Scandic Hotel Alta

Location

A five-minute walk from Alta’s famous Marketsgata shopping street, the hotel is in a central yet quiet location. It’s next door to both the stunning architecture of the Northern Lights Cathedral and the giant Nordlysbadet, a sports complex with several swimming pools, a climbing wall and various other activities. The city is also home to the “Rock Art of Alta”. This UNESCO World Heritage Site features carvings dating from 4200 BC. Further afield, the city opens up to Norway’s snowy northern wilderness. Here, visitors can enjoy excellent hiking, skiing and fishing opportunities.

Accommodation

With minimalist sweeping colours, the hotel draws its design inspiration from the Northern Lights, visible outside the city. Full of typically modern Scandinavian furnishings, rooms are both comfortable and well appointed. Even the toiletries are supplied by FACE Stockholm, a high-end Swedish brand. Superior Extra rooms come with a sofa bed, while the suites feature spacious living space and bathrooms. If you’re lucky, you can secure a room with views over the Arctic sea.

Dining

To prepare you for the cold outside, the hotel puts on a hearty breakfast buffet in the morning with generous portions. For dinner, Restaurant Alta specialises in traditional Norwegian flavours with a focus on game and fish such as salmon and cod. The a la carte menu also features international favourites including light pastas and Scandinavian meatballs. The restaurant prides itself in its desert table, which has anything up to five types of chocolate cake amongst apple pies and chocolate brownies.

Facilities

The perfect antidote to the cold is the hotel’s traditional wooden sauna, available to guests only. However, some of the best activities are to be had beyond the city’s limits in the shape of dog sledding, snow mobiles and bird watching. In summer, there’s the mesmerising “midnight sun” and, in winter, the spectacular northern lights. To experience these natural phenomena, the helpful hotel staff can advise on the best local tour operators that depart from the hotel. Finally, whether it’s a pre-dinner aperitif or a nightcap you’re after, the hotel’s bar, Nordlys, has a wide selection of drinks to suit all tastes.