Where to Stay in Bergen with Kids: Best Areas & Family-Friendly Hotels

Despite being a small city, Bergen is full of things to do for both kids and adults so your choice of accommodation is important to help you get around easily. There are a few different options so this guide will give you an overview of the different neighbourhoods and my family friendly recommendations for places to stay when you visit Bergen. For our full guide to activities, see: Things to Do in Bergen with Kids: A Family Guide to Norway’s Gateway to the Fjords

Where to Stay in Bergen with Kids: By Neighbourhood

Sentrum & Bryggen

Sentrum and Bryggen are where most first-time visitors to Bergen gravitate towards, and with good reason. You're within walking distance of everything - the Fløibanen funicular to Mount Fløyen, the fish market, Bergenhus Fortress, the KODE art museums, and Bergen's main shopping street, Torgalmenningen. Bryggen itself is the UNESCO-listed Hanseatic wharf that most people picture when they think of Bergen: the leaning wooden buildings painted in reds, yellows, and browns, the narrow alleyways running between them, the waterfront. Sentrum is slightly calmer - the residential streets behind the main drag are quiet enough to push a pram without feeling swept along by the tourist current.

Together, these two areas give you a good base for a first visit: walkable, convenient, and with enough going on at ground level that even a short wander from your accommodation feels worthwhile. If you want to be somewhere you can step outside and immediately feel like you're in Bergen, this is it.

1. Kong Oscars Apartments (from around £120/night)

A self-catering apartment just 400 metres from Bergen's city centre, Kong Oscars Apartments is in a quiet section of Sentrum within easy walking distance of main sites and attractions. Each apartment comes with a fully equipped kitchen including dishwasher, oven, and washing machine. You'll be treated to the view of the Bergen mountains from the windows which is a special sight to wake up to. Family rooms are available, children of all ages are welcome (children four and above are charged as adults, which is worth factoring in), and the building has a lift.

2. Nygårdsparken Apartments (from around £90/night)

These spacious self-catering apartments are located on the boundary between Sentrum and Nygård, with multiple bedrooms, fully equipped kitchen, and washing machine, making it a comfortable base for a family. The city centre is a 10-minute walk, and Nygårdsparken itself (Bergen's best city park, recently revamped with one of the finest playgrounds in the city) is essentially on the doorstep. Children of all ages are welcome, and cribs are available.

3. Home Hotel Bryggen (from around £130/night)

Located in the former F. Beyer factory building in Bryggen, Home Hotel Bryggen is one of the more practical hotels for families in Bergen's historic centre. The Fløibanen funicular is a 3-minute walk, the fish market is directly outside, and Bergenhus Fortress is equally close. What makes it stand out for families is the meal inclusion: breakfast, a daily fika (coffee and cake), and dinner are all included in the rate, which is one less logistical headache per day! Family rooms and cribs are available.

4. Home Hotel Havnekontoret (from around £150/night)

If Home Hotel Bryggen is full, or you want something with a bit more grandeur, Home Hotel Havnekontoret is located in a beautiful Neoclassical 1920s stone building right at the entrance to Bryggen, arguably the single best hotel location in the city. It carries the same all-inclusive format as its sibling: breakfast, afternoon pancakes or waffles, 24-hour tea and coffee, and a light evening meal all included in the rate. The library-lounge with an open fire is exactly what you want after a wet Bergen afternoon with a toddler. Family rooms are available, children of all ages are welcome, and cribs can be arranged. There's also a sauna, should you get the chance to use it. Prices vary by season.

Nordnes

Nordnes is a peninsula that juts out southwest of Bryggen, and it has a completely different character to the centre: quieter, more residential, full of painted wooden houses and narrow streets. You will have access to the Bergen Aquarium, Nordnes Park (one of Bergen's most beautiful spots for a picnic) and it's only a 15-minute walk from Bryggen.

5. VANDER Altona (from around £150/night)

A Scandinavian apartment hotel in a beautifully renovated historic building, VANDER Altona sits on the edge of Sentrum, convenient for both Nordnes and Bryggen. The apartments are modern and fully equipped with kitchens (dishwasher, oven, stovetop), and the two-bedroom option gives families proper separate sleeping space. Children of all ages are welcome (under sixes are not charged as adults) and the building has a lift.

