Looking for the best places to stay in Bergen, Norway? You’re in the right place.
I spent two months in Norway and Bergen was my absolute favorite city that I visited in the entire country. I stayed just outside the city at a really cute Airbnb on a farmstay because the public transportation was so good that I could bus directly into town every day.
It made it a lot cheaper. I also spent some time at places directly in the city, so I’m here to share my pros and cons on exactly which area of the city you should stay in, as well as some of the best hotels and hostels that you can stay at in each area.
I’ll provide a full breakdown of the best places to stay in Bergen, Norway depending on what exactly you’re looking for. We’ll cover luxury, mid-range, and more budget options so that you can find something for sure in this post, a place you want to stay.
My Top 3 Picks:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅Great for meeting people, with hikes and BBQs planned for guests
✅ Free breakfast buffet and a well-equipped kitchen
✅ Right by Mount Ulriken’s hiking trails and cable car
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅ Old-timey charm right in the city centre
✅ Consistently rated one of Bergen’s best hotel breakfasts
✅ Fitness centre and room service included
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
✅ Most luxurious hotel experience in Bergen
✅ Magical decor and architecture
✅ Multiple restaurants on site with extraordinary food
Best Areas to Stay in Bergen
City Centre – Bryggen and Torgallmenningen
I’ll say right off the bat that staying in the city center is definitely the most convenient. The city center is made up of two areas:
- Bryggen, near the harbor
- Torgallmenningen, which is just a few minutes’ walk on the other side of the harbor
It’s where some of the main squares and shopping streets are. You can’t really go wrong staying in Bryggen versus Torgallmenningen because they are genuinely so close together, like a 5-minute walk.
Luxury / 5 Star Hotels in Bergen City Centre:
Charmante Skostredet Hôtel
⭐️ RATING: 9.1/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: Quirky decor, 24-hour desk, restaurant & bar, baggage storage, breakfast included | ✅ Book it!
The main reason to stay here is the vibe. The decor is super quirky and eclectic and the rooms have different themes. It is in a central location, service is excellent across the board, and they have incredible breakfast.
The restaurant and bar on-site serve top of the line French cuisine. It is extra popular for couples.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
Skostredet Hotel & Spa
⭐️ RATING: 8.8/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: 2 restaurants, spa, fitness centre, room service, breakfast included | ✅ Book it!
Stay here for the unique spa, which has a real snow room, steam saunas, and Nordic saunas. Keep in mind, the spa does cost extra, although it is discounted for guests.
Their restaurant on-site has fine-dining Japanese cuisine but they also have brunch. They have room service.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
Bergen Børs Hotel
⭐️ RATING: 8.7/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: 2 restaurants, spa, fitness centre, room service, breakfast included | ✅ Book it!
The decor in this place is magical and the #1 reason to stay. Bergen Bors is arguably the most famous luxurious hotel in Bergen. It is big with 3 restaurants on-site, room service, an airport shuttle. So you get a more complete experience right at the hotel.
They claim to offer celebrity treatment and the location is also great. The image above is from one of their award winning restaurants, so it tells you the food is also divine. Overall, this is one of the BEST hotels in Bergen.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
Boutique Hotels in Bergen City Centre:
Det Hanseatiske Hotel
⭐️ RATING: 8.5/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: In one of the historic wood buildings near Bryggen, 24-hour desk, baggage storage, small bar | ✅ Book it!
Stay here if you want to be right in the Hanseatic wharf in a UNESCO protected classic building. You can feel the history in the charm of the angled ceilings and traditional decor.
They have centuries-old timber walls, wooden furniture and leather sofas. The hotel was built in 1702, but they still offer modern amenities.
Mid-Range Hotels in Bergen City Centre
Grand Hotel Terminus
⭐️ RATING: 8.4/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: Fitness centre, parking, breakfast included, room service & restaurant, baggage storage | ✅ Book it!
This hotel is one of the best for old-timey character and beautiful decor in the mid-range budget. It is right in Bergen’s city centre and has a fitness centre.
