Funken Lodge

I can really recommend this cosy and warm retreat in the Arctic wilderness. The staff is really friendly and accomodating, the food is excellent, and the location is perfect with a wonderful view of Longyearbyen and a 15 minute walk to the closest polar bear sign.

Not enough space here to say what a fantastic place. Great welcome (with a drink!), incredibly helpful staff (thank you Julie and Tina!) clean rooms with very comfortable bed. Breakfast was full of choice and sets you up well for a day of trips that the staff will help you book. Excellent all round

Very comfortable hotel and excellent service. Hard to believe you are almost at the North Pole! Restaurant is fantastic with a gorgeous view. The rooms are pretty small, so get a suite if you need some privacy. I may be biased, but best time to visit is during the Sunny Winter, with 24 hr sunlight.

My wife has wanted to visit Svalbard for years and the Funken Lodge was always the place she wanted to stay. It did not disappoint. I think it’s safe to say it was her favourite hotel she’s ever stayed in, and it was a close runner up for mine. We felt so at home here. It was December so the Christmas trees were out and the whole place had a wonderfully cosy feel, even in -20 degree cold and 24h darkness. Relaxing on the sofas with a book after tucking into a delicious burger was the perfect way to round off a day of snowmobiling. We stayed in one of the suites which were small but so comfortable and had a nice view into town. The Funken restaurant deserves a special mention for 2 wonderful meals we had. We also dined at Huset but preferred the Funken. We are already planning our return trip!

Hotel is a great place for adults, but very challenging if travelling with children. No children's menus. No colouring pencils, no toboggans to borrow, no toys or play corners. The soap at wash hand basins is too high for them to reach. Breakfast buffet also too high, so us parents spent all breakfast running around for the children. The evening menus are great for adults, but too challenging for a very young palate. I will be recommending to the hotel that they make some small changes (like a children's menu with simple food in small portions, some colour crayons, a box of lego and having "sparks" to borrow to get to and from town) which will make staying here as a family a lot less of a challenge. The last Norwegian hotel we stayed at had a children's buffet at breakfast too. That would have made our stay here much easier.