Photo: Hallvard Kolltveit
Hotel of the Month, Norway
Recharge and explore Whether you are looking for a summit challenge, a relaxing resort or just want to – once and for all – learn how to dive or surf in the Arctic Ocean, the Nusfjord Arctic Resort is the place to go. Nestled in an old fishing village in Lofoten, it’s the ultimate all-season resort. By Lisa Maria Berg | Photos: Nusfjord Arctic Resort
Nusfjord, only a 25-minute drive from Leknes Airport, is part of the group of islands on the north-west coast of Norway that make up Lofoten. Like pearls on a string, these little fishing villages stretch out into the awe that is the North Sea. It’s a landscape like no other. Majestic mountains and sandy beaches go hand in hand, with the never-sleeping sea as its neighbour. “It’s a place that changes with the seasons. The contrasts are enor92 | Issue 127 | August 2019
mous, with the midnight sun accompanying the summer and the northern lights turning a winter visit into something very special,” explains general manager Caroline Krefting.
History in the floorboards The location for the resort isn’t just any old place. Like most of the settlements in Lofoten, Nusfjord was a fishing village. People living here relied on the sea, for
food and for transport. The first settlements date back to 425BC, and most of the remaining buildings are from the 1800s. For a long time, the village was meant to be torn down, making way for the new fishing industry, but when, in 1974, Nusfjord was shortlisted for UNESCO’s Year of Architecture list, those plans were quickly thrown out the window. “The village is really like something on a postcard. With its original wooden structure not just intact, but in mint condition, the place is historically of high importance. We want our guests to truly get a feel for what life was like here, and to get a taste of the rich history of the place,” Krefting explains.