Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Norway
Hotel of the Month, Norway
The pearl of the north By offering a rare mixture of wild nature, captivating history and high standards, Sandtorgholmen Hotel lets you experience northern Norway without ever losing your comfort. By Eirik Elvevold | Photos: Alice B. Trulsen
At the edge of a peninsula, right where the strait of Tjeldsundet separates Norway’s mainland from the grand island of Hinnøya, lies Sandtorgholmen Hotel. The hotel is surrounded by rugged mountains and, due to the strait’s strong current, an abundance of fish. In the winter, the northern lights occasionally shine down on the hotel; but now, at the height of summer, the midnight sun can make the days seem endless. Sandtorgholmen has long been a natural stop for sailors passing through Tjeldsundet. Being among Northern Norway’s oldest trading posts, its histor90 | Issue 91 | August 2016
ical roots reach back at least 700 years to 1321, when it was first mentioned in writing. The centuries-old history was what motivated the couple Rolf and Alice Trulsen to establish Sandtorgholmen Hotel. After extensive renovation and modernisation, they can offer visitors a variety of high-standard accommodation options, ranging from hotel rooms and suites to apartments with several bedrooms, only half an hour’s drive from the nearest airport. “There has been a lot of hard work. We did it stone by stone,” admits hotel director Rolf Trulsen. For tourists
wishing to experience Norwegian nature while staying comfortable, it has definitely been worth the effort. At Sandtorgholmen Hotel, you may eat in two different restaurants, drink Spanish wine in the old wine cellar dating back to the 18th century or pamper yourself with a sauna or a bath in the wooden tub outside. If you are more of an active type, you can explore caves, hike in the mountains, go deep sea fishing or head out on a killer whale safari. “We provide everything you need to enjoy Northern Norway’s breathtaking nature,” Trulsen asserts.
Something old, something new Rolf and Alice Trulsen’s work with Sandtorgholmen Hotel has earned them several awards, among them Olavsrosa (St. Olaf’s rose). The award is handed out by the voluntary organisation Norwegian