The Hotel Union Øye was established in 1891 in order to cater for the increase in tourism of the late 19th century. At the time it was mainly the aristocraty and the upper classes who sought new and exciting destinations.
Many of these guests became regular visitors, among these were Emperor Willhelm II of Germany and Queen Willemina of the Netherlands. Among other distinguished guests who have honoured the hotel by their visit are members of the Norwegian and Swedish royal families. The old guestbooks show names like King Oscar II, King Haakon, Queen Maud, Queen Willemina, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Amundsen, Nansen, Ibsen and Grieg.
All 27 rooms, most of them with four-poster beds, are deliberately without TV, radio and telephone.