The story of Sanden
From trade to hotel
A new age for trade
The history of Sanden began just a decade after the market towns in the country lost their exclusive right to trade from permanent premises.
The building was erected as a shop by Jan Henrik Nitter Hansen, a wealthy innkeeper’s son and general merchant. Sanden was built in the 1840s, right on the new Kongevegen road between Oslo and Bergen. Nitter Hansen ran an extensive trading business and was also mayor of Lærdal in the 1840s and 1850s.
Jan Henrik Nitter Hansen
Sanden in the background
The Klingenberg name
In 1886, Tøger Ravn sold the property to the merchant Atle P. Klingenberg. It was after him that the property was named Klingenberg, a name it still bears today.
Klingenberg owned the property until 1897, when he sold it on to Ola Sanden and his wife Anna.
Sandens Café
In 1925, her daughter Anna Sanden inherited the property. The former business premises were converted into Sanden’s café, and Anna also began letting out rooms.
She ran the café and the guesthouse until her death in 1947. After Anna’s death, her relative Gudrun Klingenberg inherited the property. Together with her sisters Kari and Anna, she continued to run the establishment under the name Sanden Guesthouse.
Gudrun continued to run the business until 1976. When she died in 1988, her niece Kirsten Grøthe unexpectedly inherited the property.
Original sign in the reception
A new life for the house
In 1993, the economist Jon E. Tamnes and the architect Hallvard Trohaug took Sanden on lease. They began letting out rooms during the summer months and breathed new life into the old property.
Five years later, they were able to purchase Sanden. Extensive restoration work began, and the guesthouse was gradually refurbished to hotel standard. Today, Sanden guesthouse and the neighbouring building, Vaskar-Annaloftet, make up the smallest hotel in Lærdal. These historic buildings carry on a tradition of trade, accommodation and hospitality that dates all the way back to the 1840s.
In 2000, Jon and Hallvard expanded their business to include the sale of antiques and second-hand items from various local households in the neighbourhood.
Frequently asked questions
Can i charge my EV at Sanden?
Yes, overnight guests can charge their electric cars here at Sanden. The charger (Easee) is located by the garden fence. We have the capacity to charge one car overnight. Please remember to bring your own charging cable.
Is the hotel suitable for families with children?
We have cots available for hire. Just let us know when you book, and we’ll have the cot ready for when you arrive. Our holiday let in Øyragata is also a favourite with families with children. It has 4 permanent beds (with the option of extra beds), a living room with a TV, a private kitchen and a bathroom.
Can we bring our dog?
Guests travelling with a dog are also welcome at Sanden. In rooms 1, 2, 3, 4 and Ø30, you can book accommodation with your dog as an additional service.
How is the breakfast?
At Sanden, breakfast is served in the traditional Norwegian style: good coffee, tea, milk, juice, slices of bread, spreads, muesli and a few vegetables. You can enjoy your breakfast in the red Haakon Lounge or in the garden.
We are an environmentally conscious business and therefore offer a limited selection of spreads to minimise waste. Should you have any special requirements, such as food allergies or a preference for vegan or vegetarian food, we’ll be happy to accommodate you if you let us know when you book your room.
Can I cancel or request changes to my booking?
For private individuals, cancelling a room booked at Sanden Guesthouse is 100 per cent free of charge. We simply ask that you inform us at Sanden as soon as possible should you need to change or cancel your booking. There is also no charge for changing a room booking.
How are the rooms?
We have six guest rooms, all of which have en-suite bathrooms. The beds are made up, and towels are provided in the rooms. There is Wi-Fi in the hotel. The rooms can be used as single or double rooms.
Sanden has its own fire alarm system, which is linked to the fire protection system for the entire conservation area. There are escape routes from all floors.
Sanden is a smoke-free accommodation.
When can we check in? What about payment?
Payment for the room is due on arrival; either in cash, by card (Axept, VISA or MasterCard) or via Vipps. Rooms are usually ready for check-in from 16.00. We generally hold a room booking until 6.00 pm on the day of arrival, so please do let us know if you plan to arrive later! Check-out is by 11.00 am.
Find peace at Sanden
Book a room and wake up in beautiful Old Lærdalsøyri.
