Hotel Alexandra's story began over a century ago in 1884, when Anders Markusson Loen opened an inn along the fjord called Loen’s Hotell. Tourism in the area remained underwhelming, and the enterprise floundered for a while until Anders’s son, Markus, returned from America with his wife, Ida. Together, the couple revitalized the business and eventually acquired the neighboring Kvamme’s Hotel. By 1892, they combined the two establishments and renamed it Hotel Alexandra.
Under Markus’s leadership, the hotel expanded steadily and became a focal point for tourism in Loen, offering also transport and excursions. Following Markus’s death in 1929, Ida and their nine children continued the family tradition, with their son Richard taking over as director in 1934. The hotel saw major growth during this period, including a major expansion that same year, turning it into one of Western Norway’s largest tourist hotels. More modernizations came about during the mid-20th century, with the oldest parts of the building replaced or upgraded in the 1960s. These developments allowed the hotel to shift from seasonal to year-round operations. Through the 1970s and 1980s, Alexandra continued improving its facilities with new rooms, conference spaces, and leisure amenities.
By 1984, its centennial anniversary, Hotel Alexandra had grown into a substantial enterprise with dozens of family shareholders. Despite its scale, however, Hotel Alexandra remains independent and still family-run, now led by the fifth generation members.
