The History of Hotel Kong Carl

Images of Hotel Kong Carl 1800—1900

Hotel Kong Carl is one of Norway's oldest hotel. The name means «King Carl» and comes from the popular Norwegian/Swedish King Carl IV (Karl XV in Swedish). Carl visited Sandefjord as a crown prince in 1855, with his wife Louise and his daughter (also named Louise). The main building was built around 1690 and is therefore also one of the oldest buildings in Sandefjord.

In 1720 the Danish merchant Ole Simensen Calundan bought the building as a home for himself and his family, but already in 1721 there was a small hostel in the premises. In 1741 Paul C. Bøckman bought the building for 500 riksdalers, but ran out of money and had to leave the site to shipbuilder Engvold Pedersen for 201 riksdalers at an auction in 1771. Pedersen's widow was involved in «lodging for travellers and entertainment» and received a grant to engage in such activities in 1780.

In 1813 the house was sold to the captain and ship owner Anders Christiansen Goen of 333 1/3 of the new riksdaler, and with a commitment for the buyer to build a house for the widow and supplying her with various agricultural products and other things for the rest of her life. From 1887, it was Carl and Julie Wendt who were in charge of the hotel, which at that time was assessed at a value of 15,000 kroner. In 1884 the hotel had its own grand hall and entertaining rooms, which was also Sandefjord's first cinematograph.

In 1918 Koldevin Andresen from Nordenfjeldske Damskibsselskap was given a lease on the hotel and from 1920 «The King» was owned by the Andresen family. When Koldevin Andresen signed the lease was, among other things, two horses with full equipment included, harnesses and carts. The hotel had a stable where the side building is located today, the horses had full catering while the owners slept in the guest rooms above the stables. The hotel had five boys who in addition to watching the horses, also had the task to fire in any stove and running with hot and cold water to the guests' morning care. In its day the hotel also had their own pigs, which ate the leftovers from the hotel’s restaurant.

The son Knut Bjørn Andresen took over the hotel in 1940 and ran it until 1978. Third generation Andresen; Finn and Torunn then took over the family business Kong Carl until 2006 when the current owners started.

The hotel received in 1990 the «Host of the Year»-award from the Norwegian hotel and restaurant associations and in 1997 the conservation award of Sandefjord city.

In the beginning of the 1900s the hotel's name was written with a K: Hotel Kong Karl. The name was following changes in spelling, such as the country's capital, Christiania, Kristiania.

The hotel currently has 25 rooms and is a member of The Historic Hotels and Restaurants in Norway.