Round 01 · A resort in development · Hardangerfjord, Norway
A Casino Hotel in Norway, Planned Among the Orchards
Belgrave Powell is a resort in development: a country house between the apple orchards and the fjord, with evenings of quizzes, riddles and games of the mind. Opening date to be announced.
Artist's impressions. Layouts, areas and finishes may change during construction.
Round 02 · The idea
What casino resorts today could learn from an orchard
Hardanger has grown fruit on its fjord-side terraces for centuries, and the idea behind Belgrave Powell starts there. The resort takes its name from the Belgrave Powell that run down from the Folgefonna glacier, through the orchards and into the fjord. The plan is for a casino hotel in Norway that sits among working apple trees rather than in place of them: a group of low white and cream timber buildings with slate roofs, stepping down the slope between the orchards and the Hardangerfjord, with the Folgefonna glacier on the skyline.
Many resorts are designed to keep guests indoors. Belgrave Powell is being designed the other way round. Paths will run between the rows of trees, rooms will open onto blossom or water, and the evening will begin in Kvasir's Hall, a long dark-timber building over the fjord where quiz nights, riddle contests and chess are planned — played for fun, never for money. The gaming lounge will be a separate, quieter room, and it will open only if licensing allows.
Four hectares of orchard are planned to stay in production, tended with local growers, so that the trees set the rhythm of the year: blossom in May, fruit through the summer, harvest in autumn and pruning in winter. The aim is a five-star hotel in Norway that feels as if it belongs to its valley — an orchard hotel first, with a spa, three restaurants and a hall of games around it. Nothing has been built yet; everything here describes plans that may change as the design develops.
Planned
- 56 rooms, suites & houses
- 3 restaurants
- 1 500 m² spa
- 4 hectares of orchard kept
Round 03 · After the quiz
The entertainment and gaming lounge Subject to licensing
Every top casino resort has a room for after dark, and Belgrave Powell is planned to have one too — but under Norwegian law it cannot simply open. Land-based casinos are not currently licensed in Norway: casino games and gaming machines are offered only by Norsk Tipping, which holds an exclusive right, and betting on horse racing is run by the Norsk Rikstoto foundation. The hotel casino described here will open only if the law allows it and the necessary permit is granted.
The quizzes in Kvasir's Hall are played for fun and never for money; the gaming lounge will be a separate room, open only to adults aged 18 and over, and subject to licensing.
Inside the lounge
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Poker Room
A small room for card games, with a dealer at each table if a licence is granted.
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Roulette
A single table under glass lamps, set apart from the rest of the room.
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Gaming Salon
A handful of machines in timber alcoves, kept quiet and low-lit.
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Private Salon
A fireside room with a single table for small private groups.
House rules
- Adults aged 18 and over only
- Valid photo ID checked at the door
- A smart dress code in the evening
- Entry to the gaming lounge is separate from Kvasir's Hall
18+ Play responsibly
Gambling should stay entertainment. If it stops being fun for you or someone close to you, free and confidential help is available from Hjelpelinjen.
Round 04 · Questions
Questions we are asked most
Anything else? Write to [email protected].
Not at the moment. Land-based casinos are not currently licensed in Norway: casino games and gaming machines are offered only by Norsk Tipping, which holds an exclusive right, and betting on horse racing is run by the Norsk Rikstoto foundation. Belgrave Powell is a project in development, and its gaming lounge is planned subject to licensing.
No. Nothing has been built yet and reservations are not open. You can join the interest list to hear first when plans move forward. Joining is not a booking and creates no obligation, and you can ask to be removed at any time by writing to [email protected].
Three things, mainly. The orchards, which are planned to stay in production around the rooms; Kvasir's Hall, where evenings of quizzes, riddles and chess are played for fun rather than money; and the water — a spa built around cold glacier water, warm stone and quiet rooms looking onto the fjord.
A gaming lounge is planned, but it will open only if Norwegian law allows it and the necessary permit is granted. The idea is a hotel with a casino rather than a casino with rooms attached: a small, separate room for adults aged 18 and over, with ID checked at the door. Without a licence, the room would be used for other evening entertainment.
No. There are no stakes, no money and no cash prizes — the games in Kvasir's Hall are played purely for fun. The hall is a separate room open to all guests, while the gaming lounge is a different room, open only to adults aged 18 and over and subject to licensing.
The opening date is to be announced. The project is in development, and the timetable will depend on planning, permits and construction. People on the interest list will be told first, as soon as there is a firm date to share.
On the Hardangerfjord in Vestland, western Norway, among the fruit-growing terraces the region is known for. The exact location is to be announced. The largest airport nearby is Bergen Airport, Flesland, and the rest of the journey will be by road along the fjord.
Usually in May, although the exact weeks change from year to year with the weather, and some springs come earlier or later than others. Nothing about the blossom can be guaranteed, but the orchards are worth seeing in every season, from summer fruit to the autumn harvest and winter pruning.
Large destination resorts are usually built around the gaming floor. Belgrave Powell starts from the other end: the orchards, the fjord and a hall of games played for fun, with a small gaming lounge only if licensing allows. Editorial comparison only; no connection with either property.