Hotel Union Geiranger

Gazing out at the storybook landscape of the Geirangerfjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hotel Union Geiranger boasts incomparable vistas, a fascinating history, and a longstanding tradition of offering warm, family-led hospitality. From its lofty mountainside perch in the bucolic village of Geiranger, this Swiss chalet-style hotel rests mere steps from wild waterfalls, dwarfed by the forested, snow-capped peaks that rise around it. Welcoming travelers to the Geirangerfjord since 1891, Hotel Union Geiranger has been owned and operated by the Mjelva family for four generations, ever since it was purchased by Julie and Karl Mjelva in 1899. Consummate hoteliers, they strove to dream up ways to mitigate operation costs and elevate the hotel and the rest of Geiranger into the renowned destination that it is today. In fact, during the course of their stewardship, they went on to establish a waterfall-fueled hydroelectric powerplant that powered both the hotel and several other neighborhood businesses and an appliance factory that manufactured ovens and heaters which outfitted the hotel. They also established a partnership with German automobile maker Adam Opel to develop a fleet of vehicles capable of traversing the treacherous roads of the Geirangerfjord, some of which can still be seen on site to this day.

Under the care of Julie and Karl Mjelva, the hotel’s gracious hospitality soon earned it quite a reputation, drawing European royals and aristocrats and internationally known writers, actors, and musicians to stay there. Today, guests visiting Hotel Union Geiranger enjoy the stunning views the Geirangerfjord is famous for, as well as indoor and outdoor fjord-facing pools, a massive spa with 28 treatment rooms and a mountain-view sauna and relaxation rooms, a handful of dining outlets, and even a collection of vintage cars, which can still be hired out with a chauffeur. Just as hospitable are the hotel’s 197 guestrooms (including 21 suites), each comfortably appointed and offering beautiful views of the surrounding area. Hotel Union Geiranger is open all year round.