Name: Ibsens B&B
Address: Løkkestredet 5, Grimstad, Grimstad, Grimstad, 4876, Norway
Rating: 9

Smoke-free property

Terrace

Patio

All Spaces Non-Smoking (public and private)

No elevators

General

Non-smoking rooms

Family room

Cable TV

Hairdryer

Shower/Bathtub

Shower

Linens

Rooms

Breakfast

Restaurant

Breakfast/lunch to go

Coffeemaker

Kettle

Meals

Free Wi-Fi

Internet

No parking

Parking

Beach/pool towels

Pool and beach

Family/Kid Friendly

Kids

Pets allowed

Pets

Personal protection equipment for staff

Extra decontamination measures

Personal protection equipment for guests

Individually packaged food

Additional measures against COVID-19

Health and Safety Measures

Location

At the hotel

Room amenities

Kristiansand Airport

Ibsens B&B

Grimstad

Wonderful little hotel, lots of character. Would stay again if I found myself in Grimstad

We had a very relaxing and pleasant stay in this lovely Inn.  Both the rooms and the restaurant are redecorated in old Norwegian style, very pittoresque and cosy.  The rooms were very clean and tidy, but nothing beats the cosy atmosphere in the breakfast rooms (with live fire in the fireplace).  The host Anita´s friendly service alone makes this a place worth spending a night or three.

Charming!

Friendly and atmospheric B&B. Central location and spacious room.

Due to the corona pandemic the hotel we had planned to stay at was closed. How lucky we were (!), because then we had to find an alternative and booked our stay at Ibsen B&B. This rather small place is so charming and the lady who is in charge (Anita) was so friendly and informative. The interior and the furniture all had this "old" charm. Room was big and the bed comfy. In the evenig they prepare a 3-course dinner for in-house guests. Very tasty! In the morning the serve a likewise tasty breakfast.

A hidden gem

Nestled near the Ibsen museum this cafe / B&B serves tasty food such as quiches, salads and more substantial items. Good coffee and juices. Although a bit old fashioned in furniture and layout, it does somehow work. Although maybe a little passed its prime. 

Still, I would recommend a spot of lunch and contemplation. You will leave satisfied and if in town may well return. 

Ratings below are for the cafe.

Quaint setting and tasty food - something to wire home about

Booked a suite with my husband, 2 small children and my parents. We agreed upon room price per night with the lady who runs the place. As we arrived a day earlier, we asked if the suite was available. It was not, but we were offered another suite that night. This was very nice, we thought. The suite/apartment was not good. It was dirty, shower was leaking (floor and carpet was soaking wet upon check-in), but wasn't working when we tried to use it later in the evening. Left-over items was found in the kitchen and wires were laying around all over the living room. A massage chair (from a complete other century than the rest of the furniture) was the centerpiece of the living room. Bed linen was not matching, same with the worn out towels. The free wifi was not working due to bad weather, we were told and they did not believe us regarding the shower not working either. Reason; it was the first time they had heard of it being broken, so it could not be true. We left the next morning, but my parents stayed, hoping the suite we had originally booked was better. It was not. When my father mentioned the wifi not working in the sun either, they just raised their shoulders. Upon check-out, the price was no longer per room, as agreed upon. My dad had already paid the 2000kr for the first night, but the lady decided that we should have paid per couple instead and asked for "the remaining 5000kr". I must say I admire a person who dares to charge 7000kr (in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel price range) for 2 nights in a room that can be described as one of the worst hotels i've visited. When he told her what was agreed upon with the owner, she just shook her head and accepted, leaving my father to wonder if she knew this already and tried to charge us extra for her own benefit. He complained about the lack of cleanliness and was very surprised when the lady said that it was difficult to have time to clean such a big suite. I rest my case....

What is this???

Cafe Ibsen has, so we were told, been named the best cafe in Norway. I'd say it's also the best B&B in Norway. 

Anita Nicolaysen, who runs the show, is equally kind, welcoming and friendly: as she showed us our room in the building a few doors up from Cafe Ibsen, she pointed out that we were most welcome to use the BBQ on the fantastically kitted-out roof terrace, overlooking the market square, kitchen and adjacent dining room, effectively the entire house. Her house. As she and her home-brewing husband had decamped to their boat in the harbour. 

The B&B (if you choose to call it that) is lovely and reminds you of happy days you've spent in the house of you all time favourite auntie. We had a large bedroom with access to the aforementioned roof terrace and a comfy bed; a large bathroom with a jacuzzi bath tub and separate shower. Tasty breakfast with cooked eggs, salmon and freshly baked bread was served inside or on one of the very many terraces Cafe Ibsen features. 

If you come back in late mornig or afternoon, you can eat Anita's home-made cakes and her husband's beer, ales, in fact, which are served on tap.  

Be warned: Cafe Ibsen and Grimstad are the kind of places, which make you change your holiday plans and you may end up staying longer than you had envisaged. Laid-back Grimstad is a picture-perfect idea of a Norwegian seaside town come true: lovely sailing harbour, weather-boarded houses painted in white, or maybe a pale green and blue, independent shops galore, very nice restaurants, a supermarket and very many beaches and lots of nature in the vicinity. Well, you are in Norway after all. Must be Norway at its best. Actually, that's what it is.

Like staying at your all time favourite auntie

Grimstad it may be but a grim town it is certainly not. The town is typical of the area with white wooden buildings and a lovely homely atmosphere. Take a stroll round the town or nip down to the waters edge and soak up the lovely fresh atmosphere. The B&B is next to a charming little café and the host Anita is very welcoming and friendly. The apartment we had was on the top floor and with a huge bathroom and balcony it coupled well with the natural style of the building and furnishings - natural nordic rather than chic chi-chi! Breakfast is served in the café and is a great and substantial start to the day. The café team are very friendly and if you don't go ask to see the upstairs. They won an award for the whole of Norway last year I think. Ibsen himself lived in the town and wrote some of his famous works there. A link that is exploited but not over done. You won't be disappointed here. There is however no lift and the apartment was on the 2nd floor so you may need to check disability access before you go.

Ibsens B&B

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