Juvet Landscape Hotel
– an enriching meeting with rugged Norwegian scenery, cultural history and modern architecture
Juvet landscape hotel. Photo courtesy of Jensen & Skodvin Architects.
At the farmstead of Burtigard, Alstad, in Norddal municipality, a tourism enterprise has been established that is quite out-of-the-ordinary; a landscape hotel that offers a short-stay holiday concept based on geotourism.
The landscape hotel is comprised of the farmhouse, the barn, and initially up to ten detached hotel rooms that have been sited separately in practically virgin scenery. Each “room” has its own unique view of this craggy Norwegian landscape: the farmstead, river, valley, mountains or the ravine. The rooms are of modern design that blend into the landscape, creating a harmonious marriage where Nature and modern design bring out the best in each other.
In the high season guests are offered a five-day stay that is crowned with activities and experiences organised in the Western Norwegian fjord landscape. Professional hosts take care of guests’ needs, accompany them on trips, prepare their food and inform them about the landscape, culture, geology and history of the area. In this way, guests depart from there with a distinct feeling that they really have experienced a bit of Norway.
Outside the summer season the landscape hotel holds theme stays, and directs its marketing at companies and organisations. Weekends are largely set up for weddings, birthday celebrations, family gatherings, mystery trips etc.
The farm is situated by Gudbrandsjuvet (Gudbrand’s ravine), which is the most popular natural attraction on the road between Trollstigen and Geiranger. This stretch of road is soon to be accorded status as a National Tourist Route. The hotel concept is a result of a co-operation between the National Tourist Routes association, architect firm Jensen and Skodvin (JSA) and landowner Knut Slinning.
The Norwegian big five
Juvet landscape hotel directs its marketing first and foremost at international short-stay holiday tourism, mainly in Denmark, Germany, Holland, the United Kingdom and Norway. This is tourism in the highest price bracket, where we focus on offering a truly exclusive experience. For our guests, a stay at Juvet landscape hotel means a stay in close contact with Mother Nature – but all the while being lavished with excellent service and comfort. During their stay, they will experience five of the exotic experiences Norway is renowned for, outdoor trysts with Nature that set the adrenalin pumping, for example: Exhilarating trip on skis or on foot, lighter difficulty level climbing/rappelling, rafting, skiing at Stryn Summer Ski Centre and/or a visit to one of the mountain farms in the spellbinding Geirangerfjord; a World Heritage list site.
The motive
Burtigarden at Alstad is from olden times one of the largest farms in Norddal municipality. The farm is situated at the gateway to a World Heritage natural site, and Reinheimen National Park descends almost into the farmyard itself.
The farm and its inhabitants are documented in rural district and church records as far back as the 16th century, and it is worth noting that the farm actually lies on historic ground. Snorre wrote that Saint Olav, on his journey through Valldalen in 1028, stayed several nights under Olavshellaren when he cleared Skjærsura in order to flee to Sweden. Hellaren, Olavsvegen and Olavskjelda are now preserved as cultural sites from that particular journey. Naturally we are proud to mention that the water we drink and bathe in, flows from Olavskjelda. In Snorre’s saga it says that he (she) who drinks from this spring, shall regain their health and maintain their youthful vigour …
We have endeavoured to restore the farm’s buildings to their original standard with respect and esteem for what our forefathers and foremothers stood for. This also means that we take responsibility for the cultural landscape, have the old farm tools and equipment on show for all to see, and we have recreated ancient housing sites so that the farm is a shining example of how one tends and preserves the land and cultural history in the most sustainable way possible.
Any new undertakings set up at Burtigarden, will be carried out with careful hand, without major disturbance to the natural environment. The good environmental solutions shall be reflected during construction and in the daily use. Nonetheless, the architecture and the aesthetic aspect will clearly show that “we have been here too”.
Times have changed at Burtigarden. Instead of taking care of livestock and producing food, we take care of people and provide hospitality. Tourism is basically about taking care of visitors in a proper manner, so that they continue their journey enriched with heartening good feelings – knowing they have been treated to a taste of the old, the new, and experienced the authentic essence of Valldal as it is today.
For further info visit: Juvet.com
