Planning a trip to Tromsø in Norway and wondering where to stay on your first visit? In this guide, we share our experience-based tips and suggestions for the very best places to stay in Tromso.
We also include hotel recommendations for all budgets.
Whether you are visiting in summer or in winter, this guide will help you choose the best place to stay in Tromso close to everything.
Below, you can find our complete resource on where to stay in Tromso, top hotel picks, and unique winter accommodations. But first – my personal recommendations.
My Favorite Hotels in Tromso
If you don’t have the time to read the entire article or do extensive research and are simply looking for the very best places to stay in Tromso, here are my personal favorite hotels for your first visit to Tromso.
Simply click on the hotel name for more details and rates:
- Waterside hotel – most picturesque location: Scandic Ishavshotel. This modern hotel is surrounded by the water on three sides and the views are as nice as it gets in Tromso.
- Very central, close to everything: Radisson Blu. This is the most popular 4* hotel in the center and close to the harbor. Family rooms available.
- Great value including half-board: Clarion Collection Hotel With. This traditional mid-budget hotel is not just beautifully located on the harbor, but also includes breakfast and dinner offering really good value overall.
- On a lower budget, check out Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø. This modern hotel offers a great price/quality ratio just a short walk away from the most central areas.
- Enter City Apartment Hotel is a good choice for families or anyone looking for a self-catering accommodation in Tromso town center.
❄️ UNIQUE WINTER STAY: Crystal Lavvo Overnight Experience. It includes transportation from the city, meals, and some activities.
READ ALSO: Tromso Winter Itinerary
Good to know: This article is split into several parts. First, we share more details about the very best hotels in Tromso. Further below you can find recommendations for the best price-quality mid-range hotels as well as budget hotels in Tromso.
We also include best-located self-catering accommodation suggestions for those who travel with a family, like a bit more privacy or are simply looking for a more local experience.
At the bottom of this article, you can also find additional suggestions for more unique winter accommodations near Tromso. But for the rest – this guide only covers hotels in Tromso town. You’ll soon see why. Read on!
Where to Stay in Tromso – OVERVIEW
Best Area to Stay in Tromso + Map
By far the best area to stay in Tromso is right in the town center close to the harbor (see the map below).
Tromso is a small town and the city center is very compact. Staying in the center makes it easy to explore everything on foot. The downtown and harbor areas are where you’ll find all the best shops, restaurants, museums, etc. Plus, if you take any organized tours in Tromso, they all offer free pick-up and drop-off in the city center.
Furthermore, if you arrive in Tromso by boat, it docks in the town center, right next to a couple of the best Tromso hotels. If you arrive in Tromso by plane, you can take a taxi or a public bus that will drop you off right in the city center as well. If you don’t want to worry about practicalities, you can also pre-book an airport transfer straight to/from your hotel or accommodation in Tromso.
Because of all the reasons mentioned above, I highly recommend that you stay at one of the hotels in Tromso town center. This makes exploring Tromso so easy. Plus – depending on when you travel and what you plan to do – it makes it unnecessary to rent a car (which will save you lots of money).
If you stay in the city center, you can walk to all of the attractions in town, take a bus to the cable car, and, as already mentioned, all the tours and excursions will pick you up from there.
All of this also means that it’s extremely easy to visit Tromso in winter as well. You can stay in the lively town center and explore the beautiful surroundings by taking tours, without having to worry about driving on icy roads.
READ ALSO: Best Things to Do in Tromso in Winter
Best Tromso Hotels
Now that you know that the very best place to stay in Tromso is the town center, you may be wondering where exactly. Tromso city center is tiny, but locals still refer to the area around the main shopping street Storgata as Tromso Downtown and the area next to the water as Tromso Harbor.
In my opinion, both these areas are just as nice and both are just as convenient for sightseeing. It will take you just 5 minutes to walk from one to the other…
That being said, the nicest Tromso hotels are the ones by the harbor. If you can also get a room with a view, it’s as good as it gets! In winter, you might even be able to see the Northern Lights from the comfort of your hotel room!
However, Tromso hotels that are a bit further from the water tend to be a bit cheaper… So if you are on a tighter budget, check out my selection of the best price-quality hotels in Tromso further below.
But first, let’s take a look at the very best hotels in Tromso. These hotels have excellent location, fantastic customer reviews, and offer the very best experience in Tromso. Find out!
These are the best hotels in Tromso:
1. Scandic Ishavshotel
Scandic Ishavshotel is one of the most luxurious hotels in Tromso and has a unique location in the harbor. It’s located at the very end of the quay and surrounded by water. You can’t beat the views, the comfort, and the location.
Family rooms are quite good value and prices vary quite a lot depending on when you’re traveling and also depending on which room you book.
Often, Scandic Ishavshotel is as affordable as some mid-range hotels in Tromso. So you really have to check the prices/availability for your specific travel dates.
2. Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora
Clarion Collection Hotel Aurora is a modern 4-star hotel is one of the best hotels in Tromso. Located in the harbor area, it offers great value by including breakfast, afternoon tea, and dinner in the – already very reasonable – price of your stay.
Furthermore, this is one of the few hotels in Tromso town center that offers onsite parking.
We recently stayed at this hotel and couldn’t really fault it, except that most rooms don’t really have a view. For the rest, it’s great: location, price/quality, food, and staff. Plus, they have an amazing rooftop sauna and hot tub – you’ll never want to leave.
If you are looking for the best location and good value, you really can’t go wrong with choosing this hotel for your stay in Tromso.
