Basecamp Hotel Svalbard: Is It a Good Base for Longyearbyen Tours?

Where is Basecamp Hotel?

Basecamp Hotel is in central Longyearbyen, and that is its biggest practical advantage. If you’re mostly doing guided activities, you can fit all of these into one day without calling a taxi each time you have a few free hours:

• a morning tour pickup
• lunch or coffee in town
• a museum or some shopping
• dinner
• an evening Northern Lights trip

If Basecamp is full on your dates, you can compare all stays in central Longyearbyen on Booking.com.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for Svalbard day tours?

Yes, especially if you expect to spend most days away from the hotel. Longyearbyen is mainly a base for excursions into the wider Arctic landscape, and a central hotel makes those easy to join. Depending on the season, you can use it as a base for:

• snowmobile safaris
• dog sledding
• ice caves
• Northern Lights trips, such as the Northern Lights photography tour with a local expert ($208, 4.6/5 from 36 reviews)
• glacier boat tours
• wildlife safaris, such as the Arctic wildlife scouting tour by van ($176, 4.9/5 from 22 reviews)
• hiking, such as the hike to Platåfjellet ($192, 4.7/5 from 11 reviews)
• kayaking
• Longyearbyen sightseeing, such as the guided walking tour with a local guide ($133, 4.7/5 from 24 reviews)

Basecamp Explorer itself runs a wide range of day trips, overnight trips and multi-day expeditions from Longyearbyen. Staying at the hotel doesn’t tie you to its tours, though; you can book with any operator in town.

What is the hotel like?

With only 16 rooms, Basecamp Hotel feels much smaller than a chain property. The interiors are rustic on purpose. Each room is decorated individually with materials such as:

• driftwood
• sealskin
• slate
• timber

The designs draw on Svalbard’s trapping heritage, so the rooms feel connected to the place you came to see.

Do the rooms have private bathrooms?

Yes, every room has its own bathroom. That sets Basecamp apart from some of Longyearbyen’s cheaper accommodation, where shared bathrooms are more common.

What types of rooms are available?

The hotel has several room configurations:

• single rooms
• twin rooms, which can be made up as a double on request
• triple rooms
• a couple’s suite
• a family room

If you’re booking for a family or a group, check the actual bed configuration before you pay.

Does Basecamp Hotel have TVs?

No. The rooms follow the lodge idea and leave out in-room entertainment. For most Svalbard visitors that is a small loss: after a full day of snowmobiling, hiking, dog sledding or walking on a glacier, a room without a television suits the expedition-lodge mood well enough.

Is breakfast included?

Yes, breakfast is included with the room. That helps on a tour-heavy trip, because many Svalbard activities start early. The evening before each tour, check:

• your tour pickup time
• when breakfast opens
• whether you need to ask for anything for an unusually early start

Can Basecamp Hotel arrange tours?

The hotel belongs to Basecamp Explorer Spitsbergen, a company with a large programme of Svalbard activities and expeditions. That makes it more than standalone accommodation, and it is handy if you’d like to book your room and some excursions with the same company.

Does Basecamp Explorer run dog sledding tours?

Yes. Basecamp Explorer’s Trapper’s Station sits about 10 km outside Longyearbyen in Bolterdalen and is the starting point for the company’s dog-sled tours and longer husky expeditions. If you’re keen on huskies, staying here gives you a direct line to one of Longyearbyen’s established dog-sled operators. Our dog sledding guide explains how the winter sled trips and summer wheeled-cart trips work.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for snowmobile tours?

Yes. Snowmobile tours usually leave from the operator’s base and not from the hotel door, but accommodation pickup is common across Longyearbyen. A central hotel also helps when you book with several operators. Our snowmobile tours guide covers the routes and seasons.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for dog sledding?

Very much so if you want to try Basecamp Explorer’s own trips. Trapper’s Station, the company’s dog-sledding base about 10 km outside Longyearbyen, gives the hotel a stronger expedition identity than most conventional hotels have.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for summer boat tours?