The breakfast they serve consistently gets mentioned in the reviews as some of the best hotel breakfast ever. They also have thousandsssss of reviews so you know you’re getting a good room.
Magic Kloverhuset Harbour Hotel
⭐️ RATING: 8.2/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: Harbour views, 24-hour desk, baggage storage, free breakfast | ✅ Book it!
If you love a room with a view, this hotel has windows overlooking the city’s harbour. You can watch the boats glide in and out each morning.
The rooms are pretty standard and clean. They also have a bar on-site. This one is considered on the cheaper end of mid-range, so if price is a factor, this one is a good choice.
The Best Cheap Stay in Bergen
Scandic Torget Bergen
⭐️ RATING: 8.1/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: 24-hour desk, bar, great location | ✅ Book it!
Scandic Torget Bergen is one of the cheapest private hotel rooms you can get in Bergen. Unless you start looking at hostels and shared dorms. The accommodation is simple but clean and in the central location you need.
They are one of the highest reviewed hotels in the city and reliable for a comfy stay. Breakfast isn’t included unless you pay a slight increase in your night stay.
The Cheapest Stays in Bergen (Hostels):
Intermission Hostel
⭐️ RATING: 9.4/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: cheapest option, free tea/coffee, waffle nights, laundry | ✅ Book it!
If you want the actual cheapest hostel in Bergen right now, this is it. Intermission Hostel is inside a house built in 1760, tucked near the city centre, and it has tons of old house character.
I’d say this one is for experienced hostel goers. The dorm rooms are big, with lots of people sharing basic bunk beds in one space, so it’s not for anyone who needs quiet or privacy.
What you get in return is one of the best locations for the price. The fish market and Bryggen are about a 7-minute walk away, and it’s close to both the train station and the bus station. Plus they run activities and community events.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
City Hostel Bergen
⭐️ RATING: 8.5/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: Fast wifi, laundry, kitchen, central location near the train station | ✅ Book it!
Another hostel option with a slightly better location than the last one. This one also has smaller dorm room options and is by the train station. It’s also a very short 7 minute walk to the harbourfront so a great location.
Some reviewers have pointed out that they don’t really have community events to join and meet people. But they are a good, clean, convenient, cheap option in Bergen’s centre.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
The Nordnes Neighbourhood
Nordnes is the area I’d point you to if you want to be near the city centre without actually being in the middle of it.
It’s a quiet peninsula that juts out into the harbor, about a 10 to 20 minute walk from Bryggen. Colorful wooden houses line narrow, cobblestone streets and it’s mostly locals out walking their dogs, not tourists.
The Bergen Aquarium sits right at the tip of the peninsula, and there’s a park along the water where people jog and picnic in the summer.
Dining and nightlife are limited here compared to the city centre. But if you want quiet mornings and a slower pace, and you don’t mind a short walk into town, Nordnes is a really lovely place to base yourself.
There aren’t a ton of hotel options in this small area, but still some solid options.
Recommended Hotels in Nordnes, Bergen:
Heimen Hotel
⭐️ RATING: 8.1/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: Breakfast, parking, pet friendly, fitness centre, free breakfast | ✅ Book it!
This is just on the cusp of the Nordnes area in an old white building with aesthetic balconies in some of the rooms. It fits in the mid to higher range price-wise but has amazing service and beautiful rooms.
They have a great restaurant on-site, access to a gym, and everyone comments on how fantastic the location.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
Airbnbs in Nordnes
If the above hotel doesn’t suit your style, then I actually recommend renting an Airbnb for the Nordnes area. Then you get to stay in an old traditional building in a full apartment and there are a lot more options. That’s what I ended up doing when I stayed in Bergen the second time.
I was also on more of a budget this time, so was able to get a private room rather than an entire apartment to save money.
I’ve linked some of my favourite Airbnb options. All of them are full apartments:
Staying Outside Bergen’s City Centre
Is it possible to stay outside the city center? Yes, and I’d actually recommend it if you’re on a tight budget.
