Dalen Hotel

Known as the “fairy-tale hotel,” the Dalen Hotel is adorned with dragonheads, turrets, spires, cornices, towers, and balconies. Its lavish architecture was inspired by traditional stave churches from the Middle Ages. The Dalen Hotel has retained its authenticity and historical significance, as the present-day hotel is almost identical to the wooden castle that opened at the site in 1894. Many of Europe’s leading royals stayed at the Dalen Hotel when it first debuted, such as King Oscar II of Norway and Sweden, Emperor Wilhelm of Germany, and King Leopold of Belgium. Visitors to Dalen Hotel cannot miss the central hall with its stunning stained glass windows. Verdant mountaintops soar high above the hotel to the north, south, and east. The famed Victoria and Henrik Ibsen canal boats sail by along the scenic Telemark Canal during the summer months. No matter where guests look, they are awed by the fairy-tale hotel and its picturesque setting.