Yes. The central location suits summer visitors taking several excursions from Longyearbyen. Even if you book a boat with another operator, you don’t need to stay beside the harbour, because a central base is more useful across the whole trip. Our boat tours guide lists the summer routes.

Basecamp Hotel vs Coal Miners’ Cabins

Coal Miners’ Cabins in Nybyen is the budget alternative most people weigh against Basecamp. You can check Coal Miners’ Cabins or all stays in Nybyen on Booking.com.

Choose Basecamp Hotel if:

• you want to stay centrally
• a private bathroom matters to you
• you like distinctive design
• you want restaurants close by
• you’re taking several tours

Choose Coal Miners’ Cabins if:

• price matters more to you
• you’re happy with simple accommodation
• shared facilities don’t bother you
• you like the Nybyen setting

Basecamp Hotel vs Svalbard Hotel The Vault

Both hotels are in central Longyearbyen, both have private bathrooms, both are small, and both put restaurants and tour pickups close by. The difference is atmosphere.

Basecamp Hotel

Timber, trapper history and a rustic expedition-lodge feel.

The Vault

Svalbard Hotel The Vault has 35 rooms, modern styling and a design inspired by the Global Seed Vault, so it feels like a contemporary hotel.

Neither location puts you at a disadvantage for tours. Our guide to The Vault covers its rooms and pickups in detail.

Is Basecamp Hotel better than a large chain hotel?

Choose Basecamp if you want your hotel to feel closely tied to Svalbard, and choose a larger conventional hotel, such as the Radisson Blu Polar Hotel Spitsbergen, if you care more about:

• more extensive facilities
• larger common areas
• a familiar international-hotel style

Basecamp Hotel is small by design.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for first-time visitors?

Yes. On a first Svalbard trip, central accommodation simplifies almost everything. You are near:

• restaurants
• shops
• visitor services
• tour offices
• meeting points

and you can still join excursions that take you far outside town.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for couples?

Yes. The small size and lodge-style interior appeal to couples, and the hotel has a couple’s suite. If you’re an active couple planning full days of excursions, you get a central location, a private room and an Arctic atmosphere in one place.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for families?

Possibly. The hotel has a family room as well as triple rooms. Before booking, families should check:

• the bed configuration
• the total room capacity
• children’s age limits on your tours (the Northern Lights photography tour, for example, does not take children under 6)
• breakfast times
• how much common space you need

A family of four or more may find more room in the self-catering apartments at Svalbard Hotell | Lodge.

Is it good for solo travellers?

Yes, although price will weigh heavily. Travelling alone, you’ll appreciate being able to walk out for:

• dinner
• coffee
• museums
• shopping

If keeping accommodation costs low is your main concern, a guesthouse or hostel-style room usually costs less than a hotel room here.

Is Basecamp Hotel good in winter?

Very. The central location helps most during:

• the Polar Night
• snow
• strong wind
• very low temperatures

After several hours on a snowmobile or a dog sled, you’ll be glad to have restaurants and services a few minutes away. Our winter tours guide covers what runs in the dark months.

Is Basecamp Hotel good in summer?

Yes. A summer stay can include:

• glacier cruises
• wildlife safaris
• kayaking
• hiking
• dog sledding on wheels
• sightseeing

Central Longyearbyen is easy to explore on foot, so you can add an evening restaurant or museum to a long day out. Our summer tours guide compares the summer options.

Do you need a car?

Usually not. From Basecamp Hotel you can walk to many of Longyearbyen’s services, and the main sights outside town are generally reached on organised excursions anyway.

What about airport transfers?

The regular Longyearbyen airport bus serves accommodation around town, and some Basecamp expedition packages include their own transfers. Check exactly what your booking includes.

Does Basecamp Hotel have its own restaurant?

The hotel concentrates on rooms, breakfast and lounge areas and is not a large full-service resort. Because it is already in central Longyearbyen, the town’s restaurants are close by.

