Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway
Lovund is incredibly popular in the summer, but also an exciting place to be in the winter.
Hotel of the Month, Norway
Where traditional meets modern at the edge of the sea At the very edge of the sea, on the scenic Norwegian Helgeland coast, lies the architecturally modern yet incredibly traditional Lovund Hotell – a place no one would expect to be situated in such a remote location.
wasn’t like the demand for the traditional cabins diminished as soon as the new hotel was finished – they’re two completely different offerings.”
The new hotel creates a grand opportunity to experience the elements, while also providing a sense of security so close to the sea. “If the weather is bad, it looks very rough from here,” he adds. “But it’s always possible to get to the island with decent, large boats – so the communication to the island is really good. There’s no danger going out from here – it’s further out that it gets a bit harder.”
Not only is the island of Lovund a great place to be in the summer, but the hotel is open all year round. “It’s incredibly popular in the summer, but people find it interesting to come here in the winter as well, when they can see the northern lights and experience the extreme weather,” the CEO explains.
Being so close to the Arctic Circle, the island is located about an hour and a half out in the sea, spanning 4.8 square kilometres. Olaisen explains that the island is completely unique and has doubled its number of inhabitants over the past 30 or 40 years, to a total of 500. The average age is now 30, which Olaisen
By Line Elise Svanevik | Photos: Lovund Hotell
Originally, the hotel simply featured a number of classic Norwegian red seasonal houses traditionally used for fishermen, which are still in use today. However, in April this year, Lovund Hotell opened up their brand-new modern extension right at the heart of it all. “I feel like the different types of houses we have available right now complement each other really well,” says CEO Sivert Olaisen, who belongs to the second generation of the family-owned hotel. “It 76 | Issue 107 | December 2017