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When I accepted an offer to review a lodge perched along the quiet Lysefjord (“light fjord”) in Norway, the only thing I knew about the area was Victor Hugo’s description of it from a book my 11th-grade English teacher made us read, called Toilers of the Sea. It went like this: “The Lyse-Fiord is the most terrible of all the gut rocks of the ocean. Their terrors are there complete. It is in the northern sea, near the inhospitable Gulf of Stavanger.” Yes, I heard all that and went, “Sure, I’ll go. And lemme bring my loved ones for good measure.”
After seeing it with my own eyes, I can confirm Victor was full of it. Stavanger is a bustling city, akin to Reykjavik in Iceland, and it is most definitely hospitable despite this one man’s judgment. And the years have done a number on the area, but in the best of ways. The Lysefjord itself is dotted with extraordinary mountains, lush forests, the famed Pulpit Rock, and even friendly goats who sprint toward visitors for pats on the head, like dogs. It is the opposite of terrible.
But these days, the true highlight of the area, in my humble opinion, is The Bolder, a super-luxe lodge experience unlike any other. Sandwiched between the fjord and the mountains, The Bolder is its own kind of architectural marvel, with five individual cabins that hover above the Lysefjord on pillars, wrapped entirely in glass to create a haven that safely invites the outside in.
I brought my brother and cousin along to hunker down with me in one of the cabins, and we spent three days appreciating the natural beauty surrounding us (so! much! hiking!), plus the Scandi-chic outfitting inside the walls. Trust me, it was exquisite, and you’ve got to put The Bolder on your bucket list. Below, find how to recreate the magic for yourself and have a trip more like ours and less like Victor Hugo’s.
THE QUICK HITS: THE BOLDER EDITIONName: The BolderLocation: Forsand, NorwayCost Per Night: Starting at $455Best For: Being one with natureWhile You’re Here, Visit: Ryfylke Adventures for a local lore-filled tour of the fjordOne-Word Vibe Check: ScenicMost Iconic Photo Spot: The Grand Lodge balcony at sunrise Don’t Leave Without: Hiking at least some of the trail your lodge sits on
P.S. The writer received a free stay and activities while on this trip in order to write this story.
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Alexandra Whittaker
Cameron Whittaker
THE FIRST IMPRESSIONS
There’s a running joke that Norwegians were quite pleased when their country’s two-meter social distancing rule lifted post-lockdown, because it meant they could return to their customary four-meter distance. Space and solitude are appreciated here, and The Bolder reflects it tenfold as an introvert’s idea of paradise. (And I should know, I’m an introvert.)
Before getting to The Bolder, I was emailed a keypad combination to enter the property, so the process of checking in was an entirely solo one. It began with driving through mountains packed with pine trees (without scary turns or steep ledges, bless) to the lodges themselves, which rest atop a boulder formed by a glacier when the Ice Age came to an end.
Alexandra Whittaker
Alexandra Whittaker
As soon as my family and I opened the door to The Grand Lodge, where we were set up, we knew we were somewhere special. The lodge is decorated with exclusively Scandinavian-designed furniture—from fluffy “yak chairs” to the prism glass light fixture my mom gushed over via FaceTime. But the real star of the show is the panoramic view of the fjord below, out the floor-to-ceiling windows. Seriously, it looked like a desktop screensaver.
Alexandra Whittaker
That feeling of “being in nature while not” makes the property unique, and the brains behind The Bolder know it. They even left fancy binoculars on the dining room table to encourage us to zoom in on the astoundingly dense forest above and boats slicing through the crystal clear waters below. We felt like it couldn’t get better. And then we checked out the bedrooms.
THE ROOMS
Every room in The Bolder features a different private, eye-candy-laden slice of the landscape. The Grand Lodge has two downstairs double bedrooms (yes, there’s an entire downstairs in this cabin, it’s that large) and a living room that converts into a bedroom for extra sleeping spots.
Alexandra Whittaker
Alexandra Whittaker
The bathrooms are spacious and open, with heavenly showers and Scandinavian design down to the trash cans. But the best part? Much like the communal areas, the bedroom walls are made of large panes of glass, which creates the perfect ambiance when paired with a book and some tea during evening storms.
THE AMENITIES
The Bolder may be designed for introverts, but it still offers ways to connect with the community around you. Case in point: the property can book you day-long hiking excursions, Kobido massages, cider tastings, cold plunges, cheesemaking classes, private yoga sessions, or even a boat tour with a friendly Norwegian man named Jim.
FYI: My family and I highly recommend Jim’s boat tour, through Ryfylke Adventures. It kicked off with Jim dressing us in matching wool sweaters knit by his mother-in-law, and ended with us drinking straight from a waterfall. We were not even back at the lodge yet and he had posted a highlight reel of our journey on Instagram, which you can enjoy below.
THE FOOD AND BEV
There is no on-site restaurant at The Bolder (yet!) but you can pay for local breakfast items and tapas to be left in the cabin upon your arrival. You should also be sure to bring your own snacks and drinks to stock your personal kitchen. My family stopped in Jørpeland for groceries, which is only a 15-minute drive away, though we didn’t need wine since the property’s operations manager Elin kindly left a bottle of red in each cabin.
Alexandra Whittaker
Alexandra Whittaker
Pro-tip: When you’re picking up food, keep a sharp eye out for local treats like cider and apple juice (the Stavanger area is awash in cideries!) fresh plums, and Willy Wonka-worthy treats from nearby chocolate factory Lysefjorden Sjokolade (try saying that three times fast).
THE BOTTOM LINE
Norway is always a good idea, and it creates grounds for excellent family holiday card photo opps like this:
Alexandra Whittaker
The Bolder quietly plants itself between the mountains and the fjords for a tranquil experience, and my family is already talking about round two—especially for such a reasonable price! I highly recommend taking a page out of our book (not Victor’s) by doing the same.
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Alexandra Whittaker is the deputy editor of Cosmopolitan magazine, where she helps manage the website and all of Cosmo’s news and entertainment coverage. With more than a decade of journalism experience, Alexandra oversees multiple teams of stellar writers and editors. She crafts thoughtful editorial coverage plans from start to finish by ideating, assigning, and editing timely, search, and brand-building stories with an eye on strategy, growth, and audience development. She is a mentor with Girls Write Now and the American Society of Magazine Editors, and she is a proud Northwestern and Marquette alumna.