We arrived in Bergen without any lodging arranged. We checked with the tourist office and they presented a few expensive options (well...everything is expensive, so it's all relative). Sandviken Brygge had one of the slightly better rates but was on the edge of town. We opted to try them out - we called ahead and they were very pleasant on the phone saying that they had a double room available.
We opted to walk out to the hotel - about 20 minutes from the main quay; it's a pleasant walk if you stick to the neighborhood route (rather than following the busier main street). Our double room was small (but not too cramped) and still had Thon signage and Best Western signage (I believe it was recently taken over by Best Western?). The TV was tiny, but we never turned it on so it wasn't an issue. The bed and linens were comfortable. It was a true double bed, which sort of surprised us (as opposed to the seemingly standard Norwegian double which was two twin beds pushed together); but workable.
Our only complaint was that the toilet was WAY too close to the counter in the bathroom. I mean....you kind of had to wedge yourself onto the seat. A tad awkward and, if you're on the heavier side, may actually pose some logistical problems. We were okay with it (we've seen stranger toilet placements) but it was odd.
A few buses ran by regularly, so you could easily grab a bus into town (for about $5 USD at least in 9/2011) but the walk was pleasant enough. The hotel was in a quiet location and right next to a grocery store. Breakfast was included and a standard Norwegian spread of meats, cheese, cereals, eggs, bread, and pickled things.
If this were a lower priced hotel, I'd recommend it whole heartedly. It was, however, rather pricey (but it seemed to us that everything in Norway was) hence the rating.
- Thon Hotel Bergen
