Dalen Hotel, hotel in Dalen in Tokke, Telemark, Norway
Dalen Hotel is a large wooden Art Nouveau building in the village of Dalen, in Tokke Municipality, Norway. It has towers, ornate wood carvings, and a veranda that faces the shores of Lake Bandak.
The hotel opened in 1894, shortly after the Telemark Canal brought travelers from across Europe into the region. After years of decline, it was restored between 1980 and 1992.
The building is designed in a Swiss chalet style but decorated with Norse details such as dragon-head carvings at the roof ends. These carvings draw from the tradition of Norwegian stave churches and are still visible on the facade today.
The hotel can be reached by car on country roads or by boat along the Telemark Canal. Arriving by water during the warmer months is worth considering, as it gives a good view of the surrounding landscape on the way in.
The hotel was one of the first buildings in Norway to have an elevator installed, which was rare for a wooden structure in such a remote area at the time. That elevator is still in use today, connecting the floors of the old building.
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