Destination-Report Lofoten: Conferences Outdoor & Teambuilding in the North Atlantic {Reader's Travel Tip}

The Lofoten are an archipelago in the north of Norway with an exceptional landscape, which also has exciting offers for meetings with outdoor activities.

Arm in the North Atlantic

The Lofoten Islands are an archipelago that juts like an arm into the North Atlantic. Although the climate is comparatively mild, especially in winter thanks to the Gulf Stream, it can still be rough and changeable even in June.

But I also remember from my last visit that there can also be very nice, warm summer days here. Only in the incredibly ice-cold sea, I could not overcome then as today to jump.

Capital of the stickfish

Svolvær is the capital of Lofoten with 4500 inhabitants - a small town where most of the population lived and still live today. The world-famous codfish, cod or cod is hanging picturesque to dry.

The dried fish is later exported. The Lofoten have a total of about 25.000 inhabitants. In total, Svolvær has 700 single rooms. For Meetings and Teambuildingactivities came not only from Norwegian oil, gas and energy companies, but also from German outdoor outfitters such as Mammut Companys like the savings bank insurance here.

Hotel at the harbor

Directly at the port of Svolvær is the Thon Hotel, which is part of the hotel chain, founded by Olaf Thon. The hotel has 161 rooms with fantastic views over the harbor or Svolvær. The room rates vary according to season and pre-booking and start at about 500 Norwegian kroner.

The hotel has 15 meeting rooms. The largest of them, on the ground floor, can accommodate up to 850 people. However, the hotel has already hosted banquets for 1100 people.

Meetings with a sea view

The room is not only the largest conference room in Lofoten, but is also used as a cultural hall for the entire Lofoten, eg for theater events. Groups should therefore book about half a year in advance. The smallest meeting room can accommodate 6 people.

A special meeting room for a maximum of 225 persons and with a very nice view is located in the 10. Floor. The hotel not only offers the usual technical equipment for meetings (WLAN, beamer, screens, etc.), but also employs, for example, a lighting technician, who previously worked at the Oslo Opera House.

Prices and food

The price depends on the size of the group and the duration of the stay: For meetings 1.600 crowns per person are to be estimated, 500 per person must be expected for a dinner.

Both breakfast and dinner at the Bojer restaurant are truly outstanding. The hotel even bakes its own bread without yeast, but with fresh herbs and lemon, even.

The special lamb of the Lofoten

The event organizer XXLofoten is right next to the Thon Hotel Office . Here he not only offers a meeting room for 12 people, but also his own restaurant, the Seafood Studio, for special cooking events:

Chef Einar Hallstensen was previously the chef at Thon Hotel and has won several awards, including Best Chef in Northern Norway. His specialty is the local lamb meat, which he considers the best of the Welt called because the sheep eat grass soaked in salt water near the sea.

Seafood Theater

For XXLofoten, he is now organizing cooking events for up to 25 people, the so-called Lofoten Seafood Theater, where the guests prepare and eat their previously caught fish under instruction. In doing so, people are directly involved in the cooking process and are to take over the active part.

For fishing XXLofoten rents its own fishing boat with capacity up to 38 persons. For teambuilding, there are competitions, so-called World Championships, where groups catch each other arctic cod.

Whale sushi and fishing huts

Next to the office is the sushi restaurant "Du Verden", where you can try only in Norway: sushi with whale meat. For the Norwegians are allowed to hunt Minkey whales within certain restrictions.

A very original group accommodation is located on the other side of the harbor: Svinøya Rorbue, which is partly still original, partly inspired apartments of local fishermen. These are small cozy apartments for up to six people directly on the water - equipped with kitchen, living room, several bedrooms and terraces.

Unfortunately not quite cheap, for 1000 to 3000 Norwegian kroner per night, depending on size and season. The restaurant Børsen Spiseri is very good and traditional.

Classic outdoor destination

The Lofoten are a classic outdoor destination, ideal for hiking, climbing and mountain biking, for example.

