At the heart of the small village of Gerianger lies one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, The Hotel Union. Blessed with sweeping views of the UNESCO listed Geriangerfjord, this first-class establishment is a destination in its own right.

A family run business for four generations, we spoke to husband-and-wife team and current managers Sindre and Monja. The share with us the Hotel Union’s history and the many ways you can pass a relaxing 48 hours in these blissful surroundings.

For travel inspiration: Norway destination guide

The Hotel Union – A Destination in Itself

“My wife Monja and I have been running the hotel for over 25 years and our family have owned it since 1899,” Sindre tells us, adding that The Union’s history began with his great grandmother who came from the area outside Lillehammer. “She moved to a village not far from here in the 1890s, working herself up from being a maid to the managing director [of a hotel].

When she met his great grandfather, they shared a mutual desire to buy the hotel in Geiranger. “It was my great grandmother who bought the hotel,” he says. “She’d inherited money and they bought it in 1899.”

Discover this on: Timeless Scandinavia

Rooms With a View You Won’t Want to Leave

Originally built in 1891 out of timber, Sindre tells us that that the hotel was constructed in “the Swiss Norwegian dragon style”. Having been expanded and renovated several times, today the Union is a modern hotel with 197 rooms. Over and above standard rooms, guests can choose deluxe rooms with a fjord view.

With this kind of scenery, you may not even want to leave your room, but there are plenty of reasons to. “The hotel is a four-star hotel but is also a full-service hotel with all everything you can imagine for a [fabulous] vacation,” says Sindre. “We have two restaurants, a small cafe, bars, and even a nightclub if you want to go dancing. We also have our spa.”

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Wining and Dining

Of course, exceptional dining comes hand in hand with a hotel of this caliber. Fjorden is the main restaurant which serves a breakfast and dinner buffet, with a wide selection of both hot and cold dishes. You can also lunch outside with spectacular views of the fjord at the hotel’s Café Løsta.

For a bespoke fine dining experience, Restaurant Julie is the a la carte restaurant, serving a seasonal lunch and dinner menu. Enjoy dishes showcasing fine local ingredients such as halibut, served with nashi pear, green chili, Tamari soy sauce and finger lime. You can also savor a fine range of selected international ingredients and a great vegetarian menu, the perfect way to spend an evening. The hotel has its own wine cellar and offers wine tasting for groups upon request.

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Geirangerfjord, a Natural Paradise

The Geirangerfjord was created over a succession of ice ages, its deep blue waters surrounded by mountainous peaks and numerous waterfalls which create a never-ending display of rainbow colors. The perfect setting to create one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, Sindre explains that “the nature here is dramatic and beautiful,” and has not only placed the fjord on the UNESCO World heritage list but has also been creating tourism for the area since 1869.

“Geirangerfjord has so many waterfalls and also its mountain farms, which make not only the nature but also the life stories around Geiranger such a very special experience,” he says.

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Lose Yourself in Nature

There’s plenty of ways to enjoy this natural paradise, using the Union Hotel, one of Norway’s most scenic hotels as a base, “You can go on different hikes around in the area here, or spend time cycling and kayaking,” says Monja. “You can sail the fjord, either with tours or small private boats.”

She also recommends spending time at the World Heritage Center right beside the hotel. The exhibitions and interactive stations give you an opportunity to learn about the geological processes that formed the fjord landscape, and to see what the landscape looks like today.

“Of course, you have to see the Seven Sisters,” she enthuses, talking of the famous and most photographed waterfall in the fjord. The 410m waterfall consists of seven separate cascades, one of which has a 250m freefall.

“The Flydalsjuvet is a beautiful viewpoint where you can take great pictures,” she advises. Divided into an upper and lower area, this is one of the most popular photography spots in Norway and for good reason

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While Away Time Admiring Vintage Cars

Image credit: @hoteluniongeiranger
on Instagram

For all petrol lovers, the Union Hotel has a unique vintage car museum, featuring American and British cars from the 1920s and 1930s and is open for all guests staying at the hotel. Perfect way to while away a few hours in admiration.

“The car museum was established by my father,” Sindre explains. “He was interested in the history and the culture of the village, and in the 1930s there were a lot of taxis in Geiranger.” Fascinated by these vintage cars, Sindre’s father, together with friends, collected and bought them.

When asked his favorite from the collection Sindre says “the Studebaker 1932 model, which is the only one existing in the world. With a sentimental thought, Monja says the Buick 9032, because that’s the one “I was driven in by my father-in-law when we got married.”

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Relax in the Spa

“We Norwegians love to be on the couch, relaxing and maybe watching TV,” says Monja, “but we also like to go to different hotels, enjoy the food and wine and the spas. So, we built our Spa at The Union with this coziness in mind.” With Norway’s hygge culture gaining an international following, the cozy, intimate and welcoming vibe is something you must experience for yourself.

