshell Tour.
Worst:
Why: Just a suggestion to make sure people know that the tickets on the DFDS cruiseship from Oslo to Copenhagen are non refundable. Unfortunately our train from Myrdal broke down and we missed the boat. We ended up losing the money on the cruiseship and having to take an uncomfortable overnight bus trip. Just a tip that while you may have everything planned out just perfectly, sometimes other things get in the way and can throw off even the best plan. Trip insurance could have helped us, but we didn't get any. Just a heads up for other travelers.
Lori K in Chicago, IL USA 06/02/2009
Best: Hotel Arthur - Helsinki
Why: Large rooms, central location
GEORGE T. TUTT in GRESHAM, OR USA 05/18/2009
Best: Cab-Inn City near the Copenhagen train station
Why: Friendly, cheap, reliable. Not only do they have "free internet access in lobby" (pg 88), but they offer both Wifi in the lobby and an iMac for shared use by the laptop-less. And more important, my room came with an Ethernet jack above the phone jack -- which WORKED! The net connection was at least 10 megabits, some downloads exceeded 1 megabyte/minute. I don't know if every room has working Ethernet -- but since I'm typing this is the lobby, let's ask. Yep, every room is wired for Ethernet, it's included in the room price, you just plug it in and it works, and if you forgot to bring a cable, they'll lend you one for a 50kr deposit.
Harald Chess in San Francisco, ca USA 01/04/2009
Best: Norway: Skensen Pension/Aurland Fjordhotel
Why: The Skensen was very convenient, affordable and well kept. We weren't sure about the bathroom down the hall, but it worked out fine. The Fjordhotel in Aurland was pretty much deserted as we were well into the off season. But we enjoyed a nice dinner and took a wonderful long walk up the hill where the scenery continued to amaze us. I will say we were a bit concerned about dinner (there are no other options at this time of the year) when the desk clerk said that the only thing being served was "something like a meatball". She couldn't tell us what that meant, but we went with it and it was very good. We also stayed at the Radisson SAS in both Gothenburg and Oslo, and they were great...but definitely higher in price range, and that "big box" hotel feeling.
jlb in Houston, TX USA 11/02/2008
Best: We really enjoyed the ferry from Stockholm to Tallin, and from Helsinki to Stockholm.
Why: Great food, good entertainment, relaxing, fun.
Worst: The Norwegian Folk Museum in Oslo
Why: It was so lame compared to Skansen (A+) in Stockholm. It was understaffed, vacant feeling, and boring. I believe they do not have a very good director, because this has the potential of being a great site to visit. The employees did not seem very happy to be there, and put forth very little effort. It felt like nobody cared, and although the ancient church and historic homes were amazing, the lack of effort and absence of "life" even at the end of July, during their busy season, on a lovely sunny day, I would grade it as a D (or almost a D-.)
Jan Manselle in Portland, OR USA 09/12/2008
Best: Balestrand Hotel
Why: More like a B&B with very helpful staff.
Eriol in Houston, TX USA 09/08/2008
Best: Balestrand hotel
Why: Faboulous staff, great location, fantastic breakfast!
Worst: Skivebakken 24 Pensjonat, Bergen
Why: The first pension mentioned in the guidebook for Bergen didn't get back to us by email, so I moved onto the 2nd option mentioned - while the owner was friendly, the place was smelly and run-down and had a generally 'grubby' appearance.
Christopher Wilson in Delta, BC Canada 09/03/2008
Best: Balestrand Hotel Norway fjords & Villa Hortensia, Tallinn Estonia
Why: Tallinn The Villa Hortensia (www.jpgoldart.ee) sounded just like the type of Rick Steves’ recommendations we like. It was and more. Jaan has renovated six of the seven medieval buildings in his little courtyard and it is beginning to be noted in many guidebooks for its artisan shops and the Chocolaterie. The night we arrived, a trio of musicians were playing beautiful music as tourists and locals ordered decadent desserts and hot chocolate, beer, wine, brandy, coffee as they enjoyed their evening in the courtyard. The rooms are upstairs in one of the buildings and are lofted. The beds are in the loft while the kitchen and bathroom are downstairs. We thought this might be a problem, but we found out it wasn’t. We became very attached to our space in the 13th-16th century building. And Jaan Parn is a great proprietor and person, as well as a great artisan himself (designer of fine jewelry). Don’t miss Tallinn!
