Enjoy a taste of Danish hospitality

‘Danske Kroer and Hoteller’ is a collection of 89 individually owned Inns or ‘Kro’ and hotels that can be found all over Denmark, from city centre locations to those set in the heart of the country or by water.

Many are positioned close to family attractions and golf courses and are well known for their home comforts and gourmet restaurants offering traditional Danish cuisine making them a great way for visitors to experience the easy charm of a Danish touring holiday.

The history of the Danish inns dates back to the 12th Century when King Erik Klipping sent out an order that inns be established along the so-called ’Kings Highway’ as staging posts for coaches to allow weary travellers to stretch their legs and enjoy a hearty meal. As a reward for providing a bed and a meal for travellers these Inns were granted a special Royal Licence to brew beer, distil spirits and bake bread, free of tax, both for their own use and to sell to the public.

Some of these original Royal Licence establishments still survive today, with their thatched roofs, half-timbered frames and low-ceilinged parlour rooms and have now been restored to provide all the modern comforts of a hotel.

Service and hospitality are key at a typical Danish inn and provide a fairly inexpensive way to explore the country. Family rooms are also available in most inns with special rates for children aged 4-15 years sharing a standard family room on a bed and breakfast basis. Children aged less than four stay free when sharing their parents room.

For example, if travelling from Copenhagen then the Hotel Søfryd, which is located on the banks of the Roskilde Fjord inlet, in one of Denmark’s most scenic areas, is a beautiful old waterside hotel with great views and a restaurant serving both international dishes and local specialities. (A one night stay costs £118 (DKK 990) per person in a double room, including buffet breakfast hotel-sofryd.dk).

Alternatively, further south on the island of Lolland Falster, the Hotel Nørrevang is close to one of the best beaches in Denmark and six of the country’s most scenic golf courses. The old thatched and half timbered hotel offers total peace and tranquillity with a cobble stoned atrium garden and farmyard. The 26 bed-roomed hotel also offers a fine restaurant, serving fresh seasonal ingredients including homemade jam at breakfast.

The hotel is perfect for families with its own mini-aqualand of water slides and swimming pool plus a spa and sauna, to which guests have free access during their stay. (A one night weekend stay with three-course dinner, music and dancing, overnight stay and large breakfast buffet costs £98 (DKK 825) per person norrevang.dk)

Jutland also has its fair share of fine old inns with the 400 year old 4 star St. Binderup Kro, offering a particularly good example. It’s located between Aalborg and Viborg and still retains its sense of history with a charming collection of antiques under its traditional thatched roof. Rooms are of a high standard and the Inn is part of the Gourmet Route, with a restaurant offering a range of delicious Danish cuisine including a good selection of locally caught fish. (A one night stay including a five-course gourmet menu and breakfast costs £106 (DKK 895) per person binderupkro.dk).

Near Aarhus is one of Denmark’s the oldest Inns, Kongensbro Kro, which dates from 1663 and is located on the banks of the Gudenåen River between Aarhus, Viborg and Silkeborg. Three successive generations of the Andersen family have run the Inn and have overseen the careful restoration of the buildings and the maintained a delightful garden.

The Inn is well known for its cuisine and has recently opened a large wine cellar and lounge with an open fire and bar. (A one night stay including breakfast and a three course meal costs £101 (DKK 855) per person based on two sharing kongensbro-kro.dk).

Ideal for families wanting to be close to Legoland and Givskud Zoo the 3 star Filskov Kro is set in countryside 10 km north of Grindsted. It has been owned by the same family and has held a Royal licence since it opened in 1853. The large garden is well set out with a heated outdoor swimming pool and tennis courts as well as an indoor and outdoor play area for children. (A one night stay including accommodation, breakfast and a three course dinner costs from £80 (DKK675) per person per night filskovkro.dk).

Alternatively, the fairytale island of Funen offers its own magic with a choice of inns as well as its own castle hotel - Hindsgavl Slot. Set in acres of parkland, this is one of the best preserved castles in Denmark and has views which impressed Hans Christian Andersen so much that he once wrote that ‘it might be the most beautiful in Denmark’.

The castle is now a unique combination of a classic castle and a modern hotel with a renowned restaurant. (A castle weekend including cocktail, four-course dinner with wine menu, accommodation and breakfast costs £222 (DKK 1,875) per person hindsgavl.dk ).

In addition, at the most southerly point of Funen on the quiet little island of Taasinge the Hotel Troense offers 30 rooms spread throughout the main building and garden. This area of South Funen offers magnificent scenery and a wealth of sights, including the castles of Valdemars Slot and Egeskov Slot. (A one night stay including accommodation, three course dinner and breakfast costs from £108 (DKK 910) per person hoteltroense.dk)

Getting There

DFDS Seaways offers a regular service of departures every other day between Harwich and Esbjerg, in South-West Jutland, with prices starting from £222 for a “Car Plus 2” One Way booking - dfdsseaways.co.uk.

Norwegian airlines and Ryanair offer direct and regular low cost flights from across the UK into Aalborg, Billund and Aarhus in Jutland and Copenhagen on Sealand in less than two hours - norwegian.com and ryanair.com. Also operating directly from the UK to Copenhagen are: SAS Scandinavian Airlines, BA, bmi, EasyJet, Sunair and Cimber Sterling - visitdenmark.com/uk (see under the “Travel & Transport” section).

For more information on all of the Inns and Hotels go to: krohotel.dk

For more details on Denmark visit: visitdenmark.com/uk