There’s no nicer way to enjoy the views from one of Norway’s most scenic hotels, than to while away a morning, afternoon or even a decadent full day at the Spa. A place where the body and soul can rest, swim inside or out. Enjoy a sauna, Japanese hot bath or a hydra walk, then choose from the extensive treatment menu. The signature ‘Geirangerfjord’ massage and facial with hot black stones is highly recommended.

“You can be in your bathrobe, lay down on the sofas and enjoy a glass of wine as you look out over the fjord and the mountains,” says Monja. “That’s how we do it in Norway – here you relax by just being and not doing.”

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Simply Unmissable

Its undeniable that this is a place you simply must have on your travel bucket list. “UNESCO have listed Geirangerfjord as one of the top natural sites in the world,” says Monja, adding that National Geographic have rated it as one of the top five unspoiled places on Earth. “You should absolutely come here to see it once in the lifetime and all of us at the Union Hotel look forward to welcoming you.”

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Keen, cultured visitors to Stockholm will almost certainly have Fotografiska on their hit list. The museum, that is – one of the Swedish capital’s top sights, a temple to contemporary photography and an HQ for modern photographers and experts the world over. But not every visitor to the city knows that the building, a former Art Nouveau style customs house, also houses one of Sweden’s most sustainable restaurants. 

Known simply as “The Restaurant”, it’s helmed by the innovative, boundary-pushing Executive Chef Martin Wall. “My role here is as ‘planet keeper’,” says Wall. “I try to keep our philosophy forward-thinking and make sure we do as much as we can, sustainability wise”. Guests on Luxury Gold’s Timeless Scandinavia tour will visit this extraordinary sustainable restaurant during their time in Stockholm – in the meantime, we asked Martin to tell us a little about how he merges a luxury museum experience with a sustainable ethos.

“The Restaurant” Executive Chef Martin Wall

The Formula

“The Restaurant at Fotografiska is plant-forward,” explains Wall. “We try to push the boundaries and understand nature”. His team is on a mission, he says, to “prove that [sustainable restaurants] can be high-end gastronomy and sustainable at the same time”. With a firm zero-waste policy and seasonally-led ingredients, Wall’s team curates set menus of different sizes – three or five courses starting with an appetizer of the day, say – as well as sharp, unusual beverage pairings (one popular selection is “Nordic and funky”, featuring some excellent Scandinavan wines and ingredients). “We normally say that the farmers are the bosses of the restaurant. They decide what’s on the menu – we want the best, today, from nature,” adds Wall. Dishes might include blue mussels with seaweed and root vegetables, or lamb with cucumber, garlic and caramelised cream. It’s contemporary but appealing; the ingredients are the star of the show.

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A dish at The Restaurant at Fotografiska, Stockholm

The “S” Word

Though luxury travellers are more aware than ever before of the need to balance incredible travel experiences with an awareness of impact on the planet, Wall feels the very word “sustainability” has perhaps been overused, or lost some of its power in recent years. “Sustainable dining has been up and down since the pandemic,” he ponders. “I think the word [itself] is the big problem; it doesn’t have the same effect as before. So we’re more talking about ‘consciousness’: to be out there and to be aware of what’s going on, to try to keep pushing forward.”

What does that consciousness mean to him? “It’s important for us to be out there, to make people conscious of the world and to show them and guide them to a more sustainable way. It is possible to do it.” To be a thought leader among sustainable restaurants in the region, this could be through highlighting the best vegetables or foraged plants available that month on the menu, or getting creative with zero-waste principles. Initiatives involve using apple cores in desserts or converting onion peelings to compost to nurture future kitchen vegetables. 

The Restaurant at Fotografiska, Stockholm

Award-winning Dishes

The Restaurant at Fotografiska was awarded a Michelin Green Star in 2020, and has maintained it for every year since. “They introduced the Green Michelin star a few years ago,” says Wall. “It means we’re acknowledged for our sustainable work.” Venues are awarded these rare stamps of approval for having high ethical and environmental standards, from provenance to suppliers and employing locals, as well as combining culinary excellence with an eco ethos. The team’s forward thinking also won them three circles by the 360°Eat Guide. “The 360 Award is big here in the Nordic countries, but it’s all about social and planet-minded sustainability, so it’s a big award for us and we’re so proud to be in it.” While it’s a joy to receive accolades, says Wall, it can also place the burden on the team of keeping such a high standard. But he’s up for the challenge. “It’s a huge role to take on, to make sure you understand the planet the best to make the gastronomy line up with the future,” says Wall. “My plan is to [always] be a little bit better tomorrow than today.”

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The Experience

“When they come here, guests can expect to be ‘here and now’,” says Wall of the museum-restaurant space, which occupies a large-windowed, waterfront dining room with – naturally – great photography on the walls. “It’s not all about what’s on the plate – it’s why it’s on the plate.” Everything presented in sustainable restaurants like his, he says, should be centred around provenance, slow food, zero waste principles and great suppliers. It should represent how great cooking can be done in the age of sustainability.