Balestrand, Norway The Balestrand Hotel (www.balestrand.com) was a prize. Rick’s description was right on. Unni and Eric run a top-notch small hotel, and provide excellent assistance and service. (Unni helped us a lot on the ticketing options … taking the train from Oslo to Flam and spending two nights in Balestrand is genius.) Their Scandinavian buffet breakfast is great and gets you off to great hiking and biking. The rooms are very clean and nice, and has a large European clientele as well. Rate it 5.
DennisA in Thousand Oaks, ca USA 08/14/2008
Best: 1. Aero, Denmark - Pension Vestergade 2. Kalmar, Sweden - Frimurare Hotellet 3. Tallinn, Estonia - Villa Hortensia 4.Arhus, Denmark - Hotel Guldsmeden 5. Helsinki, Finland - Academica Summer Hostel 6. Stockholm, Sweden - Skeppsholmen,
Why: 1. Aero, Denmark -- Pension Vestergade was a little piece of heaven. Suzanna, our host, was gracious, kind, helpful -- quite amazing, actually. She made us feel like we were honoured guests in her home. 2. Kalmar, Sweden - Frimurare Hotellet -- also wonderful. An old building with lovely woodwork, friendly, accommodating people at the desk, incredible breakfast. Others have commented upon the noise. We were there Saturday - Monday and had no difficulties with noise at all. 3. Tallinn, Estonia - Villa Hortensia -- has a courtyard with character! The owner, an artist himself, is transforming the courtyard into a courtyard of artists -- lovely little cafe, immaculately clean room with a kitchenette. 4. Arhus, Denmark - Hotel Guldsmeden - in the Latin Quarter with people bustling around, lots of students, small businesses -- really fun to be there. Hotel staff were Very helpful. Breakfast fabulous. 5. Helsinki, Finland - Academica Summer Hostel. I was a little concerned about the fact that this hostel was about 30 min walk from the harbour -- but we got a 3 day Helsinki Card, which included free transport -- and used the 3T/3B trams to come and go. Worked great. Bus to Suerasaari Park went right by our place. Spotlessly clean. Nice to have a fridge in our room. 6. Stockholm, Sweden - Skeppsholmen - we booked last November, but the boat was already full - so we stayed in the building - which was OK. Bathrooms down the hall were clean. We had to clean our rooms before we left - vacum, clean sink etc.
Worst: Copenhagen, Denmark - Puk and Holger De la Cour
Why: To preface these comments -- Puk and Holger are a lovely, friendly couple who rent out the 3 rooms in their flat during the summer months. 3 rooms share one bathroom, which was sometimes problematic. The flat was immaculately clean. While we were there, the couple stayed elsewhere. We helped ourselves to breakfast in the kitchen in the mornings. Our only difficulty with this accommodation was the fact that Puk is a heavy smoker. He would arrive in the mornings to work in his office -- the central room which adjoined the bedrooms and the kitchen by 8:00 a.m. and begin to smoke. When he did so, the entire flat filled with the strong smell. We don't appreciate breathing second hand smoke and so would not have booked this accommodation if we had known. This is information that must be made available to people booking.
Jane and Gerry Grunau in Abbotsford,, BC Canada 07/29/2008
Best: Hotel Perminalen, Oslo, Norway
Why: Friendly, straight-forward, prompt service. They even found and forwarded to me three articles of clothing that I had left behind.
Connie Chaplin in Seattle, Wa USA 07/24/2008
Best: Hotel Bethel Somandshjem
Why: We had a wonderful clean, spacious and modern room with a bath. The lobby and breakfast area looked recently updated. The staff was friendly and accomodating. It is in a great location and seems to be a popular place with tourists.
Worst: Hotel Jorgensen
Why: May be good for students or backpackers, but our large room with a bath was dismal. The bedspread was dirty, light fixtures were dangerously hot, the shower drained slow and the bathroom smelled. They did spend money on a flat screen TV though.
