sometimes it's all about the journey

Today was "just" a traveling day, but often those are the best days of any trip. We left the small village of Kalvaag this morning and began our drive to Aalesund. A journey of four to five hours, we used three different ferries to cross fjords along the way.

The scenery was spectacular. We drove along fjords with snow-covered mountains rising on either side. We crossed some mountains through tunnels while going up and over others. The weather changed constantly; we encountered occasional snow showers when at altitude, then came back down to a sunshine-filled valley (see the actual image I'm describing below). It seemed that every turn brought a new vision of natural beauty to our eyes.



In addition to the journey, we did site inspections of two rather unique hotels. Storfjord Hotel is a superb luxury lodge, comparable in its atmosphere to some of New Zealand's luxury lodges — but much more reasonably priced. This property was crafted over the course of 2 1/2 years using only hand-hewned logs and boards. The property's lobby and dining room look out onto the fjord, and each of the six guest rooms is beautifully decorated with a scenic view from the windows. The lodge will be expanded significantly, but it will still remain an intimate boutique hotel. I would recommend this property to my clients without hesitation.

We are spending the night at Hotel Brosundet in downtown Aalesund (population about 45,000). An old warehouse by the river has been transformed by its owners into a luxury hotel with a very funky style. A mixture of rustic and contemporary, the property features floors made of the original wide wooden planks of the warehouse, while the ceilings expose the building's original wooden beams. The furnishings are modern but comfortable, and the frosted green glass-enclosed bathroom of my Junior Suite (an "02" room) has a great rain shower, a deep soaking tub, but only a single vanity (Bulgari amenities). The hotel's hallways use dark carpeting and dark painted walls that remind me of the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York; they create a subdued and relaxed feeling that guests will experience as they walk to their rooms. I would recommend that most clients book a Jr. Suite as the regular guest rooms are on the small side.


copyright (c) 2010 by David J. Ourisman. All rights reserved. If you have comments on this column, or questions about booking travel, email me or visit my website.
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