The first time I visited Bergen, I left booking my accommodation until really last minute, like only a week in advance. All of the cheap accommodation options in the city were completely booked.
I ended up booking a place that was about 40 minutes outside the main city center, and it was incredibly easy because it was just a direct bus ride. It dropped me off right in front of my Airbnb.
I got to stay at a really beautiful farm stay in a place that felt very authentic and charming. It was local life that not a lot of tourists get to see, because I was staying outside Bergen.
The transportation in Norway is incredibly efficient and easy to use, and pretty affordable, so it really made this doable for me. I’d 100% consider doing this if you’re looking for the cheapest places to stay in Bergen.
A few tips if you go this route:
- Book really early. The cheap options outside the centre still get snapped up fast in peak season.
- Check that your accommodation is on a direct bus line so you’re not dealing with transfers late at night.
HI Bergen Hostel Montana
⭐️ RATING: 9.4/10 Stars | ⏳ AMENITIES: Kitchen, group daily activities, shared dorms and private rooms, free breakfast, laundry, fitness centre | ✅ Book it!
This is Bergen’s best hostel. It has dorms and private rooms and prides itself on the community it creates amongst the guests. It is really close to Mount Ulriken so the views of the mountain above are beautiful.
The hostel plans hikes, bbqs and other daily activities for guests. The one downside is that they are a decent ways out of the city centre. It’s pretty easy to take the 11 bus right to the main bus station though.
🤩 Check Prices and Availability!
Near Bergen Airport
The only reason I would recommend staying near Bergen Airport is if you have a single night and you don’t really plan to stay in Bergen. You’re just using Bergen as a stopover to get to your next destination.
The transportation within the city is so efficient that I don’t think you need to stay at an airport hotel unless you have a really early flight the next morning.
The airport bus, Flybussen, takes about 30 minutes between the airport and the city centre, running every 30 to 40 minutes throughout the day. The light rail (Bybanen Line 1) also connects the airport directly to the city centre, though it takes closer to 45 minutes and makes more stops along the way.
Both options drop you close to the centre, so unless you’re flying out at 6am, you really don’t need to sleep next to the runway.
If you do need an airport stay, Comfort Hotel Bergen Airport is a solid pick. It has a fitness centre, a 24-hour front desk, and breakfast starting as early as 5am for those early flights.
FAQs About Where to Stay in Bergen, Norway
Where should I stay in Bergen?
For most visitors, the city centre around Bryggen and Torgallmenningen is the easiest answer. Everything is walkable from there, and it puts you closest to the fish market and the harbour.
Where to stay in Bergen for cheap?
Look at hostels first. Intermission Hostel and City Hostel Bergen are two of the cheapest places to stay in Bergen right now, and booking an Airbnb outside the city centre works even better if you plan ahead. Booking early is still the single best way to keep a cheap stay in Bergen actually cheap.
🤩 RECAP:
My #1 Budget Option – HI Bergen Hostel Montana
My #1 Mid-Range Option: Grand Hotel Terminus
My #1 Luxury Hotel Option: Bergen Bors Hotel
Combining Bergen With Other Norway Destinations
If you’re currently planning your Norway trip, here’s some of the other amazing destinations that pair really well with Bergen.
Stavanger
Stavanger is about 5 hours direct bus ride from Bergen, which in Norway is considered decently close. It pairs incredibly well with Bergen for a week itinerary in Norway.
Why? Because Stavanger is also surrounded by big fjords. It also has two of Norway’s big 3 hikes (Preikestolen and Kjeragbolten). Amongst many other amazing things to do in Stavanger (like an “escape the oil rig” simulation museum, a white wooden old town, and spotting jellyfish in the harbour).
The combo of Bergen and Stavanger means: the best fjords in the country, the best hikes in the country, and some of the best culture in the country.
Trolltunga / Odda
Odda is the name of the town you access the famous Trolltunga hike from. Trolltunga is the third of Norway’s big 3 hikes.
It is a much longer hike, taking between 8 – 10 hours to complete, lots of elevation, and over 20 km. BUT, look at that view.