Skiing is also possible, but the skiers have to climb the mountain themselves - heli-skiing is not allowed. In the north of the island there is even a golf course that is to be expanded into an 18-hole golf course next year.

Sea kayak and fishing huts

Perhaps one of the most beautiful activities is sea kayaking, given the clear waters and interesting fauna (sea urchins, whales, white-tailed eagles) and the picturesque cliff scenery, even in winter: participants get dry suits protect against water spray. A kayak tour is possible with up to 80 people at the same time.

We started our kayaking tour in Kabelvåg just behind Nyvågar Rorbuhotel - for me it was the most picturesque meeting location with very nice accommodations and meeting rooms on the water with a very nice view. The system offers accommodation in 30 apartments with kitchen and two bedrooms each - space for 60 people in single rooms and 120 people in double rooms. In addition, the hotel has four meeting rooms for between eight and 50 people and two conference rooms for a maximum of 120 people each.

Rib-boat tours

Rib boat tours are also offered: the groups are equipped with warm protective suits for this, but it can still get quite cold due to the headwind. In a rapid drive, it then goes, for example, to the well-known Trollfjord, where XXLofoten events also take place in winter to organize (suitable protective clothing also plays a role here).

On the way you can see white-tailed eagles and maybe also whales. I'm usually not a fan of this speed boat tours, but here a lot of attention was paid to safety precautions and -belehrungen, there was also in contrast to other tested providers handles and an exit signal.

Flexible depending on the weather

What impressed me is that XXLofoten knows how to adapt perfectly to the weather conditions. Because, so explained to me SalesManager May-Britt Paulsen, you have to be flexible, everything depends on sophisticated logistics. The weather in Lofoten can change almost every hour and varies from place to place. "If the weather gets bad, to plan we relocate, move the activities to another location or organize something indoors. The Costs Of course we take care of that,” says Paulsen.

In the event that outdoor activities are absolutely not possible, exciting indoor activities are also surprising. For example, in Henningsvær, a former fishing village that was built into the sea to be faster in the fishing grounds.

Fish factory

As an extraordinary meeting and event location, the old fish factory Riksheim is an ideal place to try fresh caviar, for example, and enjoy home-made cod liver oil - all accompanied in true style by Kalle Mentzen.

In addition, you can learn a lot about fishing in the area, which was low in begging before the oil was discovered. In addition, a small, just completed, modern cinema is available for presentations and film screenings.

International art at the end of the world

The caviar factory is even more exciting because it is so unusual for the place: art collector Venke Hoff has converted an old caviar factory into an extraordinary art museum - and exhibits works by world-famous artists such as Ai Weiwei or Garda Eide Einarsson.

Their extraordinary gallery at the end of the world was included in the BMW Art Guide by independent collectors. She lives in an old lighthouse house on the cliff, where she also invites selected guests. Meetings with up to 12 persons are also possible here. The exclusive frame is however correspondingly expensive: 30.000 - 40.000 Norwegian kroner costs it per day.

Meetings are also possible in the Kavierfabrik, in the middle of the exhibits: for 30 people in a classroom setting and for up to 80 people in reception style. With the WLAN, however, there is so far in both rooms Problems.

Hotel and meetings on the river

In general, Henningsvær is more suitable for accommodating smaller groups. There are only two hotels with 25 or 30 beds. Right by the river, the Henningsvær Bryggehotell has 30 single rooms and two meeting rooms for 26 and 10 persons. 1995 was initially built as a house for private summer guests, but then converted into a hotel for reasons of cost. The hotel has a nice sauna with window.

In the very good restaurant can eat up to 85 persons, besides, the whole house can be booked completely. In this case, the restaurant is also available as a meeting room for up to 80 persons. Approximately 40.000 Norwegian kroner costs a complete rental including breakfast - depending on the season.

Shops and cafes

In Henningsvær there are also numerous small shops and cafes - such as the pottery at the Engelskmannsbrygga with attached Glasbläserei, which also offers courses in glass blowing. Highly recommended is the Lysstøperiet Cafe. The owner initially made candles and then gradually offered home-baked cakes, tea and coffee.

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