Scandic Hotels, the leading Nordic hotel company, has signed a long lease agreement with Bane NOR Eiendom to operate a new hotel in Voss, one of Norway’s most popular holiday destinations. Scandic Voss will be a centrally-located hotel with excellent meeting facilities and the first hotel in the town to be operated by a large hotel company.
Western Norway is an important region for Scandic and the hotel chain has developed strongly in this region in recent years. When Scandic Voss opens, it becomes Scandic’s ninth hotel only in the Hordaland region. Voss stands out as an area of solid growth, with hotel stays rising by 11 per cent in 2017.
“This new hotel solidifies our market leading position in the growing region of Western Norway where we already have eight hotels in Bergen. To be able to offer a combined leisure and conference hotel so close to Norway’s second largest market will further strengthen our presence in the area while accentuating our hotel portfolio in the leisure segment,” says Even Frydenberg, President & CEO of Scandic Hotels Group.
Voss is only a one-hour drive from Norway’s second largest city of Bergen. With the leisure segment growing fast, Voss is the natural hub for both summer and winter activities. During the summer, tourists travel in great numbers to the town to visit the world-famous fjords in western Norway, and during the winter months its mountains are popular among skiers. To further improve accessibility to and from the slopes, a new cable car lift will be built next to the hotel.
“We are seeing a high growth demand in the leisure segment and the Scandic Voss will without a doubt become a key meeting point for both Norwegians and foreign visitors who appreciate the beautiful natural environment and plentiful outdoor activities. With its well-developed conference facilities and proximity to Bergen, the hotel will further strengthen our offering in the event and meeting segment in Norway,” says Svein Arild Steen-Mevold, Managing Director Scandic Norway.
Scandic Voss is expected to open in January 2020. The hotel will be designed to blend in with the architecture in the city’s old town and adapted to accommodate two target groups: leisure guests and corporate clients as well as conferences. With its 216 rooms, restaurant, bar and meeting facilities for 350 people, the hotel will be a landmark and a natural gathering place in the town.
Scandic Voss will be designed by Dark architects. Developers are Bane NOR Eiendom and Odfjell Eiendom.
“In Scandic we have a perfect partner to operate a great hotel in Voss. Scandic has a successful track record of operating centrally located hotels for dual target groups and we’re very happy to have entered this agreement,” says Petter Eiken, Managing Director at Bane NOR Eiendom.