Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Kvitnes Gard, Norway
Facts in brief
Location On a working farm in the Hadsel inland area, close to the Raftsundet strait, midway between Lofoten and Vesterålen.
Annual opening All year
Closest airport Harstad/Narvik (Evenes) Airport
Distance from airport 2 hours 20 minutes by car
Hotel facilities and services
Kvitnes Gård restaurant with tasting menu, farm tour, shore-side sauna, organic farmer experience, RIB boat trips, fishing trips, wine-tasting, outdoor lunch with bonfire, working farm with livestock, herb and vegetable gardens, and free parking.
Complimentary
Farm tour prior to dinner
Land sports
Guided mountain hikes, Arctic swimming, cycling, and fishing.
Out and about nearby
Møysalen National Park is within 10–15 minutes of Kvitnes, and its centrepiece – Møysalen Peak, the highest point in Vesterålen at 1,264m – offers guided full-day summit hikes from late June to late September, beginning with a boat crossing into Lonkanfjord. A short drive in the direction of Raftsundet – the narrow strait between Hinnøya and Austvågøya – brings views across to the striking Trollfjorden, with the road to Årstein offering the most unobstructed outlook. Around 45 minutes away, Sortland is the main town in Vesterålen, known as "Blåbyen" (the Blue City) after a public art project that saw its buildings painted in graduating shades of blue; the Jennestad Trading Post, Sortland Bridge, and the annual Sortland Jazz Festival are among its draws. The former fishing village of Nyksund, about an hour away via Øksnes, was abandoned in the 1970s and has since become a lively creative settlement of galleries, cafés, and colourful historic buildings – the drive there, hemmed between mountain walls and open sea, is an experience in itself. At Stokmarknes, roughly an hour from Kvitnes, the Hurtigruten Museum houses the fully preserved 1956 vessel MS Finnmarken on dry land, open for visitors to explore its bridge, cabins, and engine room. Those with more time can reach the Lofoten Islands in approximately two hours via the Melbu–Fiskebøl ferry, taking in the fishing village of Henningsvær, the Iron Age Viking Museum at Borg, and the surf break at Unstad.
Sports nearby
Hiking, whale watching, cycling, and sea kayaking.
We have returned back from our complicated tour of Norway and I just want you to know that everything worked excellently. All the bookings were perfect. Thank you and your staff - impressive.Mr G, June 2025
From about
Holiday Code EXH49775
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Kvitnes Gard, Norway
Dating back to 1855, Kvitnes Gård has been in the Ellingsen family for five generations – the farmhouse and its surrounding land now in the hands of head chef Halvar Ellingsen and co-owner Helge Mørck, who opened the property as a restaurant and farm hotel in February 2020. The farm sits in the Hadsel inland area close to the Raftsundet strait, with Møysalen National Park on its doorstep and views of the Lofoten Wall visible across the water on clear days. Arriving guests see the distinctive yellow barn beside the road before checking in at the white farmhouse; the grounds are home to Mangalitsa pigs, old Norwegian sheep breeds, Nordic cows, goats, rabbits, chickens, quails, musk ducks, and beehives. The 15 double rooms are divided between the upper floor of the farmhouse and the courtyard buildings; no two are alike, and creaking floorboards, a fireplace, and the absence of televisions give the accommodation a deliberately unhurried, relaxing, homely feel. Rooms in the main farmhouse look out over the water. Dining at Kvitnes is the reason most guests make the journey or stop on a wider tour of Norway. The restaurant seats around 30 and serves a multi-course tasting menu of 20 to 25 courses over approximately four hours, preceded by a story and an aperitif, and a tour of the farm. Ellingsen – the youngest chef ever to be named Norway's Best Chef – sources everything from the farm itself or from within the Arctic Circle, with the menu shifting daily according to what is ready to harvest or has been raised on the land. Breakfast the following morning draws on the same philosophy: fresh bread, eggs from the hens, and produce made on the farm. A shore-side sauna, accessible via a woodland path, gives guests a unique space to take in the natural beauty of the area as well as the traditions of the region.
We have returned back from our complicated tour of Norway and I just want you to know that everything worked excellently. All the bookings were perfect. Thank you and your staff - impressive.Mr G, June 2025
From about
Holiday Code EXH49775
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Kvitnes Gard, Norway
The journey and how you get there
For a holiday to Kvitnes Gård, fly to Harstad/Narvik (Evenes) Airport and collect a hire car for the approximately two-hour drive to the farm through the breathtaking north-Norwegian landscape; Stokmarknes Airport, around one hour away, is a useful alternative for those routing via the Lofoten Islands. It is also possible to reach Kvitnes via a small ferry from Hanøy to Kaljord, followed by a 10 minute drive. A car is essential for exploring the surrounding Vesterålen archipelago and for reaching Lofoten.
