60 minutes in Vossevangen

Vossevangen, commonly called Voss, is a village about 62 miles east of Bergen, Norway.

Our tour resumed here following the Flåm Railway ride. We only had 60 minutes in town before heading to our hotel for the evening.

Despite my eager anticipation and thorough research, the reality of our time constraint in Voss was a profound disappointment. The 60-minute limit, a consequence of organized tours, left me yearning for more time to delve into the town’s offerings.

The Bordalsgjelet Gorge, a natural wonder I was eager to witness, was tantalizingly close to the town centre. However, the 60-minute time limit was a cruel barrier, preventing me from experiencing this beauty and returning to the bus on time.

The Voss Folk Museum is another place of interest. Once again, time wasn’t on my side. The museum was a 30-minute walk from the town centre. Time wins another battle.

I had only one option — find a lovely eatery and have lunch. I decided to have lunch at the Tre Kokker Voss AS/Ringheim Kafe.

The Tre Kokker Voss AS/Ringheim Kafe provided a delightful respite. The Chicken Caesar Salad and a pot of hot tea I ordered were a perfect match for the cozy atmosphere and quick service.

Two of my tour mates eventually joined me, and we had a lovely chat about what we thought of the tour so far and our plans for after the tour. The camaraderie among the group added to the enjoyment of the trip.

Following lunch and a quick trip to the restroom, it was time to head back to the bus. I took a few photos of Voss on my way back to the bus.

As I boarded the bus, I couldn’t help but feel that Voss, with its charm and potential for discovery, deserved more than a fleeting 60 minutes. If only I had another two hours to delve deeper into this small but captivating village.

Forty-five minutes later, we reached the Brakanes Hotel, our accommodation for the evening.

Situated on the shores of the Hardangerfjord, the hotel offers breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and fjords.

What a stunning view!

The hotel boasts a range of amenities, including a spa, fitness center, and on-site restaurant serving local cuisine.

The staff are friendly and accommodating, ensuring a pleasant stay for all guests, right?

Wrong!

I don’t recommend staying here. If I could give zero stars, I would. Thank goodness it was only one night. The hotel is outdated, and the rooms lack basic amenities and are not clean.

No heat in my room, and windows with a view of the parking lot were covered in so much bird crap, you’d think that was by design.

My bed was extremely uncomfortable. The bathroom had missing tiles and many cracks in the floor. The carpet was stained and needed a deep cleaning.

I was given only one towel and no hand towels or floor mats. The shower water flooded the floor, making it slippery.

Breakfast the next day was a disaster. The food was terrible, and the service was worse. They actually ran out of food, and refused to put out more. Horrendous!

This ‘4-star’ hotel was the worst hotel on the tour. I’ve stayed in some terrible hotels, but the Brakanes Hotel is in my top five of worst hotels.

Granted, the hotel is renovating, but it doesn’t excuse the horrible service I experienced. I wasn’t the only guest with complaints; everyone on the tour expressed dissatisfaction to the tour director, suggesting that the hotel should be removed from the list of accommodations for the tour company.

Thankfully, we left this hotel and the dreadful experience as quickly as we could load the bus.

We headed to Bergen, its famous Fish Market, and hopefully, a much better hotel experience.