After my blog post on how to Plan a trip to Lofoten, where I share everything you need to know to plan the best trip, it’s time to give you some tips and recommendations to find the best accommodation in Lofoten.
In this blog, I will share you which are the best towns to stay at in Lofoten and I will share some accommodation recommendations based on your budget.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
WHERE TO STAY IN LOFOTEN - TIPS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Before I share the different possible areas to stay in Lofoten, I want to share some tips and recommendations to consider before you book your accommodation in Lofoten. Some of them might be on the obvious side but it is always good to keep them in mind before making any reservation.
BOOK YOUR ACCOMMODATION IN ADVANCE
Yes, I know what you’re thinking, this applies to any destination. If you book your accommodation in advance, it will always be cheaper. However, in Lofoten it is really important to plan your trip well in advance and book your accommodation ASAP!
The Lofoten Islands are quickly becoming a very popular destination, especially during the summer months. In addition, the lodging offer is a bit limited. Remember that these islands are quite small. These two factors combined, make all the budget friendly options disappear quite fast.
To give you an idea, I visited the Lofoten Islands in August 2024 but already booked my accommodations in December 2023. By doing this, we managed to book all our stays there at quite a reasonable price.
TYPES OF ACCOMMODATION IN LOFOTEN
Here are the different examples of lodgings you’ll find in Lofoten. These include from the typical fishermen’s cabin, traditional hotels to campings.
Rorbuer
Every village in Lofoten has numerous red and yellow cabins that make them so charming and pictoresque. These typical cabins are called “Rorbuer” in Norwegian and its where the fishermen used to sleep. Many of them have been reformed and have been converted into small vacational lodgings that can be rented for short stays.
I recommend that at least you book these cabins for one or two nights. It is a must-do experience when visiting Lofoten. Yes, they are a bit on the pricier side but the cabins usually have a kitchen so you can safe some money by cooking your own meals. During our trip to Lofoten, we stayed two nights at a small rorbu in A and had a wonderful time at our tiny “home” in the Lofoten.
Still not convinced? Well, you should also know that these cabins are usually next to the sea or even standing on logs over the sea, which guarantees you the most peaceful and wonderful views. In addition, if you visit the Lofotoen from September onwards, you’ll have high chances of seeing the Northern Lights directly from your cabin’s window.
Hotels and Appartments
An alternative to Rorbuer, is to stay at a traditional hotel or even a regular appartment. These are less charming than a rorbu but they are of course, available in the Lofoten as well. Later on, I will share some of posibilities, including the ones we stayed at during our trip.
Camping
The most budget friendly option is to camp while visiting the Lofoten Islands. You can either use campings or wild camping, which is allowed almost everywhere in Norway. If you choose this options, please always follow the principle of leaving no trace!
Unfortunately, we didn’t camp during our trip to Norway so I don’t have any feedback based on my personal experience. Nevertheless, I did some research on this topic to be able to share some useful guidelines and tips, in case you want to camp during your trip to Lofoten.
HOW TO SAVE MONEY IN LOFOTEN
As we all know, Norway is known for being an expensive country. So unless you want to break the bank, saving some money during our visit is key.
The best way to save money in Lofoten, is to book an accommodation with a kitchen. This way, you can avoid having to eat out three times per day and cook at least some of your meals at the accommodation. This is something we do quite often when we travel. We always try to make at least two meals at the appartment and only eat out once per day. In addition, I also enjoy visiting supermarkets when I travel. I like comparing the prices with the ones at home and enjoy discovering products that are not available in Belgium.
Another interesting thing to consider is that, if you’re travelling in the off season, some of the restaurantes might be closed temporarily. Having access to a kitchen will allow you to always have a place to eat.
making base at one accommodation or changing places
The last thing to consider before you start booking your accommodations is to decide whether you’ll book just one accommodation for your whole stay or you’ll change accommodations throughout your holidays.
Here there is no good or bad choice. It will depend mostly on what you like to do when traveling. The Lofoten Islands is a relatively small archipelago so it is possible to get drive from the north to south in just a few hours. If you don’t want to go through the hassle of packing up your suitcase every few days you can just book an accommodation in the central part of the archipelago as your base.
In my case, I don’t like changing accommodations every day but I don’t mind doing so every 2 or 3 days to reduce the driving times. So this is what we did, we booked a total of 4 different accommodations during our trip and moved every few days.
BEST AREAS TO STAY IN LOFOTEN
Here are the best areas to stay in Lofoten (in no particular order). For each of them, I will give you some detailed information as well as a few lodging recommendations for different budgets. These include the ones I stayed at and other similar ones I would chose for myself.