What makes Basecamp Hotel different?

The concept, more than any one amenity, sets it apart. Basecamp Hotel is designed as a continuation of Svalbard’s expedition culture, and the same company runs:

• Trapper’s Station
• wilderness lodges
• dog-sledding trips
• boat tours
• longer Arctic expeditions

That ties the hotel’s identity closely to outdoor exploration.

Who should choose Basecamp Hotel?

Basecamp Hotel suits:

• first-time Svalbard visitors
• couples
• active travellers
• people booking several day tours
• travellers who want to stay in central Longyearbyen
• visitors who like unusual boutique hotels
• guests interested in Basecamp Explorer’s activities

It may suit you less if:

• the lowest possible room price is your top priority
• you want a large resort
• you prefer minimalist modern interiors
• you want plenty of entertainment facilities inside the hotel

How many nights should you stay?

For a tour-focused Svalbard trip, four to six nights is a sensible starting range. A five-night stay might look like this:

Day 1

Arrival and Longyearbyen sightseeing, for example the two-hour Global Seed Vault and Arctic viewpoint tour by car ($144, 4.7/5 from 98 reviews)

Day 2

Your main seasonal tour: a snowmobile trip in winter or a glacier boat in summer

Day 3

Dog sledding or hiking

Day 4

An ice cave or a wildlife safari, such as the wildlife safari and slow hiking photography tour ($251, 4.5/5 from 55 reviews)

Day 5

A flexible activity, or a spare day in case weather cancels an earlier tour

Day 6

Departure

Should you book the hotel and tours together?

You don’t have to, but check both at the same time. A sensible order:

1. Check flights.
2. Check Basecamp Hotel availability.
3. Check your must-do tours.
4. Confirm dates when all three work.
5. Add secondary activities later.

Our guide to booking Svalbard tours walks through the booking steps in more detail.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Basecamp Hotel in Svalbard?

Basecamp Hotel is in central Longyearbyen, a short walk from many of the town’s shops, restaurants and visitor services.

How many rooms does Basecamp Hotel have?

The hotel has 16 rooms and sleeps more than 40 guests.

Do rooms have private bathrooms?

Yes. Every room has its own bathroom.

Is Basecamp Hotel open all year?

Yes, the hotel is open year-round.

Is breakfast available?

Yes. Breakfast is included with the room.

Is Basecamp Hotel good for day tours?

Yes. Its central location and its link to Basecamp Explorer’s own activity programme make it a practical base if you plan several excursions.

Does Basecamp Explorer offer dog sledding?

Yes. Its dog-sled tours start from Trapper’s Station, about 10 km outside Longyearbyen in Bolterdalen.

Does Basecamp Explorer offer boat tours?

Yes. Boat tours are part of the company’s programme alongside dog sledding and longer expeditions.

Is Basecamp Hotel central?

Yes. It is in the centre of Longyearbyen, so you can walk to restaurants and shops.

Is Basecamp Hotel suitable for families?

Yes, depending on the room configuration. It has a family room and triple rooms, so check the beds before booking.

The bottom line

Basecamp Hotel is a strong Longyearbyen choice if you want convenience and a sense of place in the same stay. It is central, has only 16 rooms and deliberately avoids the feel of a generic international hotel. That suits visitors who spend the day:

• riding snowmobiles
• travelling behind huskies
• exploring glaciers
• cruising Isfjorden
• hiking through Arctic terrain

and want the hotel to feel connected to those experiences. The link with Basecamp Explorer helps too.

If keeping costs as low as possible is your main concern, simpler accommodation such as Coal Miners’ Cabins may make more sense. If you prefer a contemporary hotel, compare The Vault. If you want central Longyearbyen with a deliberately Arctic, expedition-style atmosphere, Basecamp Hotel is among the most distinctive options in town. Our full guide to where to stay in Svalbard compares it with the other hotels, and our Longyearbyen day tours guide and best Svalbard day tours help you fill the days.