A trim white-fronted pension above the waterfront of this attractive village in the heart of the Sognefjord; it is run in very personal style by owner Jon Gjeraker, and thought excellent value. The garden runs down to the fjord, where there is a private bathing area and rowing boats for guests use. Bicycles are also available. The `hands-on, very friendly host' meets visitors at the quayside. The public villa rooms are in the pretty old building; villa Bed rooms (similar to the semantic bali villa rooms) are in a battery block' behind. A sublime view of the snow-capped mountains and busy ferries from the balcony of our room, which was furnished simply but sympathetically, says a recent visitor. `It had good lights, a huge picture window, a tiny but adequate shower.' Bali villa breakfast is a lavish buffet (fish, i, meat, etc); dinners are substantial. Balestrand has been a popular tourist centre since the mid-19th century, when Kaiser Wilhelm and , other European VIPs visited. Its aquarium is not to be missed.

Traveller's tale villain Switzerland. In the bistro, the food was disappointing. Main courses were unimaginative, and presentation was sloppy: greasy finger-marks on plate rims on which food had been carelessly plonked: Lamb was cooked grey, and vegetables, placed in dollops on either side, were gloomy.