Herangtunet Boutique Hotel, The masked jewel of the Valdres forest
Herangtunet Boutique Hotel is like a little world in the heart of a magnificent mountain landscape between Fagernes and #Beitostølen. A world where you can glimpse New York or Rome or find yourself in Iceland, Sweden or France …
Photo: Herangtunet
Herangtunet is situated in the unique area of #Jotunheimen National Park about 20 minutes drive away. Maybe it was this mountain splendor that attracted the Dutch couple Marie-José and Marco Robeerst in 2002 and made them decide to trade Amsterdam's city life for hills, woods and outdoor life in #Valdres. After spending many holidays here, they had already felt in love with Norway and Marco, when he came across the old carpenter's workshop, bought the place. They spent five years every summer restoring it with the help of family and friends, and in 2007 they left their creative jobs in the Netherlands, where Marie-José was an interior designer and Marco was a graphic designer in a PR company, and moved permanently to Norway with their three-year-old son Balder.
The hosts made each room an esthetic journey by paying attention to all details.
International atmosphere Five rooms and four suites are available in the hotel. Each room has a different country in its inspiration: the cities of Rome, New York, Aspen and London, France, Iceland, the Netherlands and Sweden. The space at The Rome has exquisite ceiling frescoes, and is furnished with flowers, silk and mosaics; while Aspen Suite resembles a cabin in the ski resort of Aspen, Colorado, with a fireplace and deep leather chairs. The host pair supported chairs, wallpaper and other design features and fixtures on their journeys.
But they used their passion for #architecture to give the old buildings at #Herangtunet a new lease of life as a luxurious boutique hotel. You only see typical Norwegian log houses with a grass growing on your deck, firewood piles and old wooden skis at first sight. But a world of international architecture is opening up when you walk through.
"We have a lot of regular visitors who prefer to stay in a particular room," says Marco. Specially because of what they have to offer, not just a night bed, they wish people to visit their hotel. Guests come from all over the world, although most of them are Norwegians–people who want to stay nice and take advantage of Valdres and Jotunheimen's natural beauty. They have recently renovated a 400-year-old house, which is located ten kilometers away from Herangtunet.
But the pair isn't just about architecture, they're even preparing all the food themselves. In their cozy restaurant Marie-José and Marco prepare Norwegian cuisine, beautiful traditional dishes. The organic ingredients come from nearby butchers, bakers and brasseries locally. You can grill your own fish in the evening if you're an eager fisherman.
Marie-José and Marco wanted to offer the impression of being top of the world to their guests. This way, on a winter evening it is easy to feel under the starry sky.