Stay in the center of Longyearbyen, in the world's northernmost full-service hotel. There may be accommodations deeper into the no man's land of the frigid zone, but none with a hotel-level comfort. The hotel is located only 828 miles (1,333 kilometers) from the North Pole and has a unique atmosphere shaped by the mystery of the surrounding wilderness.
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen is a family-friendly place that opened in 1995 with fantastic views of Adventdalen, Hiorthfjellet, and Adventfjorden mountains.
The hotel reopened in 2019 after extensive renovations. To get there, you need to take a flight to Svalbard. The world's northernmost airport is in Longyearbyen, where you will land to explore one of the most exotic parts of the world.
If you exclude tiny villages, Longyear Town is the northernmost settlement in the world. Over a thousand people live permanently here despite the brutal cold and darkness for four months of the year. Between 26 October and 16 February, it's utterly dark, and only the spectacular light shows of the Aurora Borealis save the day.
Most people only bear this for a couple of years before moving away. Looking at this map, you can see why. There isn't too much north of Longyearbyen, and after spending a few months in the town, you pretty much get to know everyone. However, from a tourist's point of view, there aren't many places in the world that are more fascinating, and the Radisson Blue Polar Hotel is a worthy contender to stay in during your adventures.
Svalbard has four months of total darkness and four months of the midnight sun.
There are lounges in the hotel's lobby where you can rest in front of the crackling fireplace while the snowstorm passes.
In addition, you can enjoy delicious food in the Nansen Restaurant or an ice-cold beer in the Barentz Gastropub during your stay.
A free and tasty breakfast buffet is served each morning in Restaurant Nansen.
At the hotel's restaurant, Restaurant Nansen, some of the best ingredients from the Arctic are used in combination with Asian flavors.
So you can go on a culinary journey trying some Asian fusion food while enjoying the view of the beautiful Adventfjord and Hiorthfjellet mountains.
Barentz Gastropub offers delicious pub food with an Arctic twist. What's more, the pub participates in the competition for Svalbard's best pizza, so it must be pretty good!
The hotel has 128 rooms, of which 67 are standard, 30 are superior rooms, 26 are junior suites, and 5 are suites.
All rooms are well equipped with a private bathroom, TV, slippers, and a kettle.
The family room is 48 m² large, and there is room for four people in a separate bedroom and on a sofa bed. The large panoramic windows offer an amazing view of the Hiorthfjellet.
You can get familiar with some of the fascinating polar personalities in the junior suites. The junior suites were created in 2015 and are decorated with pictures and stories from polar history.
The standard double rooms are about 24 m² large and are equipped with a comfy double bed. The bathroom has a bathtub, and the room has an electric kettle, TV, high-speed WiFi, and slippers.
The Suite is located in the hotel's new wing, and it's an upgrade to the old ones in every way.
The twin rooms are about 20 m² large and have a majestic view of either Platåfjellet, Isfjorden, or Hiorthfjellet.
A visit to a hot sauna might be tempting after a day out in the wilderness.
There is also a lovely whirlpool with a view directly towards the Hiortfjellet mountain.
Snowcat tour in the wilderness of Norway's Arctic territory
Radisson Blu Polar Hotel can arrange various polar experiences, including dog sledding trips, snowmobile safaris, ice cave walks, exploring the polar night and the northern lights, hiking, cruising, kayaking, and horseback riding.
This hotel has a facility to monitor the northern lights forecast on a camera, and they can message you when they are visible. So you won't miss the spectacular aurora borealis!
Main Road, 9171 Longyearbyen, Norway
