Hjelle is a small village at the eastern end of Strynevatnet, right where the old mountain road over Strynefjellet begins. It is one of those places that feels like the end of the road, even though it is really a crossroads.
The Hjelle Hotel has been here since 1896, built in the Swiss style that was fashionable at the time. The same family has run it for four generations now. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands stayed here, which tells you something about the kind of guests these mountain hotels used to attract. Back then, wealthy Europeans would travel to Norway for the scenery and the mountain air, and places like Hjelle were their destination.
Today the village is quiet, sitting between the lake and steep mountain walls. If you are driving the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, this is where it starts, and the hotel is a natural place to stop for coffee or a meal before heading up.
The Hjelle Hotel has been here since 1896, built in the Swiss style that was fashionable at the time. The same family has run it for four generations now. Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands stayed here, which tells you something about the kind of guests these mountain hotels used to attract. Back then, wealthy Europeans would travel to Norway for the scenery and the mountain air, and places like Hjelle were their destination.
Today the village is quiet, sitting between the lake and steep mountain walls. If you are driving the Gamle Strynefjellsvegen, this is where it starts, and the hotel is a natural place to stop for coffee or a meal before heading up.