Scandinavia’s Best Spotting Hotels

The Scandinavian countries of Denmark, Norway and Sweden, along with neighbours Iceland and Finland, have some incredible spotting experiences to enjoy.

From busy hubs like Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm Arlanda and Helsinki, to wild and remote airports found along Norway’s coast and in the Lapland region.

It is a region where you can enjoy seeing airliners from around the world and lots of smaller operators supplying the outlying communities, as well as industrial areas and oil rigs.

In Iceland, you’ll often find aircraft transiting whilst crossing the Atlantic, needing somewhere to rest and refuel between North America and Europe.

If you’re in one of these countries on a spotting trip, it makes sense to seek out a hotel that has views to allow you to continue spotting early and late in the day. We’ve put together these suggestions of the best spotting hotels in Scandinavia.

Bergen, Norway

Clarion Hotel Bergen Airport
Flyplassvegen 551, 5258 Blomsterdalen | +47 56 10 00 00 | www.nordicchoicehotels.com
This hotel is in the car park at the northern end of the terminal and has rooms looking out onto the commuter ramp and some of the main gates. In the distance is the runway, so all movements should be visible if you have a room facing west on a high floor.

Copenhagen Kastrup, Denmark

Clarion Hotel Copenhagen Airport
Ellehammersvej 20, Copenhagen 2770 | +45 32 501 501 | www.nordicchoicehotels.dk
The Clarion (formerly the Hilton) is a tall hotel linked to Copenhagen’s passenger terminal via a covered walkway.

Most rooms ending in 31-35 from the 10th floor up offer views, with photography possible but not ideal.

Helsinki Vantaa, Finland

Hilton Helsinki Airport
Lentäjänkuja 1, 01530 Vantaa | +358 9 73220 | www.hilton.com
This hotel is located directly behind the Helsinki’s main terminal complex and is a couple of floors higher than the terminal buildings, meaning movements can be seen.

There are only outward facing rooms on two sides of the hotel, facing northeast and southwest (the rest face an inner courtyard). For spotting purposes, you will need rooms facing southwest; rooms facing northeast have views blocked by an adjacent building.

The top two floors are best, with rooms on the southwest side overlooking final approach to runways 04L/R and many of the terminal stands.

Keflavik International, Iceland

Airport Hotel Aurora Star
Blikavöllur 2 Keflavik – Airport, 235 | +354 595 1900 | www.hotelairport.is
This small, tall hotel stands among the car parks outside the passenger terminal at Keflavik International. Upper floor rooms facing the terminal have views of aircraft parked on one side of the pier, and the cargo apron. You have very distant views of movements on the runways.

Oslo Gardermoen, Norway

Radisson Blu Airport Hotel Oslo
Hotelvegen, P.O. Box 163, N – 2061 Gardermoen | +47 63 93 30 00 | www.radissonhotels.com
Quite an expensive hotel, but it is ideally located for spotting. There are many rooms higher up that have views of movements on runways 01L/19R, and the hotel can usually accommodate your request for views.

Reykjavik Airport, Iceland

The view from the Icelandair Hotel

Icelandair Hotel Reykjavik Natura
Nauthólsvegur, Reykjavik | +354 444 4500 | www.icelandairhotels.com
A part of the old airport terminal, the Icelandair hotel is a good place for spotters visiting the city as one side of the hotel faces the airport’s main runway and both of the main ramps.

It’s a good place to keep track of aircraft transiting the airport. Photography is possible of the aircraft sitting on the ramp outside, or on the runway beyond, if you have a higher floor room.

Stockholm Arlanda, Sweden

Comfort Hotel Arlanda Airport
Tornvägen 2, 190 45 Stockholm-Arlanda | +46 8 444 18 00 | www.nordicchoicehotels.com
A brand new hotel outside Sky City in the central terminal complex at Arlanda. The hotel has rooms facing the airport and runways, with some of the gates visible, from the upper floors. Photography is possible with a 300mm+ lens.

Trondheim, Norway

Radisson Blu Trondheim Airport
Lufthavnveien 30, 7502 Stjørdal | +47 74 84 36 00 | www.radissonhotels.com
A great hotel just behind the passenger terminal with views across the apron, taxiways and runways from higher rooms facing the airport. No movements will be missed from here at this busy regional airport.

Airport Spotting Hotels Book

Our book, Airport Spotting Hotels, was recently updated. It includes the best hotels for spotting at airports around the world, including these and more at Scandinavia’s airports.

Never miss a spotting opportunity again!

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