Spending the Night in a Traditional Rorbu

Trip Index:

Getting There in Austrian Business Class
Seeing the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights)
The Road to Lofoten is Paved with Postcards
On the Way to Rorbu #15 in Lofoten
Spending the Night in a Traditional Rorbu
Exploring the Picturesque Lofoten Islands
A Night in a Traditional Rorbuer
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel (only 800 miles from the North Pole!)
Longyearbyen – the World’s Northernmost City
Crossing the Isfjord in a Boat
Barentsburg Mining Town
Face to Face with Esmark Glacier

Just inside the door there were hooks for coats and a nook for shoes, and rugs underneath. The place felt cozy and calm, which was a sharp contrast to the windy, rainy weather outside. In fact, I loved the place immediately. Have you ever walked into a hotel or house and felt at home instantly? It was like that.

Just to the left off the short hallway was the first bedroom which had bunk beds. Rather than a closet there was a clothes bar which was just fine considering we were only there for one night.

The bathroom was spacious and had wonderfully heated floors. The jacuzzi tub also had jets.

There were plenty of hooks, but no towels in the room. We had each been given one large towel (and many guests come prepared with their own) but in hindsight I think I would have asked for at least one more. There was no hand towel in the bathroom, no paper towels in the kitchen, no washcloths or anything else. That made it a bit challenging later on when there was a little spill. We all sat around looking at each other, wondering who would offer up their only towel…

Everything in the cabin was tidy, and very clean. The kitchen was cute and looked functional but we wouldn’t be using it during our stay since it was so short. If we had though, it really didn’t have a lot of items so I probably would have wanted to bring some of my own utensils. I did love the little candles in the window though, and the view.

The family room had a lovely fireplace, and at dinner we asked if there was any wood but unfortunately there was none. It would have been nice to sit by the fire in the evening, so if you’re planning on going you might want to pick up a Duraflame log in a store before arriving.

The family room had plenty of seating, with a couch and several chairs. This would have been a perfect place to hang out at the end of a day, or simply a cozy place to relax for a few days with a good book.

There were even books provided for that very purpose. It was such a relaxing area that I lamented the fact that we were only there for one night. I could easily have settled in for a week!

The sliding glass doors opened out onto a dock that was over the water, but because it was still cold and rainy I ventured out for just a minute before retreating back to the cozy warmth inside.

I took the steep steps/ladder up to the second story of the Rorbu to check it out.

The roof was slanted so I had to crouch down on the sides but could stand up just fine in the middle.

I was surprised to find two more bedrooms upstairs, since the owner had only mentioned two total. The first one I came to had two beds.

Even the little lamp charmingly made a crescent moon shape on the ceiling.

The beds had all recently had thick Tempurpedic mattress toppers added which made them soo comfortable. Even though the pillows were synthetic there was also an extra blanket that had thoughtfully been placed on the beds.

The last bedroom was the master with just one big bed, and it was my favorite by far.

The comforter was down-filled and fluffy. A super soft and fluffy rug had gently been arranged near the bed, and some candles were on the bedside table hear the window.

There were outlets right by the bed, and a silent heater on the wall worked like a champ to reach just the perfect temperature.

There was also a special feature in the bedroom – a skylight! If I’d ever had a skylight in a hotel room before it certainly hadn’t been as cool as this one. Placed right over the bed it was in a perfect location too.

It opened up easily to let in air, and had a set of blinds to close at night.

There were few lights outside when the skies darkened, and since the rain had subsided I was able to open it up to get a clear view. How many places have you stayed in where you were tucked into bed with a cozily warm down blanket, gazing up through the open skylight at the starry skies above? I can count them easily – just this place! The two small windows by the bed easily opened outwards as well, and the view was of the boats in the harbor. So, so incredible.

After settling in to enjoy the cabin, we headed back over to the reception building for dinner at 6:30pm. I wanted to light the little candles in the window but decided to do so after I returned.

After arriving, we were greeted warmly, asked to take a seat, and a few seconds later the proprietor reappeared carrying the biggest frying pan I’ve ever seen! He plunked it down on the table with a flourish. Dinner was served.

The meal consisted of cod fish, green beans, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes and a yummy sauce that tasted like it had plenty of cream and butter in it. It smelled and tasted soooooo good!

The potatoes had been roasted in olive oil and had been added to the frying pan before serving. Surely meant for a party of 6, we three barely made a dent in the dish.

As we stuffed ourselves with the delicious meal, there were plenty of interesting items in the room to look at, and dining by candlelight we had a gorgeous view looking straight out over the water.

There was even a framed photo of King Olav V, who was probably the most loved King of Norway ever.

Returning back to the cabin the coded entry was easy to use to get inside. The air was crisp and cool, and it was silent save for the occasional soft clanging of the boats in the marina. There may have been people staying in some of the Rorbuer nearby, but I didn’t hear or see a single person.

In the morning I pushed the little doors to the bedroom window open and found a beautiful day waiting.

The rain and dark, heavy clouds had disappeared overnight, and in their place there were only a few wispy clouds. The water was beautifully smooth like glass and reflected the sky above. My postcard-perfect views were back, and even more amazing than the day before!

I was hopping to start the new day, and hurried downstairs to take a shower. The shower in the tub was a curious thing. Pulling the hand washer up and fixing it on the rod above the tub, it allowed for a decent shower. There was no curtain or door though, so it was a bit odd to stand in the tub taking a shower. Turning on the water to the shower also made the water come out of the tub jets a little, and since the “jacuzzi†had a slightly lower bottom in one area I had to be careful not to slip around. The temperature in the bathroom was nice and warm though, and the floor was heated. Once out of the shower there was the rug to stand on, but as there was just one towel per person there wasn’t a separate one to wrap around hair or lay down near the sink. I think next time I’d skip the special Jacuzzi and go for a regular cabin, but I sure was enamored with everything else about Rorbu #15.

Breakfast was served back at the reception hall the next morning. Fried eggs were cooked up along with ham, there was bread, meats, cheeses, cereals and juices.

After breakfast we got on the road to see the sights of Lofoten, which was a perfect day to do so!