Editor Pick
Glamourous Hotel a Stone's throw From the Airport!
- July 20, 2009
- Rated 5 of 5 by
karly07 from Belfast, United Kingdom
We concluded last summer's trip around central and eastern Norway by exploring Bergen for a day before flying out of the city airport, and we opted for yet another Clarion hotel, this time the Clatrion Hotel Bergen Airport, an award winning hotel, which is literally a stone's throw from the departures entrance at the hotel.
Although, like most of the Clarion Hotels we stayed in during our trip, we paid a little more for the privilege but in return got the same wonderful service and lodgings that we had come to expect from the company.
There were two main reasons why we chose this hotel.
Firstly, our flight home left at the crack of dawn, and if we had had a hotel in the centre of Bergen, we would literally have no sleep that night and no breakfast, since we would have had to catch the bus to the airport in the early hours of the morning. The hotel is actually within the grounds of the airport. We were dropping off our car hire at the airport, and so we were able to simply walk across to the hotel. The airport also offer breakfast for early brids catching flights from 4 am. which was terrific for us.
Secondly, we may have paid a little more for this hotel than some others, but it was still on a par with some of the city hotels in Bergen. The flybussen is literally at the front door of the airport, and with departures every 15 minutes, we were able to get into Bergen for around 80NK (£8) each, without any hassle. The bus drops passengers at a selection of popular attractions in the main city centre of Bergen, and takes about 40minutes to get to the centre through often busy traffic. We found this a very handy way of exploring Bergen, and stayed in the city for the day before getting the bus later in the evening back to our airport hotel.
The Clarion Hotel Bergen Airport, really is luxurious and ultra modern. In fact it is one of the most modernly designed and decorated hotels my husband and I have ever stayed in.
The hotel offers conference facilites, 200 guest rooms, a spa, sauna, jacuzzi and a fitness area. Each of the rooms at the hotel are triple glazed to insulate against flight noise, however, although our room faced the side of the hotel, we did not hear any sound of flights coming in or taking off during the duration of our time at the hotel.
Our room came with a flat screen tv, leather armchairs, air conditioning, an enormous and extremely comfortable double bed, as well as a very stylish bathroom. The room was also extremely clean, and finished to an excellent standard, with luxurious curtains and bedding.
The only downside that may bother some people was the bathroom. This again was a very modernly decorated room, however the shower was clear the entire way round and faced the bed in the room, therefore allowing your other guests in your room to see you whist showering. It didn't really bother us, however I understand how some may feel uncomfortable with this arrangement.
Breakfast is, as I said, served early for those catching early mornign flights, however there are more general breakfast times that vary according to it being weekday or weekend. Breakfast itself is wonderful, with a vast selection of hot and cold on offer. The hotel also offers a restaurant for evening meals and lunches, however we ate in restaurants in Bergen for both of our nights stay.
All in all, this is a wonderful hotel. Yes, it is particularly great if you are catching an early morning flight, and can literally roll out of bed, grab some breakfast and walk to the departure area. We also found it terrific as a base to explore Bergen, since the flybussen stop is just outside the hotel and takes you into the city centre without any fuss. I would highly recommend this hotel, and it deserves all the awards it gets.
From journal An Independent Tour of Norway on a Modest Budget!