The 46 rooms and suites were designed by well known Norwegian architects Snøhetta, who were also responsible for the Oslo Opera House, and no two of the rooms are the same. There are plenty of exposed beams around, and the bathrooms are contemporary with glass walls.

Appropriately enough, given the hotel's fishy forbears, the Brosundet features one of Norway's finest fish restaurants, Maki, in a lovely bright room right on the water. There is also an atmospheric bar with exposed brickwork walls just off a lobby full of comfy cushions and tealights.

There is a row of bikes for guests' use parked outside the hotel, which is perfectly located for exploration of the historic centre of Alesund, redesigned in Art Nouveau style following a fire in 1904 that destroyed the city. This is the ideal place from which to explore the fjords, and we recommend climbing the 418 steps up nearby Mount Aksla for a beautiful view of the fjordland scenery around the city.