We arrive a little bit too early at Wood Hotel. But with a view like this, it hardly matters. From the car, we watch mountains rise from the sea like dragons’ teeth. Up, down, and another row beyond them. Suddenly, it is easy to see where the Norwegian sagas found their inspiration.
We are in Bodø for my birthday. Anna has booked a stay with a spa package as a surprise. After a busy summer, we mostly want some time together. No packed itinerary, no rushing around. And, as I have promised, no thinking about work.
That last part turns out to be surprisingly difficult.
Two armchairs and a view
Inside, we immediately notice the thought that has gone into the hotel. Wood is a large building, yet the timber and exposed beams give it a warmth that makes us feel comfortable straight away. Clean lines, open spaces and wood everywhere. Scandinavian, without feeling cold.
The staff welcome us warmly, but we are already looking forward to getting upstairs. Will the view from our room be as good as the one outside?
On the sixth floor, one below the restaurant, we get our answer. This is exactly what we had hoped for. A bottle of bubbles is sitting on ice, and two armchairs stand by the window.
We sit down.
For the time being, that is as far as we get.
For two hours, we talk, look outside and simply enjoy being together. Sometimes the conversation pauses. There is plenty to look at. The only thing I wish I had brought is a pair of binoculars.
Then Anna checks the time. How has it got so late already? If we want to enjoy the spa before dinner, we really need to get moving.
It takes some convincing.
We weren’t going to talk about work
A little later, we are walking through the hotel in bathrobes and slippers. First, we need to work out which floor we are heading to. Then we take a look around: a relaxation area, a bar, a sauna and an infinity pool.
We decide to warm up first.
The sauna is spacious. There is room to lean back properly, without sitting with your knees tucked up between other guests. We carry on talking about life, our weekend and how much we are enjoying ourselves.
And about the hotel.
Because the longer we stay, the more we notice what this place has to offer. The quiet, the views, the pleasure of spending an entire afternoon without needing to go anywhere else.
I cannot resist mentioning that our guests would probably enjoy it here too.
Mostly because I want to see Anna’s reaction. I did promise not to think about work this weekend, after all.
We laugh. But the idea is out there now.
Bodø switches on the lights
After the sauna, we stop at the bar for a drink and make our way to the pool. Dusk is settling in, and more and more lights appear in the city below.
The darker it gets, the brighter Bodø becomes.
We both have a soft spot for cities lit up at night. For a while, neither of us says much. We just watch. Ten minutes, perhaps longer. Until a subject comes up that we can no longer ignore.
Dinner.
We are hungry. Still, we stay a little longer. And then a little longer again. Eventually, we leave the water behind, head back to our room and exchange our bathrobes for clothes.
The halibut wins
In the restaurant, we are shown to a table for two. Our waiter recommends a wine to go with dinner, and we browse a menu that gives local ingredients plenty of attention.
Fish seems an obvious choice here. But we order two different dishes so we can try each other’s. Anna chooses halibut. I go for duck confit.
My duck is juicy and falls off the bone. An excellent choice, I think.
Then I try the halibut.
That is the highlight of the evening. Beautifully cooked, with accompaniments that work perfectly and wine that brings everything together. We finish feeling satisfied, without needing to roll ourselves back to our room.
The bill is a pleasant surprise too. Norway has a reputation for being expensive, but we feel the price is reasonable for our dinner with wine.
Then it is time for bed. We chose a small room because we were only staying one night. By now, we know we could happily spend a few more days here.
The armchairs probably have something to do with that.
Breakfast comes with a business idea
The next morning, the view is just as beautiful. Breakfast is rather less peaceful than our room. There are plenty of people moving around, and it takes a moment to work out where to start. The staff are busy replenishing dishes and keeping everything in order.
It is the only part of our stay that feels a little hectic.
The food itself is good. The fruit is fresh, and the scrambled eggs are creamy, just how I like them. We find a table and look out over Bodø once more.
The idea from the sauna has stayed with us.
We came here to celebrate my birthday. Now we also want to find out whether we could include this place in our trips. Before checking out, I ask reception for the sales team’s contact details.
So much for taking a weekend off work.
One more dip in the sea
Outside, the rain is pouring down. Proper coastal rain. We run to the car and drive to our next place to stay, an Airbnb in the centre of Bodø.
Our weekend is not over yet. We have also booked a visit to Hot & Salty, a floating spa in the harbour.
There, we alternate between the warmth of the saunas and the cold, salty seawater. We go in more times than we might have expected. In between, we watch boats pass and chat with the people around us.
Once again, there is nowhere else we need to be.
Perhaps that is what appeals to us so much about Bodø. You can head out and explore, but you can also spend an afternoon enjoying the water, the warmth and whatever happens to pass by.
After our busy summer, that is more than enough.
A place we wanted to share
That is how our decision to offer Wood Hotel began. With a birthday, a surprise from Anna and two armchairs by a window.
Over the weekend, we realised how much we enjoyed being there. We stayed seated longer than planned, put off dinner for a few more minutes of the view and were in no particular hurry to leave the following morning.
We wanted our guests to have the chance to experience that too. That is why Wood Hotel in Bodø is now part of what we offer at Go To Sápmi.
Thinking of spending a few days here yourself? Tell us what you would enjoy. We would love to help you plan a stay at Wood Hotel, with time to discover Bodø.
Just leave a little room in your itinerary. Those armchairs by the window can easily claim a couple of hours.
For those who prefer a little more adventure
Our weekend mostly revolves around saunas, good food and gazing out of windows. But if you know us, you know we usually enjoy getting out and exploring too. And there is plenty of that to do around Bodø.
That is why we are also teaming up with Rampen, a local adventure company. Their guides can take you by RIB to Saltstraumen, looking out for sea eagles along the way. Or you can swap the view from your hotel room for one from a rock face, climbing a via ferrata above the sea.
In winter, you can join them for a snowshoe hike to Valnesfossen waterfall, head out in search of the northern lights or explore the mountains of Sulitjelma on an electric snowmobile.
It means we can combine a stay at Wood Hotel with days spent discovering the surrounding area. Wind in your face during the day, followed by a warm sauna and a good dinner.
Although we now completely understand if you would rather spend a day in that armchair.
Thinking of a few days at Wood Hotel? Take a look at the Bodø packages from Go To Sápmi.
View the Bodø packages