Sognefjord hotels - Flipbook - Page 33
T
he Kviknes Hotel is a renowned historic
hotel set on the waterfront of the Sognefjord in
Balestrand, Norway. Owned and run by the
Kvikne family since 1877, it continues a
hospitality tradition that began on the site in the
mid eighteenth century. The hotel gained
international recognition in the late nineteenth
century, when Balestrand became a fashionable
retreat for European travellers, not least the
German Kaiser. Its historic wooden building,
completed between 1894 and 1913, is an
architectural landmark, celebrated for its Swiss
chalet inspired design, carved timber details and
broad balconies. Today, Kviknes combines its
historic wing of individually styled rooms and
grand dining halls with a modern wing built in the
1960s (incredibly, the plan was to tear down the
historic building). Throughout the hotel, guests
enjoy panoramic views of the Sognefjord,
surrounding mountains and shifting fjord light,
which remain central to its enduring appeal and
distinctive atmosphere.