Crystal Kitagawa in Missouri City, TX USA 07/14/2008
Best: Aero Camping
Why: Friendly staff, nice facilities, gorgeous site.
Worst: City Lodge (hostel) in Stockholm
Why: I know your book caters to a somewhat older crowd than the Let's Go set. Leave this place for Let's Go backpackers, because they're already there... and incredibly loud.
M. Nelson in Chicago, IL USA 06/29/2008
Best: Aurland Fjordhotel in Norway
Why: Great staff, clean comfortable and good size room, great view of the fjord and town, quiet, great location, very good restaurant and breakfast! Can walk to the ferry and market as well.
Jim Asprinio in san Francisco, USA 05/11/2008
Best: Freys Hotel in Stockholm
Why: Great staff, clean comfortable room, free internet, great location, very good restaurant (a little pricey) and amazing breakfast!
Worst: P-Hotel
Why: Rooms were just ok, not super clean, no coffee in the morning provided, thought it could have been less expensive for what we got, although its close to station and free internet on 2nd floor.
Jim Asprinio in san Francisco, USA 05/11/2008
Best: Skansen Pensjonat in Bergen, Rica Hotel Kungsgatan in Stockholm
Why: The Skansen Pensjonat was easy to walk to from the train station (although the last bit of walking is quite steep--and we arrived in the pouring rain), was centrally located, clean, had a nice view, and a great breakfast--all for 600 NOK for a double. The Rica Hotel Kungsgatan (745 Kr for a double no window) in Stockholm had the best buffet breakfast I think I'll ever experience at a hotel, good air conditioning, free Internet in its lobby, and was steps from the main pedestrian street.
We also stayed at the Helsinki Holiday Inn City Centre for 68 euros (no breakfast). It was great because the public bus from the airport stopped about a block away, and the hotel was centrally located. There was a fan in the room, too!
Worst: P-Hotel in Oslo
Why: It really wasn't that bad, but it was the least appealing place we stayed. We liked the free Internet on the 2nd floor, the good bagged breakfast, the TV, and that they had an electric fan we could borrow. We didn't like that the deadbolt on the door didn't work, that the room was a bit loud, and that smoke came in through the window (though the room was a non-smoking room). It was also easy to reach from the train station.
Kyla Gurganus in Ypsilanti, MI USA 01/10/2008
Best: Hotel Aerohaus, Isle of Aeroskobing, Denmark
Why: Delightful stay in great island location with friendly, helpful staff. Owner/manager was not comfortable speaking english, but staff was alert and accomodating
Worst: Frimurarehotellet, Kalmar, Sweden
Why: Booked Friday & Saturday night. Entertainment on adjacent town square until 3:00 AM, both nights. Sleepless in Kalmar! Nice hotel...except Fri & Sat!
Gene Field in Tampa, FL USA 09/09/2007
Best: Balestrand Hotel
Why: Unni-Marie is great; helpful ahead of time on some Nutshell questions, gave us a discount on a 2nd room and the food is good. 2nd place was the Rica Kungsgaten in Stockholm. Great breakfast and nice rooms. (you can see breakfast is important for my family!).
Worst: Cochs Pensjonat
Why: It's not terrible and we could stay there again, but it's impersonal due to size and then the unrenovated rooms are VERY spartan. Savior was having a balcony so we could sit out.
Mike McDonnell in Wroughton, UK 09/02/2007
Best: Balestrand Hotel, Balestrand, Norway
Why: Fantastic staff, great location, spotless rooms, good breakfast. It's worth springing for the fjord view room--one can sit watching the water and ferries for hours.
Worst: Thon Hotel Europa-Oslo
Why: Thon hotels apparently now being bought out by Rainbow Hotels and don't do the Thon card discount. This one did not honor our Thon card or our credit-card guaranteed room choice because there was Rolling Stone concert in town and they gave our room away! What they substituted was an incredibly small room with a green netting obstructing the entire window because of hotel construction. I will never again use a Thon Hotel.
Elaine in Livingston, MT USA 08/28/2007
Best: Balestrand hostel
Why: Great view, great family room, balcony, wonderful breakfast room and food, comfy TV room and kitchen area.
