Haugesund is a small town on the Norwegian cost, located roughly midway between Stavanger and Bergen. Coming from a small country like Switzerland, it’s difficult to imagine that very often, the vastness of Norway makes flying the only viable means of transportation. Oslo – Haugesund is 45 minutes by plane, but ten hours by car!

Location

The Radisson Haugesund sits on the outskirts of town. It’s a fair distance away and just fifteen minutes from the airport on Karmøy island. The hotel only recently reopened after having being closed for several years for refurbishment.

Check-In

By the time I arrive at the hotel it’s 19h45. Reception is quiet and I’m seen to immediately. In Norway it seems to be customary at hotels for them to take the full payment for the room at check-in. Near the entrance to the hotel there’s a table with a bowl of apples, one with sweets, and another with some delectable biscuits for guests to help themselves.

The Staff & Service

Interaction with the staff is somewhat limited, given that everything is more or less self-service at the hotel. But the team at reception are great. For example, on the day of my departure I request a late check-out, which they give me without hesitation until 14h00 instead of noon.

Double Room with Sea View

I’ve booked a room looking out towards the channel between the mainland and Karmøy island. My room is on the second floor, which is, however, one level below reception. As a result, I can only partially see the sea from my room.

The room is very bright when I enter, with the evening sun shining in. The room has a small balcony. It’s not big enough to put a deck chair, but this is Norway after all. It’s not as though they’re expecting tropical heatwaves any time soon.

In Switzerland, the norm for beds is to have a slanted base in the bed frame on which a thick mattress is then placed. In Norway, however, beds tend to have solid bases in varying degrees of firmness on which a thin mattress is then placed.

The bathroom is small and compact. It features a walk-in shower which scores low on the Knight of Malta shower scale. Pressure and temperature control are okay, but by the time I’m done showering, I’ve basically flooded the entire bathroom, even though I don’t actually take such a long shower. The issue stems from the fact that the shower isn’t wide enough. As a result, my elbow sticks out – causing the water to drip down onto the floor in front of the shower.

Amenities

In terms of amenities, the room has a water kettle with a few bags of tea and sachets of Nescafe Gold. There’s no milk or cream. I’m also handed a bottle of complimentary still water at check-in.

Dining

All of the room rates at the Radisson Haugesund Hotel include complimentary buffet dinner at the restaurant on the ground floor. I suspect that probably has to do with the fact that most patrons appear to be offshore workers on their way to or from one of the oil rigs on Norway’s coast. The food is not bad, but if you’re vegetarian, it might be difficult finding something balanced to eat. The Norwegians are serious carnivores!

Conclusion

The Radisson Haugesund Hotel is not the kind of place that will have you clutching, metaphorically, at your pearls because it’s just so amazing. To be honest, I think you can probably say the same about Haugesund itself. The lush and rugged natural beauty surrounding the town is simply beautiful, but the town itself is small and nondescript. If ever you happen to find yourself in this neck of the woods, though, the Radisson Haugesund is a good place to stay.