by JoanM

Created on: April 21, 2010

Bergen is known as a city with its feet in the sea and its head in the clouds and it also has the dubious award of being the wettest city in Norway! After visiting briefly last summer we decided to stop over in Bergen on our return home from a cruise on a Hurtigruten ship. Our travel agent booked us into the Neptun hotel and after a sightseeing tour on the coach from the port depositing people at other hotels we reached our destination. First thoughts was “Oh No!” it was a large block, about 8 storeys high and the entrance I saw was to the underground garage, I much preferred the Radisson on the other side of the harbour. Expensive tastes I’m afraid!  But it was only one night and after collecting our cases we discovered another entrance with ramp for wheelchairs and cases. Things were looking up and improved greatly as we walked into an amazing reception area.  The young trainee on duty was very helpful and soon provided us with our key cards, hardly giving me time to look at all the beautiful artwork decorating the area.

There were 2 lifts and we soon found our room at the end of a corridor looking out over the restaurant at the front of the hotel. I was worried about traffic noise but the windows were excellent and we were not disturbed at all. All the rooms have names and ours was “Olé Bull”, two framed photos on the wall gave the history and a photograph of the gentleman who was a violinist.  There are 124 rooms including some suites, all individually decorated.

 Bedroom

 After nearly 2 weeks in a small cabin the bedroom looked huge! There were two single beds, which to me looked unmade as the Norwegians fold the duvet under the cover and you have to straighten it out before bed. The covers matched the curtains in shades of gold and blue, and the carpet was a lovely deep blue with a tiny cream pattern. A good sized wooden wardrobe housed an iron and board, spare pillows and a shelf with glasses should you feel like getting a drink from the refrigerated coin operated mini bar. We didn’t splash out 25Krone for a can of cola (about £2.50) or 59K for a very small bottle of wine (£5.90!)

The easy chairs and small table, desk and television formed a lounge area which was pleasant to relax in, but even with all the lamps the lighting was poor if you wanted to read at night.  A discreet notice informed us of an “Erotic Channel” for 140 Krone a day! We didn’t

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