Kviknes Hotel

Kviknes Hotel

The hospitality traditions at Balholm date all the way back to 1752 when Nicolai Christian Gierløw was allowed to start a guest house business. Up through history the Sognefjord has been an important route for travel and trade between the East and West, and every decent harbor had a place to stay for travelers. The Sognefjord, and Balestrand in particular became a popular place to visit and stay for artists and writers who found inspiration in the Norwegian landscape. Their paintings and works were displayed in Europe, sparking desire to travel to Balestrand for others. New ways of travel by steam boat also contributed to an increasing amount of tourists to the region.

The 26th of January 1877, Ola and Kari Kvikne became owners of the guest house. Back then the property consisted of two small houses with a common sleeping dorm, and four private rooms for the more privileged guests. With increasing amounts of travelers Ola and Kari decided to increase their capacity. They got financial help from Oles brother, returning from America. Together with architect Frantz Wilhelm Schiertz they built the first of many expansions. The first “real” hotel building was in place by 1894, and in 1913 the building we know today was finished.

The large, modern building behind the main building was built between 1965 and 1973 as a result of a large scale modernization of hotels nation wide, but luckily the old building was not torn down. Today the hotel is still owned by the Kvikne family.