Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Norway / Dalen / Dalen Hotel
Dalen Hotel
Dalen, Norway · Independent · Accessible Luxury
Dalen Hotel opened in 1894 at the inland end of the Telemark Canal, Haldor Larsen Borve's Dragestil house with National Romantic and Swiss chalet bones. King Oscar II, Kaiser Wilhelm II, Leopold II of Belgium, and Haakon VII of Norway all stayed. German officers used it in the occupation and stripped the interior; a late-1980s restoration reopened the house in 1992. Europa Nostra award in 2000.
- Opened 1894
- Architect: Haldor Larsen Børve
About Dalen Hotel
- Opened 1894 after the 1892 canal expansion made Dalen an endpoint for leisure travel into Telemark.
- Used as a German officers' resort in WWII; interior stripped and sold; restored and reopened 1992.
- Europa Nostra conservation award in 2000; 6 km from 13th-century Eidsborg Stave Church.
History
Dalen Hotel, set at the inner end of Telemark Canal in Dalen, Norway, opened in 1894 as a grand destination for travelers arriving by boat into the newly extended canal network. The hotel was designed by Haldor Larsen Børve, and its architecture is often described as Dragestil with National Romantic and Swiss chalet influences, a combination that helped make it one of Norway’s most recognizable historic hotels. According to the hotel’s own site, its story begins in 1894, while the canal’s expansion in 1892 created the conditions for Dalen to become an endpoint for leisure travel into Telemark.
From the outset, Dalen Hotel was tied to elite tourism. Historical accounts note visits by King Oscar II of Sweden, Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, King Leopold II of Belgium, and King Haakon VII of Norway and his family, along with members of the British aristocracy. The hotel’s profile rose with the canal era, when the journey itself was part of the attraction and the building served as both a statement of prosperity and a showcase for Norwegian carpentry and ornament.
The Second World War brought a severe interruption. During the German occupation of Norway, the hotel was used as a resort for German officers, and its interior was stripped and sold off, leaving the building in poor condition after the war. Restoration work did not begin in earnest until the late 1980s, but the rehabilitation was substantial enough to allow a reopening in 1992. In 2000, the hotel received the Europa Nostra award for outstanding conservation, underscoring the significance of its preservation.
The setting
6 km from 13th-century Eidsborg Stave Church. 16 km from scenic Raven Gorge.
Restaurants and bars
- Restaurant Bandak — Restaurant
Experiences
- Soria Moria Sauna at Lake Bandak — Sauna by the lake Bandak with a view of the water and surrounding mountainsides, plus an optional dip in the lake; access arranged with reception.
Amenities
- Spa
- Sauna
- Pet-friendly
- EV charging
Awards
- Historic Hotels Worldwide member
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