If you are looking for the perfect accommodation for your next vacation in Norway, it is very likely that the term “hytter” (or “hytte” in the singular) comes up in your research. The word refers to small cottages or traditional wooden cabins that abound in the country. True cultural gems for locals, they are gaining more and more popularity among tourists as well. These Norwegian cabins are so diverse that you can basically tailor your stay according to the experience you are looking for! You can go for a very rustic Scandinavian style cottage crafted in wood with minimal amenities or choose a fancy cabin by the fjords or even on a tree somewhere in the forest.
In this article, you will discover 9 different types of hytter or Norwegian cabins, from the most rustic & traditional one to the modern and creative for a unique experience in Norway!
The “hyttetur”: a Norwegian lifestyle
On average, one in three Norwegian families has a hytte, which makes Norway among the countries with the highest number of second homes per capita. For the locals, the “hyttetur” which translates as “a stay in a cottage”, is a reflection of the unique relationship that Norwegians people have with nature and the need to cut themselves off from the world from time to time. It is an integral part of what they call ”friluftsliv” or the Norwegian the outdoor lifestyle, which is a strong cultural principle. It is also an opportunity to spend some quality time with their loved ones.
Cabins in Norway used to be exclusively for locals but they are now increasingly available for rent and some have been modernized to suit different travelers’ tastes. While it is still possible to opt for a classic hytte with no running water for a traditional Scandinavian experience, many cabins have become luxury accommodations.
A few tips to get your best “hyttetur” experience
- Bring a night mask: most Norwegian hytter and houses in general do not have shutters, just curtains. Therefore, total darkness is not always guaranteed, especially during polar days.
- Find out where the bathroom is located before booking (indoors or outdoors) so you can choose the right accomodation according to your standard and have a positive experience.
- Allow for a substantial budget regardless of the level of sophistication of your cottage: bear in mind that accommodation represent a significant part of travel budget in Norway.
- Ask the owners about the risks of encountering wild animals so you can avoid certain areas at certain times.
- Explore the area around your hytte to make the most of your experience, you can also find out about the nearest hiking trails on ut.no.
- Bring board and card games to create fun memories.
- In winter, don’t be afraid to roll around in the snow after using the sauna in your cabin! A Norwegian hytte is often equipped with a sauna for an authentic Scandinavian experience so make good use of them!
9 dreamy Norwegian hytter for your vacation
I have experienced both basic & fancy cabins in Norway and I honestly enjoyed both! In the heart of a forest, by a lake or in the woods, their locations never disapoint! Find my best picks below divided into two categories: traditional Scandinavian hytter and modern and creative ones.
Traditional Norwegian hytter
1. Traditional wooden Scandinavian hytter by the fjords
Staying near Norwegian fjords is definitely one of the most beautiful ways to discover and enjoy the country. If I had only one place to recommend, it would be the Lyngenfjord and its alps located at the east of Tromsø, a northern city of the country.
Photo courtesy of Booking
The accommodations proposed at XLyngen are ideally located in the heart of the Scandinavian Alps with a comfort standard that will suit all types of travelers. Click here to book your stay at the best price
2. Rustic & spacious cabins in the forest
Those types of accommodations are perfect to enjoy nature in a calm and peaceful environment. They are suitable for adventurers ready to get water from a dwell outside their cabin. This type of Norwaegian cottage is usually accessible by foot or cross-country skiing only. They are also perfect for hiking enthusiasts as they are often surrounded by a multitude of itineraries.
This Secluded Cabin in the Oslo Forest “Nordmarka”, just 1 hour from the city, offers the typically raw Scandinavian “hyttetur” with minimum amenities and a very simple decor with a vast space and of course a Scandinavian sauna. This other hytte offers minimal comfort but allows an authentic experience for up to 12 people. Click here to book this accommodation at the best price.