Worst: P Hotel, Oslo
Why: Tired and worn out. Still, we were not there very long so it was not a big deal.
Bob DenOuden in Eugene, OR USA 08/03/2007
Best: CabInn Scandanavia in Copenhagen
Why: Just wanted to let you know that we found the staff to be VERY helpful (your book says they won't give you the time of day). Maybe they've had some customer service training, or something. They were always willing to help us with questions. One gal spent at least a half hour researching kid-friendly restaurants with authentic danish cuisine for us. We'd definitely stay here again.
Vivian Miller in Los Alamitos, Ca USA 07/29/2007
Best: Toldbodhus B&B in Aeroskobing
Why: After a month of following in Rick Steve's footsteps in Scandinavia, (and several summers following his guidebooks in Western Europe)our family of 5 unanimously voted Toldbodhus B&B to be our favorite accomodation. We had no reservations, but, being early in the season, we took our chances. We were fortunate enough to get two rooms in the loveliest B&B that we have ever experienced. Everything was perfect. The rooms are beautiful,clean and comfortable, the breakfasts are sumptuous (hot bread, a delicious egg dish, homemade plum jam, fresh squeezed OJ, plus other goodies) and the most gracious hosts (who waited up for us when we arrived on the midnight ferry). We extended our stay on Aero and ended up staying 3 nights (instead of the 1 planned) as it was so comfortable and the island so beautiful. It was like a vacation within a vacation. Our kids didn't want to leave!
E Philpot in Chapel Hill, NC USA 07/18/2007
Best: Roisheim Hotel, near Lom, Gudbrands Valley
Why: Great atmosphere. We were there mid-week in mid June, we were the only guests but were served an excellent dinner and breakfast
Lori in Minneapolis, MN USA 07/05/2007
Best: Rica Talk and Park Inn Aurlanda, Stockholm
Why: The Rica Talk is an elegant hotel catering to conventioneers at the expo center next door. Large rooms, comfortable beds, designer fixtures. The Park Inn is just a cut below the Talk but just as clean. Near the airport too. Great B'kfast included at both hotels.
Earl in Lockport, IL USA 07/03/2007
Best: Stockholm: Queen's & Adlon Hotel, House of Colors in Copenhagen, Thon Stefan in Oslo
Why: The Queen's Hotell is being renovated, so they had to cancel our reservation 1 week before our trip. However, they rebooked us at the Adlon (a nicer hotel -- the Queen's people admit it). The Adlon is much more expensive, but we paid them the Queen's rate -- the Queen's hotell paid the Adlon the difference. Gitte's House of Colors Bed & Bike was a great experience in Copenhagen. If you want to feel like a "temporary local" stay here and bike in to town. Thon Stefan in Oslo had the best breakfast buffet and reasonable rates (we were in Oslo during a heat wave and the A/C could have been more powerful, but otherwise a great stay). In Bergen we stayed at the InCity Apartments, which is (GASP!) not in Rick's guide, but should be. Very central & affordable.
John in Towson, MD USA 06/12/2007
Best: Hotel Park Pension, Bergen
Why: Beautiful, antique filled old hotel in a quiet area of town. It is in the National Registry of Historic Hotels in Norway. It is a long uphill walk from the port but is close to the train station.
sandy winters in willis, te USA 06/03/2007
Best: Copenhagen Island Hotels/Scandic Helsinki hotel
Why: Search the internet. Some Hotels offer a cheaper rates if you book online and pick Tivoli package.the Scandic Helsinki clean and friendly workers. They even give me a free drink upon arrival.
Worst: Stockholm Scandic Sergel Hotel and Radisson SAS Airport
Why: Although in the Center city, the Scandic Sergel rooms are old and smell like mold. SAS Airport hotel also smells like mold. The good thing about it is the free bus to the airport and the good breakfast buffet.
Jude1349 in deptford, NJ USA 05/30/2007
Best: Thon Hotels
Why: Thon card gives discount--and have many locations to pick from. Shoould be applied for on internet before going to Norway or Belgium
richard welsh in westfield ctr, oh USA 04/17/2007
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