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Accommodation just outside Kirkenes. Sollia Gjestegard is situated next to the Russian border, only 20 minutes from Kirkenes. Good standard cabins and double rooms in nature surroundings. Mini kitchen in each unit, included cooking equippent. We also offer half- or full pension. Local homemade food. We have a relax area with outdoor jacuzzi and sauna with a nice view to Russia. Our Gapahuken Restaurant offers local specialities and it opens up to a large terrace with panoramic lake views. Open for ala carte from June to August. Rest of the year open for groups and guest staying at Sollia Gjestegård at request only.
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Sollia is no frills but the staff are amazing, especially Sylvia who provides a wonderful breakfast each day. YOU WILL NEED A CAR though as it is NOT downtown. The staff there went out of their way to make my stay special - always ready to answer questions and even calling ahead to set up an appointment for me elsewhere. Now, this is not the Ritz-Carlton or Oslo Hilton. More of an upgraded bed and breakfast, and the photo above is not an example of all of the rooms. My room was tiny but clean, warm and quite adequate for my four day stay. I would return there anytime.
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Date of stay: January 2020
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Room Tip:Â Carefully select the room that is appropriate for your use. Some are small.
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From the time we arrived until the time we left.....we loved this place ! The views out to the Russian border from our room as well as from the mountain behind us ( we snow shoed up as far as we could go) were spectacular ! Our meal at the restaurant was phenomenal.....and breakfast was a cozy buffet. The rooms were great and toasty warm and the service was as good as it gets. There was a mix up with our room ( not their fault) but they did everything in their power to accomodate us and we loved our stay ! We will definitely return !
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Date of stay: February 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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Arrived at the Sollia late at night but was still welcomed by the owners wife who showed us to our cabin,The temperature was minus 21 but when the cabin door was opened the heating was on and it was so cosy inside.The cabin was no6 we had a kitchenette all cups and utensils were provided also blankets and a T V.The location is so easy to get to from the airport by taxi or pick up can be also arranged by the owners,At the airport hire cars are available but they only open at certain times if you want a car Hert were the best we phoned them from the airport on the following morning and a car was delivered to us within 25mins. At the Sollia they have there own Husky kennels for going on husky safaries or you can go on a snowmobile ride with them if you are lucky you may see the Northern Lights.On site is a hot tub and sauna which can be booked with the owners.Go to the bottom of there drive turn left 500 meters is the Russian border with a souvener shop the owner of the shop is the most likeable man you could wish to meet and very helpfull,If you then go back to the main road turn right towards Kirkenes the snow hotel is on the right hand side.You can visit no problem,Carry on that road then turn left into the village there you will find a few shops and a shopping mall and a few restuarants i can recomend the chinese Shangi restuarant the waiter there is a Greek man very helpfull and funny. One thing to say Norway is expensive but it was well worth the visit as we did see the Northern lights. The owners also run a restuarant at the bottom of there drive for that very special meal. If i can be of any more help email bobhill25@aol.com.
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Date of stay: February 2012
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Our room was number 6 which was ideal for a couple and it overlooks Pike lake were you can see...
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Unfortunately the Sollia lodge went bankrupt the first week of March. We only found out a day before we would check in, so we had to find another hotel, which we luckily did. It’s a pity. Seemed to be a nice place.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
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My sister and I booked a very expensive holiday with Simply Sweden, two days of which were booked here as part of our 'experience'. This was to include a husky safari and wilderness camping. The first part of our holiday was spent at Kongsjford Guest House which was wonderful (see our reviews). It set the bar very high..Sollia will never ever come close. Sollia were late picking us up at the airport, we'd been delayed by five hours, refused to let us go to our rooms before eating, told us that we could walk to our rooms. Having got to our rooms I genuinely thought there'd been a mistake. Now if we'd been in a back packers hostel paying £25 a night then ok, but at over £150? Curtains looked like bits of old rag, kids beds blocking the bedroom door into the seating area, doors didn't close, kettle didn't close, loose shower fittings, ill fitting taps. Also no tea/coffee etc. We complained at the time to Trine who told us it wasn't her fault, we could upgrade to a cost (which we weren't going to do - we'd already paid more than enough money), we should complain to Simply Sweden. There was nothing much we could do other that put up with it. The next morning the hot part of the breakfast was STONE cold, but as my sister and I were sitting down in the restaurant with the other guests, the chef from the night before (who turned out to be the owner) told us in front of the other guests that he had booked us a taxi and another hotel and said the he didn't want guests like us. He humiliated us in front of the other guests to the point he made my sister cry. This horrible man thought he was entitled to do this to guests because we complained. We'd eaten at the restaurant the night before, the food was delicious and we told him so at every opportunity. Seems he is only satisfied if his ego is being stroked and being told how wonderful he is. I asked if I could take half a bottle of wine to my room and was told I could. Also did I mention that he is also putting up 30 - 40 road building contractors as well. See previous comments. He'll take your money and run. HORRIBLE horrible. It completely ruined the rest of our holiday. Simply Swedens approach was more or less well these things happen..not to me and my sister they don't. Wish I could give the nothing out of five...
