Sjur Brakanes, a coachman in the fjordside village of Ulvik, opened a simple inn here in 1860 to serve travelers and freight moving along the Hardangerfjord. His daughter Kari and her husband Hans took over in 1884 and doubled its capacity with new guest rooms, timed well: British cruise ships and private yachts began calling at Ulvik in growing numbers through the 1890s, drawn by the region’s fjord scenery.
A 1901 road connection to Voss brought even more visitors. The hotel expanded again between 1928 and 1930, replacing its old Swiss chalet look with a more modern facade, only for the Second World War to reach Ulvik on April 25, 1940, when German warships shelled the village and burned 51 buildings, including the hotel, to the ground. It was rebuilt afterward and has expanded repeatedly since, now holding 143 rooms, most facing the fjord.