Picolo recommends · Hotel in Tromsø, Northern Norway
Scandic Ishavshotel
The coastal ferry slides in beside your window, lights glowing in the blue winter afternoon, with the Arctic Cathedral white across the strait.
You know the building before you arrive: the tall, mast-like tower at the tip of the quay appears on half the postcards of Tromsø. Hurtigruten ships tie up right alongside, and they come and go all day.
Rooms on the water side and the breakfast room face the strait and the Arctic Cathedral on the mainland. Long corridors give the place a shipboard feel, and the staff are used to guests heading out before dawn for husky trips or late at night to look for the aurora.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Scandic Ishavshotel
For a first trip to Tromsø, it is hard to think of a simpler choice. The location is central, the view is the classic one, and the hotel runs smoothly for couples, friends and solo travellers alike.
Book a sea-view room or reconsider. The rooms facing town are cheaper, but they lose the very thing this address is famous for, and at that point other hotels in the centre offer more for the money.
What you get
- Hurtigruten berths next door
- Rooms facing the strait
- Breakfast with a harbour view
- Staff used to early tours
- Central spot on the quay
A day at Scandic Ishavshotel
- Morning
- Breakfast by the window as the first ship of the day ties up.
- Midday
- A walk across the bridge to the Arctic Cathedral.
- Afternoon
- The cable car up to the mountain viewpoint above the city.
- Evening
- A minibus out of town to chase the northern lights.
Location
Tromsø city centre, Tromsø, Norway
Open in MapsQuestions about Scandic Ishavshotel
Can you see Hurtigruten from Scandic Ishavshotel?
Yes. The coastal ferry berths right beside the hotel, and rooms on the water side look straight onto the quay and the strait.
Is Scandic Ishavshotel worth it with a town-view room?
The view is the main reason to stay. A town-facing room is cheaper but loses that, so we would book a sea-view room or choose another hotel.
Is Scandic Ishavshotel good for northern lights tours?
It is well placed. Most operators pick up along the harbour, so you can wait inside until the bus arrives.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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