I’ve just returned from a FAM trip through Northern Norway, staying at Scandic The Dock, Lyngen Experience, Cahkal Hotel and Sorrisniva, as well as visiting Trasti & Trine, Bjørnfjell Mountain Lodge and Holmen Husky.
It was a busy few days, but trips like this are such an important part of what we do at Off the Map Travel.
I want to experience these places in the same way our clients will. I want to take the transfers, meet the hosts, eat in the restaurants, see the rooms and understand how it actually feels to arrive after a full day of exploring.
Because quite often, it’s the things you don’t see on a website that make the difference.
I really liked Scandic The Dock. The rooftop restaurant was excellent, with fantastic views across Tromsø harbour. It made me think about how much the right first or final night can add to an itinerary, rather than simply being somewhere convenient to stay.
One of my favourite experiences was the boat transfer from Tromsø to Lyngen Experience. I absolutely loved being out on the water. The scenery was incredible, and the journey itself became part of the experience. It’s exactly the kind of detail you only fully appreciate once you’ve travelled the route yourself.
Cahkal Hotel had such a warm, cosy atmosphere. The rooms were lovely and spacious, but I particularly noticed the practical touches, like drying cupboards and really generous bathrooms.
Those details matter. After a day of physical Arctic adventures, being able to dry your kit properly, relax in a spacious bathroom or sink into a big bath can feel like absolute luxury.
I also loved Cahkal’s sauna area. There was a beautiful fire, local snacks and drinks, and a real feeling that this was somewhere you could properly unwind. Dinner was another highlight, with a refined fine-dining experience that complemented the relaxed feel of the hotel beautifully.
And I absolutely loved Sorrisniva. The river setting is beautiful, the food was amazing and the rooms felt high-end, comfortable and incredibly well considered. It was one of those places where everything just worked.
Visiting Trasti & Trine, Bjørnfjell and Holmen Husky was equally valuable because it helps me understand who each experience is really right for.
For some clients, staying somewhere where huskies are part of the environment will be exactly what they’ve dreamed about. For someone else, a quieter, more design-led property might be a better fit. There isn’t one “best” option. It’s about knowing the properties well enough to recommend the right one for the person travelling.
That’s why I love these trips.
We meet the people behind the properties, experience the journeys between them and notice the details that aren’t always obvious online.
So when we ask ourselves, “Would this work for my client?”, we’re not simply reading from a fact sheet.
We’ve been there. We’ve experienced it. And we can tell you what it actually feels like.
For me, that firsthand knowledge is what makes the difference.
