The Solstrand Hotel and Spa is the perfect place to relax. Its light, airy lounges, well-appointed rooms and beautiful gardens that lead right down to the water's edge, all combine to provide a soothing atmosphere that's a real tonic for a stressed soul

I have bad memories of holidays that involve car ferries. This is because, in the past, I have travelled on such a tight budget that I couldn't afford a cabin, and spending all night trying to get comfortable on a lounger in a smoke-filled bar is not my idea of a good time! So it was quite a relief to discover that our DFDS Norwegian Spa Break on the MS Queen of Scandinavia included an en-suite cabin in the price.

If you're only going on a mini-break, as Kate and I were, I'd recommend booking the Commodore, or better yet, Commodore De Luxe cabins, as these are much more spacious than the standard ones. On our journey out we had a standard class, twin-berth cabin, which was perfectly adequate, but you didn't really want to linger in it.

There was just room for the two beds and a small shower room (which had a surprisingly good shower), but as foot passengers, our luggage did tend to dominate the space. Some of the cabins have three, or four-berths (arranged as bunk beds) in them, which is great if you're travelling with a young family, but was described as 'a bit too cosy' by a family travelling with teenagers!

Bars and restaurants

We were late leaving Newcastle because of bad weather, and so couldn't enjoy a drink on deck the first night. Instead, we sampled the Columbus Club bar, complete with dance troupe and other live entertainment. If this bar doesn't appeal, there are plenty of others to choose from including the Piano bar, next door to the Columbus Club, the Blue Riband next to the a la carte restaurant, and two outdoor bars, the Mermaid and Sky bars. Prices were higher than we'd expected and you're better off paying in Norwegian kroner than sterling.

We'd opted for pre-paid food vouchers which entitled us to dinner and breakfast at the buffet restaurant. The food was of a high standard and there was a huge range of seafood to choose from as a cold appetiser. You could also have soup of the day and a selection of cold meats and salads. Hot dishes included chicken pieces, lamb and pork chops and steak, as well as a salmon dish. I over-indulged on the seafood table, so didn't have room for dessert, but there was a selection of pastries and ice-creams, all of which I suspect were delicious! If you don't fancy the buffet, you can try the Blue Riband restaurant that serves an a la carte menu.

Onboard facilities

The journey from Newcastle to Bergen takes about 24 hours, so we had plenty of time to explore the Ms Queen of Scandinavia. As the weather wasn't brilliant, we checked out the facilities indoors which included a duty free shop, coffee bar, cinema, casino and disco/nightclub. Jack the Pirate kept children under 12 entertained with a ballroom, kids disco and other activities. Sadly, the swimming pool and sauna were not open on our trip.

Unfortunately, our late departure time meant that we were late arriving in Bergen, and everyone had to leave the ship to clear passport control on arrival. We arrived at just after midnight, so there were plenty of sleepy children milling around, waiting for all the 1,760 passengers to disembark and for the crew to check that the ship was empty.

Another foible of the trip is that you have to leave the ship about 6am the following morning. I say 'about' as no-one seemed to know for sure, and all travellers seemed to be told different times. When Kate and I left at 6.30am, we were told that we'd missed breakfast, which apparently had been served between 5 and 6am! This was the only time that the information service onboard the ship let us down, and many of our fellow passengers' grumbles could have been avoided by some basic information.

Soothing atmosphere

We then transferred to the Solstrand Hotel, 30km south of Bergen. Owned and run by the Schau-Larsen family for four generations, this hotel has a tranquil and relaxed atmosphere. The owner, Borrea Schau-Larsen, is very hands-on, and welcomed us warmly on arrival. She's also present at meal times, and chats amiably with guests as they dine.

The rooms were spacious and comfortable and the whole place has a soothing feel to it. The restaurant and many of the rooms look out towards the fjord, providing fantastic views of, in our case, some fairly dramatic storms! You start to unwind the moment you're checked in and it really is a peaceful place to visit. There are plenty of lounges and open spaces where you can get a complimentary cup of tea or coffee and just sit back and watch the world go by.

The hotel also has a swimming pool with two saunas, a eucalyptus steam room and plenty of loungers on which to recline and enjoy the view. There's also a fitness room, with gym equipment, if you feel the need to be more energetic.

When we visited in July, building works were underway for a new outdoor swimming pool and hydrotherapy pool (with bubble rack). When these are completed, I'm sure they will be superb, as there is something quite magical about lounging in warm water, watching the stars.

The hotel also houses a spa with 13 treatment rooms for massage, body wraps and facials. The rooms are light and spacious and the treatment I had was superb. I chose a full-body mud pack at NOK 770 (about £65) and was smothered in Hungarian mud which is supposed to be good for your skin and circulation. Wrapped tightly in a cocoon of cling film, I was given a mini-facial and face massage, while the minerals in the mud worked their magic. It was totally relaxing.

I also had their Golden Moments treatment which was a foot, hand and scalp massage. Although lovely, at NOK 420 (about £36), this is probably a treat you'd want to save for special occasions!

Solstrand is about a 20-minute walk from the nearest town of Os, so we ate dinner at the hotel. DFDS do offer the option of including dinner in your package, and I'd recommend you do this. The hotel prides itself on its fine cuisine and the set menu, which consisted of an appetiser, starter, main course, dessert and coffee, didn't disappoint. It isn't cheap, at NOK 780 (about £70) for two without wine, but was delicious.

Need to know

Solstrand Hotel and Spa Holiday - Norway with DFDS Seaways

• Prices per person from £651 (based on 2 ppl sharing)
• Travelling in a 2-berth commodore cabin
• Carriage of one standard vehicle
• 5-nights hotel accommodation at Solstrand spa, in a twin bedded room including breakfasts

No meals included while onboard and no transfers are included as this is a car-based holiday, with the carriage of one standard vehicle included in the price.

The Solstrand Hotel and Spa is 30 km south of Bergen.
www.solstrand.com

Don't expect this to be a cheap holiday. Norway is jaw-droppingly expensive, especially when you're used to cheap European breaks.