Longyearbyen, Svalbard · Svalbard

Mary-Ann's Polarrigg

Skjaeringa, Longyearbyen, Svalbard

A quirky former miners' barracks in central Longyearbyen, full of mining-heritage characterFour buildings, from basic shared-bathroom barracks rooms to private-bath Luxury Rig roomsVinterhagen, a glass-greenhouse restaurant with Arctic salmon and reindeer

Super-deluxe

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Location

Central Longyearbyen

The hotel sits in the Skjaeringa area of Longyearbyen, around five to eight minutes' walk from the centre, with the airport bus outside, in the world's northernmost town.

Transfer

In the world's northernmost town

A short walk or airport-bus ride from Svalbard Airport, central to everything in Longyearbyen, with flights via Oslo or Tromso.

Villas

Four buildings of character

Four buildings: the basic Gruveriggen barracks rooms of around seven square metres, which share showers and toilets on the corridor; the nine Luxury Rig rooms with private bathrooms, uniquely decorated and still rustic; apartment-style cabins for families; and a whimsical Polar Night Suite.

Best For

Who it suits

Travellers who want Arctic character, atmosphere and a memorable breakfast in central Longyearbyen, and who are happy to choose between shared-bathroom barracks rooms and private-bath Luxury Rig rooms.

Board Basis

Bed and breakfast

Bed-and-breakfast, with the glass-greenhouse Vinterhagen restaurant and a breakfast buffet guests rate among the best they have had.

Overview

A miners' barracks full of Arctic character

Mary-Ann's Polarrigg is a quirky former miners' barracks in central Longyearbyen, created in 1999 and filled with handpicked mining-heritage decor right down to the fairy-lit red miners' bus that serves as the smoking shelter. It spreads across four buildings, from the basic Gruveriggen barracks rooms of around seven square metres, which share bathroom facilities on the corridor, to the nine more comfortable Luxury Rig rooms with private bathrooms. The setting is the world's northernmost town: Longyearbyen sits at seventy-eight degrees north on Spitsbergen, ringed by glaciers and peaks, with the Svalbard Museum, dog-sledding and the wilderness all close and the polar night and midnight sun overhead in season. The heart of it is Vinterhagen, a glass-greenhouse restaurant serving Arctic salmon and reindeer, and a breakfast buffet guests rate among the best they have had. Affordable Arctic character, minutes from town.

Accommodation

Four buildings of character

Four buildings hold rooms full of character, from the basic Gruveriggen barracks rooms of around seven square metres, which share showers and toilets on the corridor, to the nine more comfortable Luxury Rig rooms with private bathrooms, plus apartment-style cabins for families and a whimsical Polar Night Suite. Filled with handpicked mining-heritage decor, they make an affordable, atmospheric base in central Longyearbyen, the red miners' bus and the artefacts setting the tone. The mining-heritage decor is genuine, gathered piece by piece, and the contrast between the basic barracks rooms and the private-bath Luxury Rig rooms lets guests choose how much comfort they want at the top of the world.

Budget

Basic Single

Sleeps one. A basic miners'-barracks room of around seven square metres, with shared bathroom facilities on the corridor.

Around 7 square metresShared bathroom

Budget

Basic Twin

Sleeps two. A basic miners'-barracks room of around seven square metres, with two single beds and shared bathroom facilities.

Two single bedsShared bathroom

Comfort

Luxury Rig Room

Sleeps two. One of nine uniquely decorated, more comfortable rooms with a private bathroom and more space.

Private bathroomUniquely decorated

Family

Apartment Cabin

Sleeps four. An apartment-style, private cabin for families.

Apartment-stylePrivate

Food & Drink

Dining

The heart of it is Vinterhagen, a glass-greenhouse restaurant serving Arctic salmon and reindeer, joined by the cosy fireside Peisen Bar and a breakfast buffet guests rate among the best they have had. It is characterful Arctic dining under glass, the greenhouse a green, warm refuge from the cold and the dark outside. Vinterhagen's glass greenhouse is a small miracle in a treeless Arctic town, its greenery and warmth a welcome contrast to the snow and the dark outside.

Signature

Vinterhagen

Vinterhagen, Arctic cuisine inside a glass greenhouse, with Arctic salmon and reindeer.

Bar

Peisen Bar

Peisen Bar, a cosy fireside bar.

Breakfast

Breakfast buffet

Breakfast buffet, rated by guests among the best they have had.

Wellbeing

The sauna

A sauna offers a place to warm up after a day out in the Svalbard cold. Wellness here is simple and in keeping with the character of the place, the sauna a welcome thaw after dog-sledding or a day on the snow.

A sauna

A sauna, for warming up.

After the cold

After the cold, Arctic wellness.

The setting

The setting, character and warmth.

Activities & Experiences

Signature Experiences

Mining heritage, dog-sledding and the polar light define a stay — soak up the barracks and the red miners' bus, take a dog sled from Longyearbyen, and ride a snowmobile into the wilderness. Dining in the glass greenhouse at Vinterhagen, and the polar night and aurora over the town, round out an affordable, atmospheric stay in the world's northernmost town. Longyearbyen sits at seventy-eight degrees north in a landscape of glaciers and tundra, and Mary-Ann's makes a characterful, affordable base from which to head out onto the ice.