6. Klosterhagen Hotel (from around £130/night)

Set on the grounds of a former monastery in the heart of Nordnes, Klosterhagen has so much charm and character. It's small (15 rooms) with a cosy feel meaning the staff are very friendly and welcoming. Family rooms and cribs are available. Bergen Aquarium is a 10-minute walk. Note there is no lift in this building (which dates from the 1880s) so you'll have to be happy with managing the stairs.

Nygård (Nygårdshøyden)

Nygård is south of Sentrum, climbing into the hillside around Bergen University. It's a vibrant, lived-in neighbourhood: lots of independent cafes, bookshops, students, and Nygårdsparken, Bergen's best city park is right here. The hill is real and worth knowing about if you're pushing a pram; manageable, but not flat.

7. Flott leilighet på Nygårdshøyden (from around £90/night)

A spacious self-catering apartment in one of Bergen's trendier areas about 10 minutes' walk to the city centre. Children of all ages are welcome, and cribs are available. It's the most budget-friendly option on this list and the best pick if you want somewhere genuinely local, with good supermarkets nearby and a bus connection up the hill if the walk back feels like too much after a long day. Bergen Maritime Museum is an 8-minute walk. Prices vary seasonally.

Sandviken

North of Bryggen, Sandviken is one of Bergen's oldest surviving neighbourhoods, rows of timber houses painted in ochre, rust, and white, many dating back to the 18th century. It's quieter than the centre, more local in feel, and genuinely lovely to walk around. You can also catch the small ferry Beffen from here directly into the city centre (a 10-minute alternative to the bus that goes down very well with toddlers who like boats).

8. Charming Bergen House (from around £130/night)

A rare historic house from around 1779 and you get the entire property to yourself. It's in a small, quiet alley in Sandviken, steps from the Norwegian Fisheries Museum and it's a bit further to walk into the centre but easy to reach by bus. One bedroom upstairs, a sofa bed downstairs, fully equipped kitchen, private terrace, and a washing machine. It's a really cosy and lived in house giving you a quirky and unique Bergen experience!

9. Renovated Apartment from 1780 in Skuteviken (from around £100/night)

Another 18th-century gem, this time a beautifully restored ground-floor apartment in Skuteviken — the cobblestoned heart of Sandviken, about 500 metres from Bryggen. The layout suits a couple with one young child best: one bedroom, a living room, a fully equipped kitchen with a private terrace.

Fanafjorden (Out of the City)

If you have access to a car and want a night or two away from the city entirely, the Fanafjorden area (about 20 minutes south of Bergen) offers something genuinely different: fjord views, birdsong, complete quiet. It's not a base for sightseeing, but as a nature escape mid-trip it's a strong option, especially if your toddler has started climbing the walls of a city apartment.

10. Fanafjorden Cabins (from around £130/night)

This holiday cabin in the Fana district has a terrace overlooking the fjord, three bedrooms, and free private parking. The setting delivers exactly what the name promises: a wood-supplied fireplace, sea views, an equipped kitchen, and genuine quiet. Around 20 minutes' drive from Bergen, but a special way to feel like you're really in the fjords.

Our Verdict

For most families visiting Bergen for the first time (particularly those with a toddler) I'd suggest basing yourself in one of the more central areas like Sentrum, Bryggen, Nordnes for the majority of your stay. The ability to walk to the Fløibanen, the fish market, and Bryggen is useful for exploring at your own pace and being in the middle of everything.

From the hotels on this list, Home Hotel Bryggen or Havnekontoret stand out for their all-inclusive meal format — useful if you don't want to think about dinner every evening. Klosterhagen in Nordnes is my pick for character and warmth, if stairs aren't an issue for your family. The Charming Bergen House in Sandviken is ideal for a cosy, independent stay with older toddlers, and either of the Fanafjorden options makes a lovely one-night nature escape if you have a car.

Planning what to do once you arrive? Check out our Top Family-Friendly Things to Do in Bergen with a Toddler for a full guide to the city's best activities with young children.