Union Øye
Hotel · Møre and Romsdal ·
Historic fjordside hotel with period rooms & fjord tours
Historic fjordside hotel with period rooms & fjord tours
"This hotel is deep in the fjord near Ålesund, my hometown on the west coast of Norway. It’s gorgeous and very romantic; the people who run it have tried to keep the original features. It has Norwegian heritage and a UK connection because British travelers came here in the 19th century and hung out. The main thing is the nature around it; the hiking is awesome." - Noo Saro-Wiwa
"A 2025 collaboration between a historic fjordside hotel and an experiential travel company, situated in Norway’s Sunnmøre region and designed to bring the outdoors in with giant crackling fireplaces in multiple social rooms, a sunny palm room, and a light-filled conservatory. Experiences are a core offering—nordic wildlife safaris, helicopter fjord tours, and local farm visits—while in-suite conveniences include on-demand Press for Champagne or Gin & Tonic buttons for cocktails delivered to the room." - Adam H. Graham
"The hotel's red and cream half-timbered exterior, with its decorative fish-scale roof and ornate lattice work, conjures a storybook fantasy. Numerous writers thought so too. Karen Blixen, Henrik Ibsen, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all loved this spot, as did other illustrious guests, from Queen Maud of Norway and composer Edvard Grieg to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who liked to turn up with his own bath in tow. So there’s history to the place, a sense of which oozes through its paneled interiors, up the sturdy pine staircase to the 24 bedrooms. After paddling through the fjords, or skiing through the Sunnmøre Alps, coming back to the hotel's roaring fireplace and stuffed stockings is like slipping back into a dream."
"Hotel Union Øye in Norway’s Sunnmøre Alps. Numerous writers thought so too. Karen Blixen, Henrik Ibsen and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all loved this spot."
"“It’s like something from a Scandinavian fairy tale,” I heard a guest saying on arriving at Hotel Union Øye in Norway’s Sunnmøre Alps. They had a point. The red and cream half-timbered exterior, with its decorative fish-scale roof and ornate lattice work, does conjure a storybook fantasy. Numerous writers thought so too. Karen Blixen, Henrik Ibsen, and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle all loved this spot, as did other illustrious guests, from Queen Maud of Norway and composer Edvard Grieg to Kaiser Wilhelm II, who liked to turn up with his own bath in tow. So there’s history to the place, a sense of which oozes through its paneled interiors, up the sturdy pine staircase to the 24 bedrooms where flouncy wallpapers, heavy brocade, and damask are blended with antique furniture and twinkling chandeliers to bring a museum-like quality. Old-world Edwardian glamor you might call it, though it’s a tad spooky too: lovelorn Linda, the resident ghost, has been known to make her presence felt. Fast forward to the 21st century and in come the Flakk family, keen environmentalists and pioneers of sophisticated travel experiences in Norway under their 62º Nord brand. They’ve awakened this sleeping beauty from her slumbers and given her a serious overhaul, adding a cluster of new-build, old-style farmhouses with 14 further rooms, and a new conservatory restaurant and Palm bar. Hotel Union Øye now feels altogether younger and fresher, ready for the next generation of inspirationalists to explore the fjords and high mountains right on its doorstep. From $302. —Pamela Goodman" - CNT Editors
