Funken Lodge

Not enough space here to say what a fantastic place. Great welcome (with a drink!), incredibly helpful staff (thank you Julie and Tina!) clean rooms with very comfortable bed. Breakfast was full of choice and sets you up well for a day of trips that the staff will help you book. Excellent all round

My wife and I walked to dinner here while in Svalbard. We were staying at the Radisson Blu, but we had contemplated booking @ the Funken. I wish we had. Our dinner was just STUNNING. The service was outstanding, and the food ranks as one of the top 5 meals I've had in my life. We were dressed in casual clothing, which the staff ignored as they served us course after course of INCREDIBLE food. I regret not asking where the head chef was trained, because there is a vision and an art to their cuisine. You eat at one of the northernmost restaurants on the planet, and you maybe don't expect greatness. This place defied our expectations and really blew our mind. I hope the chef reads these reviews, because I want to say THANK YOU for an amazing meal. Your staff was just terrific, the ambience was lovely, and your food was out of this world!

Hotel is a great place for adults, but very challenging if travelling with children. No children's menus. No colouring pencils, no toboggans to borrow, no toys or play corners. The soap at wash hand basins is too high for them to reach. Breakfast buffet also too high, so us parents spent all breakfast running around for the children. The evening menus are great for adults, but too challenging for a very young palate. ||I will be recommending to the hotel that they make some small changes (like a children's menu with simple food in small portions, some colour crayons, a box of lego and having "sparks" to borrow to get to and from town) which will make staying here as a family a lot less of a challenge. The last Norwegian hotel we stayed at had a children's buffet at breakfast too. That would have made our stay here much easier.

Very comfortable hotel and excellent service. Hard to believe you are almost at the North Pole! Restaurant is fantastic with a gorgeous view. The rooms are pretty small, so get a suite if you need some privacy. I may be biased, but best time to visit is during the Sunny Winter, with 24 hr sunlight.

Me and my girlfriend stayed here for a weekend and we were amazingly satisfied. A beautiful hotel with good and clean rooms. The food was delicious and the breakfast room had a wonderful view. The whole staff made this a great experience, one in particular really stood out. Richard really went out of his way to make this an unforgettable experience, he is the sole reason we write this review. 10/10

We went up for drinks twice. Beautiful and cozy surroundings, remember to take off shoes downstairs in the shoe room before you head upstairs in either restaurant or bar. The Tyttebær drink was so delicious! You order in the bar and enjoy the surroundings and the view.

My wife has wanted to visit Svalbard for years and the Funken Lodge was always the place she wanted to stay. It did not disappoint. I think it’s safe to say it was her favourite hotel she’s ever stayed in, and it was a close runner up for mine.||We felt so at home here. It was December so the Christmas trees were out and the whole place had a wonderfully cosy feel, even in -20 degree cold and 24h darkness. Relaxing on the sofas with a book after tucking into a delicious burger was the perfect way to round off a day of snowmobiling. ||We stayed in one of the suites which were small but so comfortable and had a nice view into town. ||The Funken restaurant deserves a special mention for 2 wonderful meals we had. We also dined at Huset but preferred the Funken. ||We are already planning our return trip!

How great is this place? Absolutely gorgeous. Staff is exceptionally friendly. My wife called months in advance to ask if they could make a 2 person lemon cake for my birthday. Not only did they make a beautiful cake suitable for 8 people, but they also printed a welcome/happy birthday note and provided gourmet chocolates waiting in my room. The restaurant is beautiful, breakfast was a little complicated with the half free half paid kind of situation and I have to be honest, I wasn't in love with the dinner food. I'm somewhat of a trained chef myself and the food let me down. My constructive complaints would be -- the ravioli does not pair with the sauce, it's foamy and watery and the flavors just are not compatible. My party also had the ravioli and disliked them overall. I had the $90 "king crab" plate which the flavors were good , but it was overcooked to where the crab was like jerky. I had to abandon my fork and dig in with my hands, pulling the dried fibers from the halved legs which were like any king crab i've ever had, it was more like snow crab legs cut in half. Very tiny little legs that even before overcooking were insufficient for the price. I was pretty disappointed in the dinner food, I think the menu needs some work personally. But, my only complaints are constructive. Everything else felt top notch and felt welcoming and I cannot wait until I can stay here again.