Sagafjord Hotel almost dips its toes into the majestic Hjørundfjorden — the perfect spot for a night time swim.
Hotel of the Month, Norway
A spectacular fjord Whether you are looking for the ultimate climb, off-piste slopes, a late night fishing trip or just want to enjoy a good meal and a quiet place to gather your thoughts, Sagafjord Hotel is the place to go. This pearl of a location — situated between the deep fjords and the high mountains on the west coast of Norway — will leave you simultaneously mind-blown and mindful. By Lisa Maria Berg | Photos: Richard Nærø
“Even Norwegians find this place exotic. It is like a place they have never seen before, so dramatic in its very being,” says hotel manager Wenke Gjørtz. She is passionate about Hjørundfjorden, the 33 kilometre-long fjord that stretches out from Storfjorden (the great fjord), south of the city of Ålesund, on the stunning west cost of Norway. It is not hard to understand what Gjørtz means. When someone says picture postcard, this is what they mean. It is a landscape like no other, from the deep fjord to the soaring, knife-edge mountains above. 98 | Issue 115 | August 2018
Sagafjord Hotel’s ambition is to put Hjørundfjorden on the map as the new hub for events and activities in the region. And with their branding as not just a hotel but activity centre too, they are doing a very good job of just that.
A place for every season With its harsh winters, and summers with an almost-never-setting sun, Norway is not just one place, but many, in its ever-changing cycle. “The immense changes between seasons make it possible for someone to visit in winter
and have one experience, and then to return during summer and have a completely different one,” Gjørtz notes. And she is right. Whilst you can pack a bikini and a pair of shorts for August, you will have to equip yourself properly if you are climbing the Alps of Sunnmøre during winter. It is truly a place for every taste, whether seeking the thrill of a nearby summit or enjoying a relaxing swim in the hotel’s own marina.
Mindfulness If the thought of kayaking across, cycling around or — if you are of the very adventurous type — swimming across the fjord seems far away from your idea of a holiday, fear not. Sagafjord Hotel also happens to be the ultimate place to relax, reconnect and escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. “It is a peaceful place,” Gjørtz assures. “A place where