- To read about overall budgeting and planning for chasing the Aurora Borealis in Tromso Norway, please visit: Northern Light Chase in Tromso Norway: Cost, Preparation, Weather, and overall experience
- To read about food and restaurants in Tromso Norway, please visit: Food and Cost in Tromso Norway
- To read about overall budgetting and planning of general European trip, please visit: How much does it cost to go to Europe: Italy, France, Spain, Germany, England, or Greece etc?
TROMSO SMART HOTEL - WHERE I STAYED FOR 5 NIGHTS
Debating between a hotel in the center of of Tromso vs. hotel outside of downtown with better Aurora Borealis viewing potential, I made up my mind for Tromso Smarthotel or Smart Hotel in the center of downtown because I decided not to get a rental car as a solo traveler. I ended up staying at Tromso Smarthotel in downtown Tromso for 5 nights in March 2017. Tromso Smarthotel or Smart Hotel was a solid yet simple hotel with friendly staff that were knowledgeable about Tromso tourism in terms of local restaurants, day time activities/tour options and Aurora Borealis chase at night. Even though the hotel was in the center of downtown Tromso along with heavy light pollution, the set up of the hotel bed allowed me to stay in bed while staring at the sky for possible glimpse of the elusive Aurora Borealis. Their single room was very suitable for solo traveler with all the essentials. The cost of the hotel stay ranges from $65 to $100 USD per night on Hotelscombined price comparison site.
Smart Hotel Lobby and Communal areas
I particularly liked the fact that Tromso Smart hotel offers the privacy of individual hotel rooms with private bathrooms yet the hotel communal lobby is used as a social area when breakfast or dinner is not being served. This was an area for travelers to exchange information about Northern Light chase and share our Aurora Borealis photographs with fellow travelers and Norwegians visitors. Along with free WiFi in every hotel room, free computer use in the lobby, Tromso Smarthotel offered free coffee and hot water 24 hours a day.
Smart Hotel Breakfast
Breakfast buffet was optional with my hotel reservation and I paid for the hotel breakfast two times out of my 5-night stay. The breakfast buffet was great and reasonably priced at $13 per day but staying in downtown Tromso opened up the options of exploring other breakfast choices in the city center.
Smart Hotel Surrounding
Conveniently located in the center of downtown Tromso, the location was almost perfect for the purpose of my trip. Supermarket and restaurants were less than 300 feet (100 meters) away. There was also a car rental office less than 150 feet (50 meters) away from the hotel. If there was only one small complaint about the location, I must say it was the small (100 feet or 30 meter) hill from the main strip in downtown to my hotel. Dragging my suitcase in the snow on the hill in Arctic circle temperature was a little challenging on the first day for someone who is from sunny southern California.
TROMSO HOTEL AT POSSIBLY MOST CONVENIENT LOCATION
The advantage of staying in downtown Tromso is the convenience of being nearby restaurants, supermarkets, shopping mall, official tourism office, and tour pick-up/drop-off locations. Transportation between Tromso airport and downtown is also very well established via inexpensive Flybussen bus system. One of the nicer hotels at a great location closer to the main strip of downtown is Scandic Grand Hotel Tromso:
COASTAL HIGH-RISE HOTELS WITH AURORA VIEWING POTENTIAL
One particular hotel in downtown Tromso, Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora offers nice outdoor rooftop Jacuzzi pool, which is set up on the 5th floor of the building at a more coastal location. I believe this offers a high aurora viewing potential while soaking in a heated pool. Another nice hotel, Radisson Blu Hotel Tromso, offers Finnish sauna over looking Arctic Cathedral and Tromso fjords. Most of the nicer hotels in Tromso cost between $150 to $200 USD per night.
*Radisson Blu Hotel Tromso
*Clarion Hotel The Edge
*Scandic Ishavshotel
*Clarion Collection Hotel With
*Quality Hotel Saga
OTHER REASONABLE AND AFFORDABLE HOTELS IN DOWNTOWN TROMSO
There are plenty of reasonable and affordable hotels and hostel options in the city center. Majority of the double rooms cost between $80 to $120 USD per night. I recommend staying closer to the coast or Tromso Tourism office for the convenience. Compare prices on Trivago or Hotelscombined to get the best price comparison for your multi-day stay in Tromso Norway.
*Amalie Hotel Tromso
*Viking Hotell Tromso
*Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromso
*City Living Hotel (Kitchen available)
*Thon Hotel Polar
*ABC Hotel Tromso (Shared bathroom option available)
*Skansen Hotell
HOTEL WITH POSSIBLY THE BEST AURORA VIEWING POTENTIAL
I have done extensive research about Tromso Sydspissen Hotel prior to my trip to Tromso Norway. One of the main reasons was because this hotel was located outside of downtown area with minimal to zero light pollution. Some of the local tourism staff also confirmed about the highest aurora viewing potential of the location, however, I have opted for the more convenient location of Tromso Smart Hotel due to the convenience for a solo traveler.
CABIN ACCOMMODATION NEARBY WITH AURORA VIEWING POTENTIAL
Many of the cabins or cottages are located off the main island of Tromso Norway. These accommodation locations offer near zero light pollution with great aurora viewing potential on clear days. The advantages of this type of accommodation are possible lower cost, equipped with a kitchen, and free parking. The disadvantages are lack of convenience to supermarkets/restaurants, requiring rental cars for transportation and slightly lonely for solo travelers. I have researched for some highly rated cabins, cottages, and resorts:
*Tromso Camping
*Troms Tromso
*Yggdrasiltunet
*Budeia Lodge Living
*Tromso Camping
*Troms Tromso
*Yggdrasiltunet
*Budeia Lodge Living
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATION EXPERIENCE
Some tour companies offer opportunities of staying in a traditional Sami Tent, wooden or Glass Lavvu for the ultimate experiences of sleeping under the Arctic Sky/Northern Lights. Many tours provide 5 to 7-hour stay at a warm Sami tent site while waiting for the elusive Aurora Borealis to show up and some offers overnight stay with meals included. Check out Viator for their reviews on the Sami Lavuu tent experiences.
Lapland Northern Lights Tour from Tromso (Photograph from Viator)
Lapland Northern Lights Tour from Tromso (Photograph from Viator)
Reindeer Camp Dinner with Chance of Northern Lights in Tromso (Photograph from Viator)
INFORMATION
SMARTHOTEL TROMSØ
Adresse
Vestregata 6
9008 Tromsø, Norway
ALSO KNOWN AS
Tromsø; Tromso; 特羅姆瑟; トロムソ; ทรุมเซอ; 트롬쇠
Nordlys, Polarlys, Aurora Borealis, Northern Light, Polar Light, 極光, Aurore Polaire, Polarlicht, 오로라, Poollicht, オーロラ, Zorza Polarna, Полярное сияние, ध्रुवीय ज्योति, شفق قطبی, Aurore polaire, aurore boréale
Norway, ノルウェー, Norge, 挪威, 노르웨이, ประเทศนอร์เวย์, Norvegia, Norvège, Noruega, Norwegen, Norwegia, Noorwegen
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