Hotel guide
Where to stay in Ålesund: five hotels in town and by the fjord
Ålesund burned in 1904 and was rebuilt in Art Nouveau style within three years. Today you can sleep in a former fish warehouse, in a lighthouse at the end of the breakwater or in the forest above the Storfjord. These are the hotels we would choose.
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In short
Best in town: Hotel Brosundet, in an old warehouse by the canal.
Most history: Hotel 1904, the oldest hotel in town.
Views and the park: Scandic Parken, with a ninth-floor restaurant.
Luxury outside town: Storfjord Hotel, 40 minutes by car.
Stay on a fjord: Hotel Union Øye on the Norangsfjord.
Our first choice: Check availability and prices at Hotel Brosundet
Where to stay in Ålesund
The centre is spread across three islands joined by bridges, and almost everything you want to see is a fifteen-minute walk away. Around Brosundet you look straight out on the canal and the fishing boats. Near the town park, the steps up to Aksla and Fjellstua start right behind the hotel. If you would rather have the fjord and the silence, you need to leave town, and you need a car.
Rooms on the canal
Light rooms in oak with views of Brosundet.
Hotel Brosundet
The warehouse on Brosundet was built for cod that was salted and dried before it was shipped to Portugal and Brazil. It is now a hotel with rooms facing the canal or cobbled Apotekergata, and a lobby fireplace that rises 16.5 metres. The room everyone asks for is number 47: the Molja lighthouse at the end of the breakwater, five minutes' walk away, with breakfast delivered to the door and the sea as your closest neighbour. The restaurant, Apotekergata No. 5, serves local seafood, with tables outside by the water in summer.
Best for: couples and first-time visitors who want to stay at the heart of the old town.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Brosundet
Under the glass roof
The lounge at Hotel 1904, where Art Nouveau meets new design.
Hotel 1904
Named after the year the great fire reduced Ålesund to ashes, this is the oldest hotel in town. The rooms are in an Art Nouveau building on Løvenvoldgata, and no two are quite the same. There is a fire in the lobby, and the Green Garden restaurant has a large courtyard and serves klippfisk, the salted and dried cod the town was built on. Ålesund Museum is two minutes away and the Art Nouveau Centre under ten.
Best for: travellers who want to sleep in a piece of history without giving up modern comfort.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel 1904
Polarbjørn
Dinner on the ninth floor with the town and the islands below.
Scandic Parken
Scandic Parken sits on Storgata, a stone's throw from the town park, and most rooms look out over the town or the islands beyond. Polarbjørn, the restaurant on the ninth floor, has views across the centre and out to sea. The steps up to Aksla begin right behind the hotel and the airport bus stops outside. There is a sauna and a gym, and guests speak warmly of the breakfast.
Best for: families and anyone who wants to climb to Fjellstua before breakfast.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Scandic Parken
The lounge at Storfjord
Timber walls and a fire as evening falls over the fjord.
Storfjord Hotel
Around 40 minutes from the centre, Storfjord Hotel has 30 rooms in dark log buildings on a hill above the Storfjord. It is a member of Relais & Châteaux and holds two MICHELIN Keys. A four-course menu of local produce is served every evening, and boat trips leave from the jetty below towards the Geirangerfjord. Read our full Storfjord Hotel review.
Best for: couples who want peace above the fjord and a dinner to remember.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Storfjord Hotel
The salon at Øye
Stone, a fireplace and furniture that has stood there for generations.
Hotel Union Øye
At the head of the Norangsfjord stands a wooden hotel from 1891 where the German emperor and Karen Blixen have stayed. The rooms are named after its famous guests and the salons are furnished much as they were a century ago. The journey from Ålesund takes about two hours by car and ferry through the Hjørundfjord. It is a fine way to spend a couple of nights after Ålesund, on one of the most beautiful fjords in Sunnmøre.
Best for: fjord lovers and anyone who likes old hotels with character.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Union Øye
Getting to Ålesund
There are direct flights to Ålesund Vigra from Oslo and other Norwegian cities. The airport bus takes about 25 minutes to the centre. The Hurtigruten coastal ships also call at Ålesund. For Storfjord or Øye, a hire car from the airport is the easiest option.
When to go
Summer brings long, light evenings, outdoor tables by the canal and the most boat trips on the fjords. Spring and autumn are quieter and cheaper, and you often get the best rooms at Brosundet. In winter the town is quiet, while Storfjord Hotel has open fires and skiing nearby.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best hotel in Ålesund?
In town, Hotel Brosundet is our first choice for its canal-side setting and the Molja lighthouse room. For luxury and peace, Storfjord Hotel outside town is the best option.
Which hotel in central Ålesund has the best location?
Hotel Brosundet and Hotel 1904 are both in the Art Nouveau centre, a few minutes from the canal. Scandic Parken is by the town park, at the foot of the steps up to Aksla.
Can you stay in the lighthouse in Ålesund?
Yes. The Molja lighthouse, or room 47, belongs to Hotel Brosundet and sleeps two. Breakfast is delivered to the door. It books up quickly, so reserve early.
How far is the airport from Ålesund?
Vigra is about 17 kilometres from the centre. The airport bus takes about 25 minutes and stops at several of the hotels.