Additional information
Children: Kvitnes Gård is best suited to older children and adults with an interest in food and the natural environment.
Other information: Reservations for the restaurant are in very high demand; booking up to six months in advance is strongly recommended. Accommodation packages typically include the tasting menu and breakfast.
We have returned back from our complicated tour of Norway and I just want you to know that everything worked excellently. All the bookings were perfect. Thank you and your staff - impressive.Mr G, June 2025
From about
Holiday Code EXH49775
The prices displayed here are a guide only. Each holiday price will be tailor-made at the time of booking to reflect all actual costs including up-to-date special offers.
Call us on 01392 441245
Luxury bespoke hotel holidays to Kvitnes Gard, Norway
About Northern Norway
This northernmost region of the country, with the large part of it sitting within the Arctic Circle, is one that conjures up much of the magic for the visitor to Norway. This is the land of snow and ice, endless tundra, red-painted houses of fishing villages, the land of the midnight sun and the eerily mystical Northern Lights. Perched on the coast near Narvik are the idyllic Lofoten Islands, with craggy peaks, inlets and fjords, fishing villages and farms. Svolvaer is the gateway to the Lofoten Islands and from here you can visit the charming villages of Reine, Stramsund, Ballstad and Nusfjord. The main town of the region is Tromsø, situated about 186 miles inside the Arctic Circle and the place from where Amundsen started his polar expedition. The town is a popular place for viewing the Northern Lights. Other places you might visit depending on how you travel through this region are Mo I Rana, Bodø and Narvik. From Narvik you can take the train to Kiruna in Sweden and on to Stockholm (by sleeper train).
Highlights of Northern Norway
Places of interest include the Lofoten Aquarium, the Lofotr Vikingmuseum, farm visits and visits to meet the locals. You can experience the Midnight Sun in summer and undertake many activities such as climbing, hiking, sailing, kayaking, sea safaris to visit Trollfjord and watch for sea eagles, fishing trips. There are scenic routes around the Lofoten Island affording ample photo opportunities and the chance to see striking artwork set amongst the natural landscape and near the viewing points. There are several art galleries on the Lofoten Islands displaying not only paintings and prints, but also glasswork and Lofoten woollen goods. From Bodø there are numerous hiking trails near the hotel, with the hotel recommending the Ramnfloget, Keiservarden, Ørnkloa, Bestefarvarden, and Finnkonnakken. There are also RIB excursions available nearby, and the area is home to the famous Saltstraumen maelstrom. Bodø is a short distance away, with restaurants, bars, shops, and museums, such as the Norwegian Aviation Museum. Mjelle Beach is further up the coast, known for its red sand, infused with garnet. Tromsø recommended highlights: Arctic Cathedral, Storsteinen mountain ledge, Polar Museum, Tromsø Museum, dolphin safaris, fjord cruises, Northern Light searches.
Cultural highlights of Northern Norway
Tromsø is home to a number of museums including the Polar Museum and the Tromsø museum. Svolvaer has its own local history museum and on Lofoten there is a Viking long house and museum. Near Bodø is the Kjerringoy trading post and the Bunkermuseum. Northern Norway is home to the Sami people and you can experience the Sami culture in a number of locations: reindeer herding, joik (Sami folk music), silver working, Sami clothing and ceramics.
Festivals of Northern Norway
Northern Lights festival in Tromsø held at the end of January, the Arctic Arts Festival in Harstad during the summer solstice in June and the Lofoten International Art Festival, which takes place alternate years and features contemporary art. Tromsø holds a jazz festival in the summer.
Gastronomy of Northern Norway
Stockfish is one of the signature dishes (dried cod served with carrots, bacon and scrambled eggs). All manner of fish and seafood: halibut, cod, herring, haddock, mussels, prawns and lobsters. Skrei is the wandering Atlantic cod, and one of the most protected and sustainable fish stocks in the world. Seaweed is harvested in the Lofoten islands and King crab is a delicacy in the region. Herring is served in a variety of ways: fresh, smoked, salted and pickled. Reindeer is a delicacy in northern Norway and is often roasted or cooked in stews. Lamb are reared locally on the Lofoten islands and on the Lyngen peninsula. Cloudberries are picked to make jam and desserts. The Mack brewery is based in Tromsø and produces popular local beers.
