Arriving a few days before a cruise is always wise — flight delays happen — and it’s a particular pleasure when the departure port is in a country as beautiful and friendly as Norway. Before our golf cruise with Azamara in Scotland, we first flew to Bergen, on the west coast. Norway’s second-largest city is a gateway to awe-inspiring fjords, but it is also a wonderful destination in its own right. Friendly shops and cafés on cobblestone streets in the old center cluster beneath lush green hills dotted with traditional red, yellow and white houses. Bergen’s harbor features a lively fish market, a draw for chefs who share a passion for local and sustainable cuisine, and the surrounding mountains provide magical hiking trails. The only problem has been a lack of recommendable hotels! At last, I found something.

Opus XVI

About 20 minutes by car from Bergen’s airport, the 65-room Opus XVI overlooks Vågsallmenningen Square, just steps from the harbor. With tall marble columns, ornate chandeliers and chic velvet furniture, the open-plan lobby contains the lounge, bar, restaurant and tiny front desk. On the way to our room, our escort pointed out a small in-house museum. Among the displays was a timeline of the life of Bergen-born composer Edvard Grieg, an ancestor of the hotel’s owners. He served as their inspiration as they transformed a 19th-century bank building into this boutique hotel (its name honors Grieg’s celebrated Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 16).

We immediately liked our Deluxe Room. A contemporary velvet settee sat at the foot of a king bed, and floor-to-ceiling windows faced the cobbled square. The spacious marble-tiled bath had just one vanity but plenty of counter space and a walk-in rainfall shower. I did wish I’d booked a larger category, since we lacked enough space for our two sets of luggage. More troublesome, the historic building has only a central ventilation system that we couldn't adjust. Our bedroom became stuffy and hot in the unusually warm weather. Opening the windows helped, but noise from the square made it hard to fall asleep, as did the bed’s stiff sheets.