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, taking into account their history and charm – and bring them together under a common brand in the long term.

Today consists of Klippen Hotel in Gudhjem consists of three historic hotels: Grevens Dal, Therns, and Skt. Jørgens gaard . It took us several years to get here, and the journey was more extensive than we had imagined.

Here is the story of why we decided to combine the three locations under the name Cliff Hotel.

It started with three very dilapidated 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.

In Therns, there were several holes in the roof. At the hostel, some window frames were in danger of falling out. And generally, the buildings, rooms, and common areas were in dire need of renovation.

But we were also able to recognize 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 had to be comfortable and decent, and have the quality that we ourselves would want as hotel guests.

The plan envisioned a shared hotel brand.

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

Once all three locations had reached the standard we desired, they would be merged under the name Cliff Hotel .

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

We wanted to change the names only when the buildings and rooms had reached a level we could be proud of.

They did that this winter.

And so we took the next step.

Klippen Hotel – St. Jørgensgaard

The former Gudhjem Hostel has now become the Klippen Hotel – Skt. Jørgensgaard .

The rooms have been renovated, and in the old courtyard we have created a large terrace which provides the setting for our bar Jylkat in the summer .

Here, both hotel guests and other visitors can sit in the heart of Gudhjem and enjoy local drinks, food and the very special atmosphere that prevails in the city during the summer.

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

Klippen Hotel – Therns

In Therns we renovated 12 hotel rooms with private bathrooms.

Here we worked with tall panels and classic details that match the historic building.

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

In Therns there are seven simpler hostel rooms with bunk beds and bathrooms in the hallway.

They will only become regular hotel rooms at the Cliff Hotel once they have been renovated to the same standard as the other rooms.

Klippen – Grevens Dal

The original Hotel Klippen has also undergone a transformation.

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

The hotel is located high above Gudhjem, overlooking the town and the Baltic Sea – a place that has been an important part of the Hotel Klippen's identity for many years.

Three hotels – one experience in Gudhjem

The new Klippen Hotel is more than just an ordinary name.

We want to create a connection between the three hotels and give our guests the opportunity to use the entire Gudhjem as part of the hotel experience.

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

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

In this way, the Cliff Hotel will not be a single large hotel building, but several historical sites spread throughout Gudhjem and linked together by a common concept.

We also incorporated history into our new logo.

Since the hotels were to be brought together under a common name, it was important to us that their history was also visible in the new visual identity.

The Therns Hotel had an old logo with a distinctive seagull, which we felt was worth preserving.

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 the new identity of the Cliff Hotel.

The font comes from the old Hotel Klippen.

The seagull comes from Therns.

In this way, the logo not only connects the three hotels today, but also links to their history in Gudhjem.

A fantastic summer – and we've only just begun!

This summer was fantastic.

Hotel occupancy is significantly higher than last year, we are receiving better feedback from our guests, and Jylkat has broken one sales record after another.

This makes us both very happy and proud, of course.

But the most exciting thing is probably what comes next.

We already have a number of new activities and ideas in the pipeline that will further connect the three hotels and make your stay in Gudhjem more than just an overnight stay.

The aim of the Klippen Hotel is to offer a combined experience of Gudhjem, Bornholm, the sea, the old buildings and city life .

And at the beginning, we actually have the feeling 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.