- Svolvaer: The capital of the Lofoten Islands.
- Leknes: The second biggest city in Lofoten.
- Ballstad and Gradval: Small towns near Leknes.
- Reine: The most famous area in Lofoten.
- Henningsvaer: A cute and trendy village not far from Svolvaer
- Nusfjord: A best preserved fishermen’s village.
- A: The southernmost village in the Lofoten.
SVOLVAER
Svolvaer is the capital of the Lofoten Islands which makes it the biggest city in the area. If you’re arriving to Lofoten by plane, then most probably you’ll be landing in Svolvaer and it’s the perfect place to stay for your first few days in the islands. Being the biggest city in Lofoten means that in Svolvaer, you’ll find the biggest offer of not only accommodation but also all other kinds of services.
One of the best advantages of Svolvaer is that given the bigger offer of lodgings, you’ll find many places for the different budgets. On the other hand, Svolvaer is located on the northern part of the Lofoten Islands, which means it is not the ideal place to choose as your only base in the Lofoten. However, it is the perfect place as a base to explore the northern part of Lofoten.
Lodgings in Svolvaer
- Cozy Studio in Svolvaer (Low Budget). Cozy studio managed by a private host that includes a small kitchenette and microwave, a terrace and private parking. The studio is located in the northern part of the city, close to the Djevelporte trailhead. It takes approximately 15 minutes to reach the city center on foot.
- Villa Svolvaer (Medium Budget). Appartments of different sizes that can accommodate different groups with private bathrooms and kitchenette. The villa is located 5 minutes walking from the city center. This is the appartment/studio we booked during our stay in Svolvaer and we were very comfortable here. The studio was equipped with everything that you could need during your stay.
- Anker Brygge (High Budget). Rorbuer located in the heart of Svolvaer. All cabins have been transformed into high end appartments and studios, to provide you all the comfort you need during your holidays.
LEKNES
Leknes, located in the center of the Lofoten Islands, is the perfect town if you’re looking to set base in just one place throughout your whole trip. Its location, will allow you to reach the most famous places in Lofoten, in maximum 1,5 hours driving.
In addition, being the second city in the archipelago, means that here you will have a bigger offer of shops, supermarkets, gas stations, restaurants and there is even an airport! However, you should always keep in mind that we are in a low inhabited archipelago. You shouldn’t expect the offer to be endless.
Lodgings in Leknes
- Cozy and private room in the middle of Lofoten (low budget): Private room and bathroom in a family house in Leknes. The room doesn’t have a kitchenette but there is a microwave and fridge, to warm up pre-made dishes from the supermarket. We stayed here for two nights during our trip to Lofoten since we wanted to save some money. The room is quite basic but is more than enough since we were only here to sleep and shower.
- Scandic Leknes Lofoten (medium budget): Basic hotel with a delicious breakfast included in the center of Leknes.
- Leknes City Apartment (high budget): If you’re looking for a bit more comfort and you have no budget limitation, this beautiful apartment in the center of Leknes is just the place for you.
BALLSTAD AND GRADVAL
The fishing villages of Ballstad and Gradval are also great options to set as base during your trip to Lofoten. These two villages are located 10 and 5 minutes driving from Leknes respectively. This means you will also be able to reach the different places in Lofoten within maximum 1,5 hours driving.
Lodgings in Ballstad and Gradval
- Kraermmervika Havn (medium budget): Rustic rorbu cabins decorated in very cozy vibe.
- Solsiden Rorbuer (medium buget): Another cute and cozy rorbu cabins that have been renovated into fully equipped modern appartments. We didn’t stay at this place but we did have dinner at their restaurant and all I can say is that the food was delicious!
- Cozy home in Gradval (medium budget): Cozy and fully equipped appartment in Gradval with everything you’ll need to feel at home while away from home.
REINE
The Reine area, which includes the villages of Reine, Sakrisoy and Hamnoy, is one of the most pictoresque and famous places in the Lofoten islands. I definetely recommend booking at least a few nights in this area so that you can fully enjoy this beautiful place in the evening.
These villages are so famous for the breathtaking scenery the offer. Plenty of cute and colorful rorbu cabins spread along the coast, the deep blue of the water and the impressive mountains as a backdrop. It is one of the prettiest places to stay at in the archipelago. It is the perfect place to stay, specially if you’re arriving or leaving Lofoten via the ferry from Bodo.