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Date of stay: February 2015
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
arriving off the Hurtigruten for a driving tour of North Norway we booked two nights at Sollia after reading the TA reviews and it was as good as expected. Its an easy place to find about 15mins out of kirkenes (by car) right next to the russian border station and just before the turning to Grense Jakobselv (which is well worth the drive!!). Eivind and his wife greeted us in perfect English and allowed us to choose our own room - there are 4 rooms in a small block just above the main building, with a shared veranda looking out over the lake. Its a great spot for sitting with a drink. Rooms were spotlessly clean and warm and although a little small, had a good kitchette with a fridge. Great shower in bathroom. If you contact them ahead of your arrival Eivind is happy to provide dinner and since he has been a chef for 20 years - what a dinner! the first night we were treated to wonderful reindeer steak in their Gapahuken restaurant which has a fantastic lakeside setting and the second night since there was only the two of us we ate dinner in the 'house' which is smaller and comfy but lesser quality. Eivind and his wife could not have been more helpful and by the end of the two days they were indeed like our Norwegian aunty and uncle. I would highly recommend this place as an alternative to the usual more formal downtown hotels.
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Date of stay: May 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Cabins are bigger and self-contained but the rooms are only a little smaller and have a...
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We chose the weekend which was the coldest in 2012 to visit in 2013 (beginning of Febrary), hoping for some clear cold weather to see the northern lights. This year however was unusually warm: just a few degrees below freezing. So if you have limited time (or aren't coming on the popular Hurtigruten cruise, so that you might have a chance to see the lights at sea) I would recommend booking your tickets just a few days before so that you can see what the weather will be like. There are plenty of cabins and it wasn't busy during the time we were there, although I suppose it could get busy if a large group came; and they are equipped to deal with large groups. My wife and I stayed in the cheaper "motel" part, which is like a row of cabins built into one building; each room has a little kitchen, and the heat was quite warm and cozy.
While we were waiting for the weather to clear, we took the husky dogsled tour on the first afternoon, which was great fun. We helped to "hitch up" the 10 dogs, and then my wife and I rode on the sledge with the driver standing behind. She let me drive for a while too. If one is experienced enough it's possible to drive a separate sledge; the dogs already know where to go. In fact getting them to stop is the hardest part with this kind of transportation. Running is what they live for, and they are so competitive, and so disappointed when they have to stay behind while other dogs go out. In between rides they live in nice big clean kennels and feast on slabs of meat. It's inevitable that there will be a smell, with so many dogs in one place, but it's a bit away from the cabins so you won't notice.
After the tour we had a nice reindeer stew (lunch is included in the price).
It's nice to be mostly away from civilization. My first impression of it is that the trees are smaller, like a miniature forest; this is because the growing season is short. You don't have to walk very far until you can't see anything but unspoiled nature. But you do have to walk a bit to get away from the lights of Sollia itself; as someone else said, I wish they didn't have to be so bright and stay on all night.
On the following day we rented snowshoes and went for a nice long walk in the hills. The snow was quite deep, so if you want to walk anywhere but on the dog trail or the highway, you will need snowshoes or skis. Bring your own if you can, of course; and be sure to wear suitable clothing to stay warm and dry. Extra warm cover-all suits are provided for the husky tours, but the rest of the time if you wear jeans like I did, you will regret it. I think they have a sauna too, so don't forget a bathing suit if you like doing that.
It's a short walk to the Russian border, but there isn't a lot to see; just a tiny souvenir shop with very limited opening hours, one last toilet on the edge of Norway, and the occasional car speeding by. You can't get all the way to the border because the gate is in front of it, and it's not recommended to go through it unless you have a valid visa and plan to drive across.
Sollia is run by a nice couple who has lived in the area their whole lives, and the hired help. They seem to be living the life they were destined for, and enjoying it. They all take turns cooking, checking guests in and out, driving people to and from town and the airport, running the dog and snowmobile tours, cleaning, etc. The Gapahuken restaurant is closed unless someone wants to schedule an event or dinner there, but it looks like a nice place for groups, and has a nice view. The rest of the time, meals are served in the main old wood building which was a hospital a long time ago. You have to schedule your meals in advance if you want them to cook; otherwise you can bring food and cook for yourself in your own kitchen. There were enough pans, dishes etc. We ordered breakfast all 3 days that we were there; it consisted of fried eggs, an interesting type of bacon, and plenty of bread, cheese, salami, salmon, jam and so on. There is an automatic coffee/espresso machine.