It’s only when asked for his favourite dish of the moment that Wall pauses for thought. “That’s a tricky one. In Sweden right now, it’s been a long, hard winter, so the asparagus feels like the sun, and the future.” He wants guests to become more conscious of what sustainable restaurant can do, but in the moment, to rest and relax, and be completely present with the food in front of them. “We proudly present the way of the future, so you can calmly come here and wine and dine. We’ve been doing the thinking, so here’s the place where you can relax and enjoy – we’ve done the work for you,” he says.

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Every year the The United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network publishes the annual World Happiness Report. The report ranks every country in the world based on life satisfaction and how happy it perceives itself to be. Other factors such as income, life expectancy, freedoms, and trust in the government are also considered. 

Finland took the top spot as the world’s happiest country in 2022, making it the fifth year running it has held the title. Other Scandinavian and European countries dominate the top ten rankings year after year, including Denmark, Iceland, and Switzerland. But what is it about the way these countries operate that sees them topping the happiness charts? 

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Finland: finding light in the darkness 

For many of us, plenty of sunshine and warm weather keeps our happiness meters topped up. In Finland, sunshine is in short supply. Summers are bright, but they’re also short and not always very warm, given the country’s northerly latitude. What’s more, its winters are exceptionally long, cold and dark. In fact, Finland sees around 200 days out of the calendar when it’s blanketed in snow. So, when it comes to keeping its citizens happy, it’s unlikely to be the weather. What else is going on? 

The power of pulling together

A communal belief in the same idealogical concepts is key to Finland’s status as the world’s happiest country. One of these concepts is sisu. It’s all about inner strength and grit, and persevering in the face of adversity. Instead of waiting for the perfect day, Finns make the effort seize the present moment, even if it’s ice cold outside. They also live by the concept of talkoo, which means to work together for the benefit of everyone. It’s all about cooperating and lifting everyone up equally. 

A wealth of natural resources

Research has found that spending just 30 minutes in nature reduces depression and high blood pressure. And the Finns’ are living proof that exposure to nature makes us happier. Finland has the highest proportion of forested land area in Europe – covering 75% of the country. What’s more, the public has a legal right, known as “Everyman’s Right” to wander in natural areas like forests, rivers, meadows and lakes. You don’t have to get permission from landowners, as long as don’t damage or disturb the area. Whether you want to forage for wild berries, kayak down a river, or camp in a lush field, you’re free to enjoy life all over the country. This unrestricted access to nature is a principal reason Finland is ranked as the world’s happiest country. 

The luxury of time  

Above all, Finland may be the world’s happiest country thanks to their high quality standard of living and strong social policies, such as universal healthcare, affordable childcare, free education, plenty of paid vacation time, and a strong sense of civic responsibility and trust in community and government. It’s not surprising to see that a support network, paid holidays, a comfortable lifestyle, and strong community values leads to happiness. Finland teaches us that having ample time to spend how you wish – whether with friends and family or pursuing meaningful pastimes – is the most valuable luxury on earth. 

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The other runners up

Denmark

Denmark was ranked the second-happiest country in the world in the 2022 World Happiness Report. Similar to Finland, the Danes have created a society that lends itself to contentment and life satisfaction. With strong public policies such as extensive social welfare and world-class and free healthcare and education. Citizens also enjoy a healthy work-life balance, a high sense of autonomy and freedom, income equality and low corruption. It’s clear that socioeconomic factors play a huge part in the happiness of a country’s population. 

The Danish concept of hygge has also taken the world by storm when it comes to finding the secret to happiness. Hygge has no English translation, but it generally means taking time out to enjoy the small things that give you that warm feeling of contentment. It can be hyggeligt to enjoy a warm cup of coffee or snuggle up with a good book or TV show. It can also be hyggeligt to play games with your friends by the fire or take a stroll through nature. In essence, the Danish secret to happiness is enjoying the little luxuries in life with the people you love.

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Iceland

In 2022, Iceland ranked third on the World Happiness Report. The reason may lie in the social cohesion of the country. With a population of 350,000, Iceland is small – but very connected. Icelanders report low levels of loneliness, a stark contrast to many countries struggling with a loneliness epidemic. The majority of the population lives within an hour of the capital Reykjavik so they’re never far away from friends and family. The sense of community extends to immigrants as well, with foreigners reporting the same levels of happiness as people born in Iceland.

While the harsh climate may seem unconducive to happiness, it’s a building block for contentment in Iceland. To survive in such an extreme landscape, Icelanders had to rely on each other, forging a resilience and sense of duty for others that is maintained to this day.

Iceland is also a peace-loving nation, having never formed an army. There is a great sense of trust in society and high autonomy and freedom. Children can roam freely and safely without supervision and citizens enjoy world-class education, healthcare, and progressive social policies.

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Iceland since 2010 and the country has the world’s smallest gender pay gap as it’s illegal to pay women less than men for the same job. Men have the same right to parental leave as women, meaning families are free to choose how they share childcare and working responsibilities.

Overall, Icelandic people are more tolerant and open-minded when it comes to forging different paths in life, making for a very happy environment. 

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