3. Clarion Collection Hotel With
Clarion Collection Hotel With is another very good hotel in Tromso city center. Located directly by the water and overlooking Tromso harbor, this 4-star hotel offers the best views in town, as well as some of the best facilities.
At first sight, it looks like it’s the most expensive hotel in Tromso. However, the price includes a breakfast buffet, free coffee, tea, and fruit during the day, and also dinner. Taking into account how expensive Norway is, having all these meals included actually makes this hotel a really good deal.
One drawback for us, but probably an advantage to those looking for quietness, is that this hotel doesn’t have big family rooms.
4. Radisson Blu Hotel Tromsø
One of the most popular hotels to stay in Tromso, Radisson Blu, also has an excellent location in the harbor area.
In addition, this hotel has nice family rooms and facilities like a gym and a sauna (free for all guests).
The location and the rooms are very comparable to the Scandic Ishavshotel mentioned above, but it tends to be a bit cheaper. No wonder it’s one of the most popular hotels in Tromso.
5. Clarion Hotel The Edge
Located near Tromso harbor, but further away from the other hotels in this selection and quite close to the main shopping street, Clarion Hotel The Edge sits in the most central location in town.
This modern hotel is quite new and it offers the best value of all the 4-star Tromso hotels in the harbor area.
Best Price – Quality Hotels in Tromso
As already mentioned above, Tromso hotels that are located just outside the harbor area tend to offer similar value as the best hotels listed above, but for less money.
Here is my selection of the very best mid-range hotels in Tromso. They all have a good location and very good customer reviews. Take a look!
- Scandic Grand Tromso. This is a very popular hotel. Not the cheapest though, but offers good price-quality in an excellent location. Breakfast is included and the rooms are spacious and modern.
- Quality Hotel Saga. Another great choice in the town center. Breakfast is included and free coffee, tea, and waffles are available in the afternoon.
- Thon Hotel Polar and Thon Hotel Tromso are both good mid-range options located close to the main shopping street.
- Smarthotel Tromso. Good price/quality hotel in Tromso center, but breakfast is charged additionally. Thousands of amazing customer reviews.
Best Budget Hotels in Tromso
Norway is an expensive country, so budget hotels in Tromso might not be as cheap as you expect.
Here are just a few budget hotels in Tromso that I want to highlight. I only include the ones with good reviews, because I believe that budget accommodation has to offer good value as well. After all, it’s your vacation and you deserve to enjoy it!
- Comfort Hotel Xpress Tromsø. This is one of the most affordable 3-star hotels in Tromso town center that has great customer ratings. However, breakfast isn’t included in the price, so keep that in mind when budgeting for your trip or comparing different hotels.
- Ami Hotel. The location is a bit less central, but still very good and this hotel offers a very good price/quality ratio.
Best Self-catering Accommodation in Tromso Town Center
In addition to traditional hotel rooms in Tromso center, there are also several hotels that offer apartments with a kitchen.
One of the best options is the Enter City Apartment Hotel. This hotel is located in the town center and offers rooms and apartments with a kitchen. Good value and good customer ratings. They also have family rooms for up to 4-5 people.
There are also some nice privately rented apartments that are perfect for bigger families or groups of friends traveling to Tromso together. However, only a few of these are located in the city center. Most others are located further away, so you’ll need to use a bus for everything.
TIP: Using the map below, you can compare hotels and short-term rentals in Tromso. Simply insert your travel dates and group size, and you’ll see the best deals for your stay. Check it out!
Unique Places to Stay Near Tromso
If you are looking for a unique place to stay near Tromso, take a look at these amazing accommodations nearby!
- Crystal Lavvo Overnight Experience. Spend a night in a cozy Crystal lavvo with the chance of seeing auroras straight from your bed. Each lavvo can accommodate between 2 and 4 people (and is private just for your family/group). This experience includes transportation from the city, meals, and some activities.
- Sommarøy Arctic Hotel Tromsø, located about 50 minutes drive from Tromso center, so you will need a car. This beautiful beachfront hotel is a perfect place for those who are planning a relaxing vacation in the area and are more interested in nature rather than what the city has to offer. In winter, you can hunt for auroras without having to travel anywhere.
- Camp North Tour. This is your chance to experience local Sami culture and stay in a very unique accommodation. You’ll be sleeping in a luxurious tent with (partially) glass roof on beds covered with reindeer skin. The location is incredible and it’s a great place to watch the Northern Lights straight from your bed! Camp North Tour is located outside of Tromso, but they offer free transfers.
- Tromso Ice Domes is an incredible place to stay near Tromso in winter. It’s an ice hotel that has to be rebuilt every winter again, so you can only stay there between mid-December till the end of March.
READ ALSO: Northern Lights in Tromso: Complete Guide
So, this is our guide to the very best Tromso hotels and other accommodation options for all budgets.
Once again, book your lodging in Tromso as soon as you have your travel dates because the best deals are gone very quickly. In the peak winter season, many hotels sell out and whatever is left, is usually very expensive.
More tips for your trip to Tromsø:
- Winter: Things to Do in Tromso in Winter
- Itinerary: Weekend Break in Tromso in Winter
- Auroras: How to See the Northern Lights in Tromso
- Packing: What to Wear in Norway in Summer and What to Wear in Norway in Winter
- Must-do: Dog Sledding in Tromso
- Ice hotel: Tromso Ice Domes
More tips for visiting Northern Norway:
- Itinerary: Northern Norway Itinerary
- Lofoten:
- Budget: How Expensive is Norway
- Norway: For more travel tips, please check our Norway travel guide.
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