3. The classic Norwegian Farm-hytter
In southern Norway, it is very common to find hytter built in farms like the farmhouse in Austrått. It is ideal if you want to opt for an authentic agro-tourism experience and stay close and connected to nature. This experience can be done alone or with a group. Click here to book your hytte at the best price
4. Wooden cabins near ski resorts
There are plenty of mountain cabins close to popular ski slopes in Norway and if you visit the country during winter, those accommodations are ideal! We had the opportunity to stay at Gaustablikk, a hotel on the affordable luxury side that would qualify as a “hytte-hotel” just because it has all the traditional elements of a hytte: a Scandinavian minimalist and traditional decoration, a warm atmosphere, it is made of several medium-sized woods building just a few kilometers from Gaustatoppen mountain. If it fits your budget, I definitely recommend a stay at Gaustablikk as it really gives you a great hotel experience with an authentic Norwegian hytte style! Click here to book this accommodation at the best price
From Gaustablikk or any other typical Norwegian hytte in Rukjan, you can easily reach Gaustatoppen, which is one of my favorite mountains in Norway! You can contemplate ⅙ of Norway from the top of it and the view is incredible!
While staying at Gaustablikk, I particularly enjoyed the floating Sauna which is built on a small lake, a few meters from Gaustablikk. I strongly recommend this activity if you stay there or even if you visit Rukjan for a day as you can book the floating sauna separately. Make sure to book it well in advance!
Choosing an accomodation in the town of Hemsedal is also a very good option. This small town surrounded by mountains is home to one of the largest ski resorts in the country. We have been invited to stay in a hytte just a few meters from the ski slopes at different times of the year and had an amazing time in an idyllic setting.
Similar accommodations are available here.
5. Fishermen’s hytter on fjords and lakes shores
Photo courtesy of Booking.com
Old fishermen’s hytter are among the most popular secondary accommodations in Norway. Built of wood and painted red, these small cabins perched on stilts offer direct access to the sea. On the Lofoten archipelago, those hytter are called rorbuer (“rorbu” in singular). A stay at a-raorbuer in Lofoten will guarantee you the most authentic immersion with amazing views! Click here to book your hytter at the best price!
The modern and atypical hytter
1. Mirrors cabins: a trend that is here to stay
Photo courtesy of Booking.com
Mirrors cabins are ultra modern and luxurious accommodations. They are often made of wood and glass with mirrors on the outside for a sophisticated design. They can be found on seashores, facing a lake in the forest, in-between rocks on a fjord or in other equally atypical places. Those accomodation are a true invitation to calm and relaxation. WonderINN mirror cabin with its large windows overlooking a river offers a relaxing luxury experience in the countryside. Click here to book this accommodation at the best price
2. Forest domes for a perfect introduction to glamping
Camping is a basic right in Norway (“allemannsretten”) that can be exercised almost anywhere in the country as long as you don’t do it near a private land or a housing estate. As cool and adventurous this can be, it is not for everyone and it requires adequate equipment in cold weather. If you are tempted by this experience but not very comfortable with the idea of pitching your tent in the middle of nowhere, Norway offers domes like this one in Rakkstad that will suit you perfectly!
Located in the middle of the forest, between modern hytter and luxury tents, these giant transparent bubbles will allow you to spend a night under the stars in a warm cocoon. Click here to book this accommodation at the best price.
3. Lighthouses turned into cozy accommodation
One of the most atypical accommodations you will have the opportunity to discover in Norway are old lighthouses transformed into authentic and cozy accommodation with fantastic views. If you have the opportunity to visit the island of Senja, in the north of the country, the lighthouse offered by Norwegian Wild is the perfect place! Click here to book this accommodation at the best price.
Photo courtesy of Booking.com
4. Ecological cabins suspended in trees
Tree houses offer a full Norwegian hytter experience with the added bonus of a spectacular landscape and a level of comfort that ranges from standard to luxury. Staying at Tretopphytter tree houses guarantees the most enjoyable time on the outskirts of Oslo with five cabins, all nestled more than 100 meters in the middle of the forest with a spectacular view on the fjord.
Photo courtesy of trretopphytter-oslofjord.no
A little less than 2 hours from Oslo, in Halden, Tretopphytter På Grensen – Elghytta offers a similar experience to make the best travel memories! Click here to book this accommodation at the best price.
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