Why stay at Eplet
Eplet started in 2004 as a small backpacker hostel. At the time, many guests arrived by bus and stayed for a week or more. They came for the glacier, the mountains and the fjord, but just as importantly they came because they could do all of it from one place.
That idea has stayed with us. We have never tried to become a hotel, and we have never tried to maximise the number of guests. Instead, Eplet has evolved slowly over the years, shaped as much by everyday life in the orchard as by tourism.
Many things have changed since 2004, but the basic idea remains the same: create a place where people can stay long enough to feel at home.
The first years were very different from today. Many guests arrived by bus and stayed for a week or more. They came for glacier walks, kayaking, cycling and hiking, using Eplet as a base rather than moving from place to place. The combination worked remarkably well.
Over time both travel habits and Eplet changed. Public transport became less visible to foreign visitors, spontaneous backpacker travel declined and the world became more organised around cars, online booking platforms and shorter stays. At the same time life at Eplet gradually shifted towards the orchard, the garden and a slower pace. The place became less of an activity-focused hostel and more of a relaxed guesthouse.
Today most guests stay between four and seven nights. Many come because they are looking for something increasingly difficult to find: a place that feels personal without being exclusive, social without being organised and comfortable without being complicated.
Some guests spend every day hiking, cycling, kayaking or visiting the glacier. Others spend an afternoon in the garden, walk down to the beach or sit on the veranda with a book. Most do a bit of both.
We have chosen not to become a hotel, and we have chosen not to build the business around Airbnb or Booking.com. Eplet remains a small guesthouse where guests share kitchens, gardens and outdoor spaces, and where life is still shaped more by the seasons than by marketing plans.
Happy Rabbits
At Eplet we have ten free-range chickens and two small rabbits who love company. Milly and Molly have a small house in the courtyard just outside the main house, where you can enter, sit down with them, and spend time together.
Children are welcome to visit the rabbits and feed them dandelions they have picked themselves in the garden. It is a simple experience, but often a highlight for families staying at Eplet. Sometimes they also get a small treat.
Let’s go and explore the Eplet garden. Can you spot any dandelions?
Crocket Golf
You have explored the glaciers, the fjords, and the mountains around Solvorn and the Lustrafjord. It is too late in the day to start a new expedition, but the sun is still shining through the long Norwegian summer evenings. So what do you do at Eplet? You play crocket golf — one of the popular things to do at Eplet in summer.
In spring 2007, we built a 9-hole crocket golf course around the main building at Eplet hostel in Solvorn. Since then, more than 2000 games are recorded. It takes about half an hour to complete a round and is a simple, fun family activity in the Luster fjord area, suitable for both adults and children.
Most people play one or two rounds, but some get completely hooked and end up spending hours in the garden. It is a very social activity and a relaxed way to enjoy long summer evenings at Eplet, often with laughter, friendly competition, and views of the orchard and fjord landscape nearby.
Sustainable Life
At Eplet we grow a range of fruits and vegetables in our garden and orchard. Guests have access to a small shared garden where you can pick your own greens if you do some weeding. Our happiest guests are often those who stay for a few days, cook their own meals, and have time to enjoy the garden and the rhythm of life at Eplet.
In addition to juice and berries, we also sell homegrown vegetables to the local hotel. In the picture, Julienne is packing kale straight from the field — part of the daily work that connects the garden to the wider community around Solvorn and the Lustrafjord.
If you look around the garden, you will find more than enough to make a simple and satisfying meal for your family. In the reception, we also sell Eplet T-shirts in different colors, a small reminder of your stay in the orchard and the experience of sustainable living at Eplet.