From three historic hotels to a single clifftop hotel in Gudhjem

When we bought our three properties in Gudhjem on Bornholm, the plan was clear from the start: we wanted to renovate them with respect for their history and charm – and, in time, bring them together under one shared brand.

Today, Klippen Hotel in Gudhjem consists of three historic hotels: Grevens Dal, Therns and Skt. Jørgens Gaard. It has taken a few years to get here, and the journey has been bigger than we had probably imagined.

Here is the story of why we chose to bring the three places together under the name Klippen Hotel.

It started with three very tired buildings

When my wife and I bought the two hotels and the then Gudhjem Hostel, all three buildings were in a very run-down condition.

At Therns, there were several holes in the roof. At the hostel, some of the window frames were close to falling out. And in general, the buildings, rooms and common areas needed a great deal of love.

But we could also see the potential.

These are old buildings with a lot of history and charm, so it was never our goal to modernize and standardize them. On the contrary, we wanted to renovate them while respecting their original character.

The rooms were to be cosy and well kept, with the quality we would want to find as hotel guests ourselves.

The plan was one shared hotel brand

We had a long-term plan from the very beginning.

Once all three places had reached the standard we wanted, they were to be brought together under the name Klippen Hotel.

Klippen was the strongest and best-known of the existing brands, and from a business point of view it also makes far more sense to build one strong hotel brand than three different brands in the same small town.

But we didn't want to change the names until the buildings and rooms had reached a level we could be proud of ourselves.

That happened this winter.

And so we took the next step.

Klippen Hotel – Skt. Jørgens Gaard

The former Gudhjem Hostel is now Klippen Hotel – Skt. Jørgens Gaard.

The rooms have been renovated, and in the old courtyard we have created a large terrace, which in summer is home to our bar Jylkat.

Here, hotel guests and other visitors alike can sit in the middle of Gudhjem and enjoy local drinks, food and the very special atmosphere the town has in summer.

In this way, Skt. Jørgens Gaard has gained a completely new identity – without losing the charm of the old building.

Klippen Hotel – Therns

At Therns, we have renovated 12 hotel rooms with private bathrooms.

Among other things, we have worked with high wall panelling and classic details that suit the historic building.

The former Therns Hotel is therefore now called Klippen Hotel – Therns.

Therns still has seven simpler hostel rooms with bunk beds and shared bathrooms in the corridor.

They will only become part of Klippen Hotel's regular hotel rooms once they too have been renovated to the same standard as the rest.

Klippen Hotel – Grevens Dal

The original Hotel Klippen has also undergone a transformation.

All rooms have been renovated and updated, and the hotel is now called Klippen Hotel – Grevens Dal.

Here the hotel sits high above Gudhjem, overlooking the town and the Baltic Sea – the location that for many years has been a big part of Hotel Klippen's identity.

Three hotels – one experience in Gudhjem

The new Klippen Hotel is about more than a shared name.

We want to tie the three hotels together and give our guests the chance to use the whole of Gudhjem as part of the hotel experience.

In the middle of Brøddegade is our shared reception and shop, where guests check in and can also buy selected Bornholm products and clothing.

From here it's just a few steps to all three hotels.

This way, Klippen Hotel is not one large hotel building, but several historic places spread across Gudhjem and tied together by one shared concept.

We have also brought the history into our new logo

When the hotels were to be brought together under one name, we wanted their history to be visible in the new visual identity as well.

Therns Hotel had an old logo with a distinctive seagull, which we felt deserved to live on.

At the same time, the old Hotel Klippen had a very beautiful and distinctive typography.

Our graphic designer Lars Alstrøm has therefore combined the two elements in Klippen Hotel's new identity.

The font comes from the old Hotel Klippen.

The seagull comes from Therns.

This way, the logo doesn't just tie the three hotels together today – it also draws threads back to their history in Gudhjem.

A fantastic summer – and we've only just begun

This summer has been fantastic.

Occupancy at the hotels has been significantly higher than last year, we are getting better feedback from our guests, and Jylkat has broken one sales record after another.

Naturally, that makes us both happy and proud.

But almost the most exciting part is what comes next.

We already have a number of new activities and ideas on the way that will tie the three hotels even more closely together and make a stay in Gudhjem more than just a place to sleep.

The aim is for Klippen Hotel to be one combined experience of Gudhjem, Bornholm, the sea, the old buildings and life in the town.

And we honestly feel that we've only just begun.

The following images show part of this development: how the buildings looked when we took them over, how they look today – and how the elements of the old Hotel Klippen and Therns Hotel have been integrated into our new identity.