Trolltunga is about 3 hours drive from Bergen, making it a great addition to your trip if you are basing your itinerary in Bergen. It’s best to spend 1 night in Odda after the hike.
As a side note, there are also some cool ways you can do the Trolltunga hike where you can sleep the night at the top on a tour. You won’t have to do a full 20 km+ in a single day and you’ll be first at the viewpoints in the morning.
⭐My quick cheat sheet for Norway:
🏠Places to Stay:
→ In Bergen: Magic Hotel & Apartments Kløverhuset is the best mid-range option because its right in the centre of the tourist centre, has amazing views over the harbour, serves delicious breakfast, and has apartment options if you want a full kitchen set up.
→ In Stavanger: VANDER – Pedersgata is an amazing option for studio apartments in central Stavanger. It’s within close walking distance to the best sights, has an airport shuttle, laundry and parking for those with a rental car. If you do have a car and are willing to stay about 20 minutes outside the city centre, I HIGHLY recommend Pulpit Rock Hostel Vaulali. I worked here for a month at the front desk and the property has stunning fjord views, a private beach, playgrounds, and canoe rentals to get out in the fhord.
→ In Oslo: The Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel is one of the best hotels in Oslo. They have extraordinary views over the city, a swimming pool and sauna, valet parking, and restaurants with great food on-site.
👉 Must-do tours:
→ In Bergen: Fjord tours are a MUST in Norway and especially Bergen (aka the gateway to the fjords). Sognefjord is considered the king of the fjords, and this tour is the best one to see it and the famous flam railway.
→ In Stavanger: Stavanger has the famous Pulpit Rock and this Rib boat tour takes you to the bottom of it to feel its impressive height. They also stop at waterfalls in the fjord! You can also take an excellent kayak tour around the Jorpeland islands.
→ In Oslo: This sightseeing tour combines land and water to see all the best sightseeing spots in Oslo. They take you around by coach bus to see places like Vigeland Park and ship museums at Bygdøy Peninsula. Then you embark by cruise to explore around Oslo’s islands.
🚗 Need to Rent a Car?
I use AutoEurope for rental cars because they gather all the best deals across the local rental companies to show you the best deals. I also find it the least stressful to navigate and it’s not overly sneaky with additional fees (although there are always some if you want insurance!).
Your Next Step: Planning the Rest of Your Trip to Norway
Now that you know the best place to stay in Bergen for your trip, the real planning starts: fitting Bergen into the rest of your time in Norway.
If you haven’t mapped out your route yet, start with my step-by-step guide to planning a trip to Norway. It’ll help you figure out how many days you actually need and where Bergen fits into the bigger picture.
If you haven’t started piecing it together yet, this 4-day Bergen itinerary walks you through exactly how to spend your time, from a Bryggen walking tour and a fjord cruise to the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen, plus when to slot in a day trip on the Flåm Railway or out to Trolltunga.
Speaking of Trolltunga, if that hike made your list, my guide to the best Trolltunga tours breaks down the guided options so you’re not attempting the 20+ km hike solo.
Wherever you land, you’re set up well. Whether you’re visiting Bergen in the height of summer or a quieter month like October, it was, hands down, the most beautiful city I visited in Norway.
Plan Your Trip - My Favourite Resources
📱 Stay Connected Without Expensive Roaming Fees
I never travel without an e-Sim now. You pay a fraction of roaming fees, and simply download the e-Sim to your phone instead of switching SIM cards. The service I always use is Airola.
🏠 Book Your Accommodation
I always use Booking.com to find and book the best hotels at the cheapest rate. For cheap and social options, I love using Hostelworld - they also have private rooms.
🏄♀️ Book Your Tours and Excursions
I book adventure tours anywhere in the world through Manawa. My second favourite is Viator - it has the largest selection of tours with local operators and offers flexible cancellation.
Need Help Planning Your Next Adventure?
Join my newsletter to get access to your FREE exclusive trip planner + more awesome adventure travel content by me!
No spam and you can unsubscribe anytime!
