Hotels in Tromsø: where to sleep with the strait, the bridge and the mountain in view

The city from the top

Clarion Hotel The Edge is the glass building that rises above the quay in the middle of the centre, with a bar on the top floor that looks over the strait, the bridge and the mountains in every direction. The rooms are modern and clean-lined, with large windows and solid insulation against sound and cold, which you come to value when the wind turns northerly.

Staying here feels urban in a way Tromsø otherwise does not. The lobby is tall and open, breakfast is generous, and the top-floor bar draws people from across the city on clear nights. It appeals to travellers who want comfort and views without compromise, and anyone who likes a bar to go to after dinner without stepping into the cold. If you are after something small and snug with local history, you will find it a few hundred metres along the quay.

The coastal ferry as a neighbour

Scandic Ishavshotel stands at the far end of the quay with the mast-like tower that makes it recognisable from every postcard. The Hurtigruten coastal ferry berths alongside, and from the breakfast room and the water-facing rooms you watch the ships come and go with the Arctic Cathedral behind them.

It feels like staying aboard a ship that has moored for good. The corridors are long, the view is the reason for everything, and the staff are used to guests leaving at five in the morning for the dog sleds or at nine at night for the sky. It is the safest first-time choice in town, for couples, groups of friends and solo travellers who want everything simple. City-facing rooms are cheaper, but then you are paying for the address without getting what the address is known for.

Big, safe and next to everything

Radisson Blu Hotel Tromsø sits on Sjøgata with the quay on one side and the centre's streets on the other, and is one of the largest hotels in the city. You notice it in the lobby, where someone is always heading out in expedition gear, and in the breakfast room, which is built to feed a crowd before the minibuses arrive.

You stay here so that everything runs smoothly. Rooms are tidy, many look over the strait, and there is a bar and restaurant in the building for evenings when you cannot face going out. It is well suited to families, who get space and easy logistics, and groups heading out on the same excursion each day. Anyone looking for character will find it anonymous, and that is the price of a hotel that works this well.

The old sea warehouse

Clarion Collection Hotel With occupies a converted sea warehouse on Sjøgata, right by the quay, and you can tell from the rough timber walls and the irregular floor plan. Rooms vary in shape, several have sloping ceilings and windows onto the strait, and the ground-floor lounge serves something sweet in the afternoon and a simple supper later on.

It feels like staying with someone in Tromsø who has cleared a room for you. The sofas are full of guests with mugs of tea and hiking trousers, and in the morning you hear the gulls before the traffic. It is a good fit for travellers who want history and homeliness, couples, and anyone who likes there to be food waiting when they come in from the cold. If you want sharp design, a gym and identical rooms, The Edge is your hotel.

Breakfast and good sense

Thon Hotel Tromsø is on Grønnegata, two blocks up from the quay, in a street of shops and cafés. It is a typical Thon: modern rooms in bold colours, a breakfast that outperforms many pricier hotels, and a reception desk that knows which tour operator is actually running today.

You stay here to get a lot of hotel for the money without being far from anything. You will not see the strait from your room, but you can walk to it in four minutes, and the money saved pays for a dinner out. It works best for travellers putting their budget into whale watching and dog sledding, business guests, and anyone who does not mind missing a view when the light is gone half the day anyway. If you have come a long way to see the strait from your bed, choose the quay.

Sea on three sides

Sommarøy Arctic Hotel sits on the small island of Sommarøy at the ocean's edge west of Tromsø, surrounded by white sand beaches, fishing boats and mountain peaks. You stay in the main building or in small cabins at the water's edge, and either way it is the sea that fills the window.

It feels like a different region, not a different district. It is quiet enough to hear the waves, dark enough for the sky to do what it should on clear nights, and breakfast comes with a view over sounds and skerries. It is ideal for couples after calm, travellers with a hire car who want to pair city and coast, and photographers. If you want restaurants, museums and pick-ups at the door, stay in Tromsø and come here for a day trip instead.