In Reine you choose between the harbour – traditional rorbu cabins with atmosphere and often some service – and a whole house with more space, privacy and your own sauna. Hamnøy and Sakrisøy are the neighbouring villages, a short drive away. If you want to hike Reinebringen and take the boat to Vindstad on foot, stay in or just above Reine itself.
Reine has two kinds of beds: the ones by the harbour, and the ones with a view of the harbour. Here's how to pick.
Reine village
Reine is small. A harbour, a bridge everyone photographs, a handful of restaurants, and the peaks rising straight out of the Reinefjord. Staying in the village means you can do the things most visitors drive in for – the Reinebringen trail, the boat to Vindstad – on foot, and have the place mostly to yourself in the evening once the day-trippers have left.
Hamnøy & Sakrisøy
The red and yellow cabins on the stilts and rocks just outside Reine are the other famous view. Both villages are tiny and a short drive away. Staying there puts you right inside the postcard; for restaurants and the Reinebringen trail you will drive or walk back to Reine.
Rorbu or house
A rorbu is a fisherman's cabin on the quay. In Reine and around it you will find them as rentals – usually compact, often one of several in a row, sometimes with reception and breakfast nearby. The atmosphere is the point.
A whole house is the other option: more rooms, your own kitchen, no shared walls, and in our case a sauna. It suits families, groups of friends and anyone staying more than a couple of nights. We compare both in more detail in Rorbu or private house?
What you can reach on foot from Reine
- The Reinebringen trail: close to 2,000 steps up to the view over Reine. Closed in winter conditions.
- The restaurants in the village.
- The small boat to Vindstad, start of the walk to Bunes beach. Check the timetable – the last boat back is the one that counts.
- A bus stop, useful for one-way hikes.
More ideas: things to do around Reine.
When to book
For June to August and the aurora months around Christmas, New Year and February/March, early is better. In spring and autumn there is usually more choice at shorter notice.
Our house in Reine
Full disclosure: we own one. The house in Reine stands alone on its own plot just above the village, with an unobstructed view over Reinefjord. Three bedrooms, each with a box-spring double bed, plus a sofa bed and an extra bed for up to nine guests, an outdoor sauna in its own hut next to the house, a wood stove, a loft. Next door are a 9-hole disc golf course and a playground. Short stays are booked online on released dates; longer stays of several weeks or more run on request – see long stays.
Good questions
Is it better to stay in Reine or Hamnøy?
Both work as a base for the west. Reine has the restaurants, the Reinebringen trail and the boat to Vindstad within walking distance; Hamnøy and Sakrisøy are smaller and a short drive away.
Do I need a car if I stay in Reine?
For the village, the Reinebringen trail and the Vindstad boat, no. For anything further – Kvalvika, Nusfjord, the middle of the islands – realistically yes. Buses run, but not often.
When should I book accommodation in Reine?
For summer and the aurora months around Christmas, New Year and February/March: the earlier the better. Spring and autumn are easier.
