Winter Wonderland at Søstrene Storaas hotel
You feel like you’ve arrived in a true winter wonderland after a scenic half-hour drive from Kongsberg, passing towering snowbanks and snow-laden trees, as you reach Søstrene Storaas Hotel. The property is dotted with buildings, most painted in a traditional ochre-yellow hue and owned by the Sisters Storaas, as per the name.
I was invited to attend an event for the hotel’s clients and the travel and event agency run by one of the sisters, in addition to the hotel. This means I got to explore the area and experience some of the activities they offer to groups.
Søstrene Storaas is part of my favorite hotel chain, De Historiske Hoteller og Spisesteder. Actually, it’s not really a chain but a collection of unique hotels. These hotels are known for their historic charm, as the name suggests. Some hotels in the group might not be very old, but they are located in historic places like Røros or have a rich history embedded in the hotel itself, as is the case with Søstrene Storaas.
The sisters story or stories…
As the name suggests, the hotel is owned by the four Storaas sisters and their parents. Three of the sisters took over the management from their parents during the pandemic. One sister is the hotel’s daily manager, another runs a marketing agency, and the third operates Brave, an event and travel agency. All three collaborate on the hotel’s operations, marketing, and event planning. The fourth sister is not involved in the hotel’s management.
Their father, now semi-retired, still lends a helping hand, fixing things and ensuring everything runs smoothly behind the scenes. That’s the beauty of a family-run business, you always have someone to lean onand everyone has a role to play.
This hotel is more modern than many classic historic hotels, but it’s still rich in history. The farm that the hotel is part of is quite old and has been integrated into the hotel’s operations.
Barn wedding
There’s a barn perfect for weddings, and the old main house, formerly the sisters’ parents’ home, will soon be converted into a guesthouse with multiple bedrooms, a kitchen, and common areas for smaller groups seeking a bit of privacy.
The hotel itself has several large and small rooms, both in the main building and scattered around the property. Whether you need a quick overnight stay with breakfast or a larger event like a wedding or corporate team-building, there’s space for everyone.
The Story of the Crocodile
Since the hotel’s buildings date back to the 1990s and don’t have the same historic feel as places like Losby, Walaker, or Engø, it’s the stories that make Søstrene Storaas part of De Historiske. The Storaas family has been incredibly skilled at uncovering their family history and incorporating it into the hotel.
One of the first things you notice upon checking in is the stuffed crocodile hanging over the room keys. Jarle, the father, loves to share the story of his Danish great-grandfather Holger, who was a plantation manager in Malaysia. The crocodile was Holger’s, shot and stuffed after it ate one of his dogs.
The crocodile made its way to Storaas via Jarle’s Danish relatives. Naturally, Jarle couldn’t refuse the offer to take it. Behind the reception is Holger’s Bar, inspired by Raffles in Singapore, in memory of Holger’s time as a plantation owner.
The hotel rooms are named and decorated based on various family stories. I stayed in the Leopard Room, adorned with leopard-print wallpaper and a framed story about the name’s origin. The entire family history—or rather, histories—has been compiled into a book that guests can browse to get a glimpse into the exotic tales.
Ciders
Upon arrival, we were served a glass of cider from Telemark, where the hotel collaborates with several cider producers. This was accompanied by homemade charcuterie. The hotel has converted the old storehouse into a sausage factory, using pigs from their own farm and herbs from their garden. It doesn’t get more local than that!
During our event, we took a little tour around the farmyard. We started with the house’s own mulled wine around the fire pit, followed by a memory and observation game that Brave uses with their groups. We also learned about their collaborations with partners in Portugal and the snow hotel in Kirkenes. A schnapps in an ice glass and some traditional sami joik seemd to fit perfectly in Buskerud way down south.
We then visited the barn, which has become a popular wedding venue in recent years. When you see how beautifully they can decorate the old barn, and knowing that the surrounding gardens are bursting with wildflowers, it’s no surprise that people want to get married here, both summer and winter.
Cider Menu and Local Food
One of the standout features at Søstrene Storaas is their focus on local food. As mentioned, they have their own pigs and sausage production and grow many vegetables and herbs on the farm. They also collaborate closely with other local producers.
Their cider collaborations with several farms in Telemark, such as NeRø and Lien Farm, are particularly exciting. These farms produce a variety of ciders, both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, which the kitchen at Storaas uses as inspiration for their dishes.
After a fantastic four-course dinner in the dining room, inspired by ciders and featuring apples in almost every dish, we were all content and full. It was cozy to relax in the bar with another glass of cider before I headed upstairs to try out the Leopard Room.
The next day, we enjoyed a delicious breakfast with homemade bread, homemade jam, and sausages. Maybe since it was Friday, there was also ready-made waffle batter and a hot waffle iron!
I’m thrilled to have crossed another historic hotel off my list and hope to return for a summer visit to meet the pigs and see the lush flower meadows.
