Here Aunt Rollaug put the milk pans to cool,” says the host Steinar Sørli, pointing down into the stream that runs across the yard and into the barn bridge. “Great-grandfather Søren built the stone bridge 118 years ago,” he continues.

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As the fourth generation owner of Åmot in Sunnfjord, he is keen to pass on the story of the farm he took over in 1997 and opened for accommodation in 2006. In a remote valley in the fjord landscape of Sogn og Fjordane, Sørli and her husband Yngve Brakstad have created their paradise. Ten minutes from the airport in Førde, yet so deserted that trickling from the stream and bleating from the sheep are all we hear. The large ocher-yellow barn is furnished as a function room with rustic timber walls and modern furnishings. The 1890 Swiss Villa makes up the main house with an apple orchard and luxuriously decorated guest rooms. Lighting, warm colors and a delightful mix of new and old bring out a warm atmosphere that surrounds the stay. Historical pictures on the walls and flowers in jars and urns make it easy to feel welcome.

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The dining experience is central to Åmot, and the open kitchen has inviting dining tables for many, an AGA oven and chefs serving local food. Tonight it's farm sand from a local farmer, and apples from the garden for dessert.

After dinner, we listen to key harp playing, and the musician makes small talk and tells a little about the stringed instrument before giving the intimate concert.

We quickly swirl into the special Åmot atmosphere, and slowly but surely understand why the place is popular for this niche. Because there's something about the mood. “It's like coming home,” Sara Marie Ytreøy in The Travel Designer had told us, and we know what she means.

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In the beginning, the couple Sørli and Brakstad ran the hotel in a traditional way, taking guests to famous places in the county. Eventually, they discovered the value of their own
neighborhood, and chose to direct the spotlight on everything that exists perfectly close.

We've turned it to our advantage being remote. Many people experience it as exotic with a boat trip on the Dalsfjorden without others nearby, in addition to being able to see
Laukelandsfossen all alone. It's spectacular. At Osfossen in Gaular we watch the salmon jump in Norway's oldest salmon staircase.

Now the couple is fully committed to working with the company The Travel Designer. Over the course of eight years, they have jointly developed Åmot to become a brand that attracts high-end guests.

Finding a network among the neighbours and working closely with them has been crucial for the development of Åmot, says Sørli.

He recounts that it has become customary to post a stroll to the Aberdeen Angus farmer next door. Guests get to greet the animals and talk to the family on the farm.

“Some people are keen on hiking, and then we take them to Storehesten at over 1000 meters, with a view of the entire Sunnfjord. Others will kayak to the falls with a private guide. If there is culture they are looking for, we are happy to arrange a mini-concert in the protected Hestad Chapel from 1805.

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High-end guests always rent all of Åmot, to be able to be completely for themselves. A so-called “buy out” means that all 11 rooms are reserved for them and that the host is at their disposal. Sometimes they are just two people, but most often several people travel together.

It may sound complicated to get guests via agents, but for us it is a peace of mind that the travel planner has the wherewithal. We know a lot about the customer group and they know a lot about us. The fact that we have small bathrooms and small rooms has been communicated in advance, and at the same time they have learned that everything here is authentic and genuine, and keeps a high standard. There are few unexpected moments of risk, and that makes the stay more likely to be successful.

Although this is a niche we strive for, it is still the local environment we live by. Dinners, accommodation and concerts for business and private individuals in the Førde district are our primary market. Just under 20 percent of our revenue comes from high-end guests, but the goal for 2019 is to increase the share to 50 percent,” concludes Sørli.

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The Travel Designer

Sara Marie Ytreøy is Product Manager at The Travel Designer, which has been the incoming agency for this niche in Norway for nine years. 95 percent of the guests are from the United States, and the firm works both as a sales lead for Åmot and for other travel companies in the Nordic region.

We have increasing demand, and at times we are not able to respond to all inquiries. Over the past year, six new people have been hired. When guests arrive in the Nordic countries, we have planned the entire journey from A to Z, and pre-booked all activities, experiences, accommodation and transport. Some travel on their own, while others travel together with a private guide and driver. The guests are followed throughout the journey, and we are in close contact with everyone involved,” says Ytreøy.

When asked who is the typical customer, she replies: “They are usually grown-up couples, families or multigenerational travellers, where grandparents are also involved. Although the guests have spacious finances, they are incredibly committed to quality and value for money. They are willing to pay when the product is top-notch,” she concludes.

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