We went to see Kirkenes one day; it's worth the time to go see once, but I would recommend Sollia over the generic name-brand hotels to be found in town. The SnoHotel is also interesting to see, but costs twice as much and I don't suppose it's nearly as comfortable to stay in. You are supposed to pay for the guided tour, but then you can probably get a ride back to Sollia in the SnoHotel's bus. It also has an interesting restaurant where everything is cooked over an open fire.
The price is actually quite cheap for Norway, but everything in Norway is expensive if you didn't know that yet. ;-)
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Date of stay: February 2013
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We stayed here for 3 days in March 2015 and there was thick snow all around. The cabin was basic but very warm, had a small kitchen and nice shower room with a good powerful shower. Across the road is a small lake and halfway across that is the Russian border, so the landscape opposite is Russia. You can walk down to the Russian border post if you like but there's only really a small public toilet there! You can't get near to the borderline itself.
You can also walk out the back of the guesthouse buildings and straight up into the woods and hills. It's very peaceful up there and after a mile or so you'll come across frozen lakes. Watch out for the husky sleds coming through though, stepping off the main trail meant sinking thigh deep into snow.
We did the Borealis camp evening which began on a large wooden sled being towed up into the hills behind a snow-mobile. Once there we all spent time gazing upwards hoping to see Northern Lights while the sky was clear but no luck. So we went into the large teepee and sat round a warm fire-pit for a rustic meal and hot chocolate. The guesthouse owners run these excursions themselves and it was very interesting talking about the area and the history. They are very nice people with a great sense of humour.
On our third and final evening there we did the 'hunting the northern lights with huskies' tour. This began with a meal in the Gapahuken restaurant which sits across the road by the lake. This is also owned and cheffed by the same couple who run the guesthouse. The food was prepared in the middle of the restaurant and was a set menu as at that time of year it is only open on demand, not every night. The food though was very good and I had a vegetarian meal that I requested while the others had reindeer.
After this we went back up to the husky kennels and after changing into the provided padded suits (over your clothes) hopped onto our sled and the dogs towed us off into the night. The sky was overcast as it had been all day but every night there was always at least an hour where the sky cleared once the temperature dropped. We had all but given up on seeing the lights but all of a sudden when we were sledding over a frozen lake they started to appear and we stopped to set up my tripod and get some pictures. The amazing eerie light show lasted about an hour. You could see them clearly even in the guesthouse area which was brightly lit.
All in all it was a unique experience being up there in the Arctic Circle. Norway is expensive anyway and this was no different. Expect to spend some money unless you just do walking. Our philosophy was that we'd probably never get the chance again so we went large on the excursions so as to make the most of being in such a lovely location.
The people who worked there were all lovely and spoke perfect English. We enjoyed it immensely and seeing the Northern Lights made it very worthwhile.
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Date of stay: March 2015
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Buy food for your kitchen before you get there. We had a kitchen but there's nowhere to buy...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Sollia_Gjestegard, Front Office Manager at Sollia Lodge
Responded 27 May 2016
Thank you very much for this long and Nice description of our Place. We are happy to live this holiday:-)
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This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Better than expected stay in Arctic Norway thanks to a relaxed welcoming place, with great food and friendly staff. The dog team ride was a bonus and the enthusiastic and knowledgable Trina and Lars made it much more interesting. Of course the big plus was seeing the aurora many times for 2 out of 3 nights thanks to the staff encouraging us to walk in the moonlight up the path made for the sledges through the woods. Also helps with them encouraging you to use their excellent boots and suits to keep warm and stay out longer! Warm cabins and hot showers - what more can you ask for. Well you could borrow a surley bike and then have a sauna if you want to. Great place where 3 nights flew by and a credit to the owners. Huw Morgan
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Date of stay: January 2015
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â Anyone will do just take a good book for when it's cloudy and get outside as often as you can
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We came over the Russia/Norway border (from Murmansk) and some 500 metres after the Norwegian post found this very comfortable guest house, overlooking a lake shared by both countries. A most welcome oasis of peace, with super friendly staff, comfortable huts, and pleasant home cooking (assuming you eat reindeer at home). Many Norwgian towns are very attractive, but Kirkenes is not high on that list, so the Sollia, some 5 miles out of town, is a great place to stay if, for example, you are catching the southbound Hurtigruten (door to ship side transfer provided by said lovely staff!). Huskies kennels an additional bonus. I'm sure would be a great locations from which to see the Northern lights, but we were there with the Midnight Sun.
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Date of stay: May 2014
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Transfer NOK 130,- per person pr trip if available. No husky trips here any more. But I reccommend a Northern light safari to our tent camp. Relaxation for body and mind! Updated prices on accommodation at our web page storskog.no. Breakfast is extra nok 95,- per person.
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