Tip: This area is the most popular area in Lofoten and it is also not the cheapest. Make sure to book your accommodation as soon as possible. The earlier you book it, the better deal you’ll get.
Lodgings in Reine
- Lofoten Bed & Breakfast (Medium Budget): This is the cheapest accommodation you’ll find in Reine. We stayed here for 3 nights and we were so happy with our room. It is basic but has everything you’ll need, including a small but fully equipped kitchenette area in case you want to cook some meals. In addition, a breakfast buffet is included with your reservation and the food offered was delicious.
- May’s Appartment by May (Medium to High Budget): Beautifully designed appartments in the center of Reine. Each appartment has access to a private terrace.
- Anita’s Living Rooms (Medium to High Budget): Located at the famous Anita’s Seafood Restaurant, you can book these studios that offer stunning views.
HENNINGSVAER
Henningsvaer is the liveliest fishing village in Lofoten. If you’re looking to stay at charming place with a very nice vibe and with a good offer in cafés and restaurants then Henningsvaer is just the place for you.
Henningsvaer, spread through several small islands connected with bridges, is a fantastic place to stay in Lofoten. There are several hiking routes not far from the village, there are beautiful beaches with some of the clearest water you’ve ever seen and there are many activities that you can book in the village as well.
However, you should know that, same as with Reine, this village is not cheap. So if you want to stay here, the sooner you book your accommodation, the better
Lodgings in Henningsvaer
- Henningsvaer Guesthouse (Medium Budget): Cute guesthouse in the heart of Henningsvaer. All bedrooms have a private bathroom and an excellent breakfast is included with your reservation. This is one of the cheapest accommodations you will find in Henningsvaer.
- Modern Appartment by the sea (Medium Budget): As the description says this is a modern appartment located in Henningsvaer.
NUSFJORD
Nusfjord is a small and historic fishing village that has a lot of charm. It is located in the heart of the Lofoten Islands, south of Leknes.
The village has been declared an Unesco World Heritage site and has been turned into an open air museum. Walking around its streets will allow you to understand how people used to live here in the beginning of the 20th century, when it used to have a population of over 1500 fishermen.
Spending a night in one of these beautiful cabins and waking up to these breathtaking views of the fjord, must be a beautiful experience. However, you should know that staying here is on the expensive side. However, it is the ideal location if you want to splurge during your trip to Lofoten.
Lodgings in Nusfjord
- Nusfjord Arctic Resort (Luxury Budget): These rorbu cabins within Nusfjord village have been furnished and decorated to offer a luxury experience while at the same time, maintaining the esence of the old days. This hotel is expensive but it is the ideal location if you’re celebrating something or you just feel like treating yourself.
A
The last place I will talk to you about is the villate of A, the southernmost village of Moskenes island in Lofoten as well as the village with the shortest name. This village is the ideal place to stay if you’re looking for a calm and pictoresque area in Lofoten. The tranquility of this place will completely win you over and if you’re lucky with the weather, you’ll experience one of the prettiest sunsets in the islands.
Lodgings in Nusfjord
- A-Hamna Rorbuer (Medium Budget): This beautiful rorbuer hotel is the perfect place to experience what it is to stay at a Rorbuer, for a more or less reasonable price. We stayed at one of the rorbu cabins of this hotel and were very gladly impressed by it. Definitely recommend staying here.
- Lofoten Budget Hostel (Low to Medium Budget): If you’re looking for a cheaper place in Lofoten this hostel is something you might consider. On top of being a traditional hostel, it also offers private rooms with private bathrooms.
CAMPING IN LOFOTEN
Want to visit Lofoten in the cheapest way possible? Then camping is your solution.
In Norway, there is a law since 1957 that establishes that everyone has the right to roam freely, or as it is called in Norwegian “Allemannsretten”. This basically means everyone is entitled to access nature freely. Norwegians love to be in nature and they do this whenever is possible.
This law, allows both Norwegians and visitors to the country to camp wherever you want in nature but always in a respectful way. You should always leave everything as you find it or even in better condition. So if you decide to camp, please be mindful of the place and don’t damage the area and of course, take your trash with you.
If you plan on doing camping in Norway, I recommend you check Visit Norway official website, to make sure you camp in a responsible way.
MAP WITH ALL LOCATIONS
In the following map, you will find the location of all the different accommodations I have mentioned in this blog.
INFOGRAPHIC
No time to read the full blog post? Here’s an infographic I’ve created with the most important information about it.
And that’s it for my blog about accommodation in Lofoten. I hope you liked it and found it useful. Let me know what you think in the comments!
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