Hotel Kong Carl

Hotel Kong Carl’s story stretches back more than three centuries, making it one of Norway’s oldest surviving hotels. The main building was rebuilt around 1690 in the traditional sorenskriverstil style and first served as a family home. In 1720, Danish merchant Ole Simensen Calundan bought it and soon after began offering rooms to travelers, quietly marking the beginning of its life as an inn. By the mid-1700s, ownership passed to Paul C. Bøckman and later to shipbuilder Engvold Pedersen, whose widow officially ran the lodging house from 1780. When skipper Anders Christiansen Goen purchased the property in 1813, the sale even included a promise to build a small house for the seller’s widow and care for her needs.

The late 1800s brought change when Carl and Julie Wendt took charge, adding a banquet hall and reception area that became Sandefjord’s first cinema. In 1918, the hotel was leased to Koldevin Andresen, whose family would own and operate it for three generations. They maintained the hotel’s character through decades of change. In recognition of their stewardship, Finn and Torunn Andresen received the Norwegian Hotel and Restaurant Association’s Host Award in 1990 and Sandefjord’s City Conservation Award in 1997.

Hotel Kong Carl showcases the traditional Sørenskjærstil style, reflecting classic Norwegian architecture. The building’s façade and interiors carry the charm of its long history, with careful preservation of heritage elements. Inside, the hotel offers 47 spacious rooms, each thoughtfully designed to balance comfort and style, with premium bedding ensuring a restful stay.

Beyond the rooms, there are lounges and meeting spaces that combine functionality with a warm, inviting atmosphere. Light, space, and subtle historical details are carried throughout, letting guests feel connected to the hotel’s rich 300-year history without sacrificing modern convenience.

The hotel features an in-house restaurant with carefully crafted menus to choose from. Signature dishes include aquavit-cured salmon with horseradish cream and dill mayonnaise, fallow deer fillet with creamy savoy cabbage, root vegetables, red wine sauce, and cranberry, slow-braised beef cheeks, and oven-baked wild halibut. Guests can enhance their meal with one of the restaurant’s wine packages. Menu upgrades to 4 or 5-course meals are also available, and selections should be confirmed at least one week before your event.

On Saturdays from 12:00nn to 5:00pm, the hotel also serves Afternoon Tea. Enjoy tea of your choice with a glass of sparkling wine, accompanied by tartines, scones, petit fours, jam, and cream. This experience is for a minimum of two guests, and booking in advance is recommended as it’s a popular activity.

Hotel Kong Carl offers complete wedding packages, taking care of each detail to make your celebration seamless and memorable. Guests are welcomed with a glass of Crémant on arrival, which can be enjoyed in the lobby bar, a private lounge, or your reception room. You can create a custom three-course menu by choosing your starter, main course, and dessert. Drinks for dinner include white and red wine or beer, with one glass of house white served with the starter and three glasses of house red with the main course. Coffee and digestives are served too, including a glass of Karl Johan XO or Baileys, and a free bar is open from 10:00pm to 1:30am.

The hotel features six reception rooms, suitable for everything from intimate gatherings to large celebrations of up to 100 guests. There are also five lounges of varying sizes that offer flexibility for every kind of wedding celebration.

Cultural and Outdoor Experiences

Hotel Kong Carl caters to a wide range of activities and group experiences. For organizing bus tours, the hotel can accommodate groups of 10 to 300 guests. Guests can also enjoy live broadcasts of major sporting events, cycling and hiking adventures, or a round of golf at Sandefjord Golf just a short drive away (additional charges may apply). Nearby attractions include Sandar Kirke, a historic church known for its classic architecture and serene atmosphere, and Grubesand Friområde, offering scenic coastal paths and open spaces perfect for walking or picnics. Badeparken, a beloved local park in the heart of the city where residents gather for festivals, outdoor concerts, and seasonal events, reflects the community’s cultural life.

The hotel hosts seasonal Christmas events in a historic setting, where you can enjoy a traditional lutefisk dinner with all the classic side dishes. Guests can also indulge in a festive buffet with cold dishes, desserts, and freshly baked Christmas cakes, and Santa Claus arrives with gifts, creating cherished holiday memories. Be sure to book a table in advance. After dinner, guests can dance to live music and end the evening in the cozy hotel bar.

To ring in the New Year, the hotel opens at 6:30 pm for a stylish celebration with champagne, a 4-course supper, music, dancing, and fireworks overlooking the Sognefjord. The hotel also hosts baptism events, offering fully customizable packages to make these special occasions memorable for family and friends.

At Hotel Kong Carl, they organize all kinds of events to fit what you need, like private parties, conferences, anniversaries, school balls, board meetings, memorials, pub nights, concerts, and big shows. The hotel has six reception rooms, so it can handle everything from small get-togethers to bigger parties with up to 100 guests. There are also five lounges of different sizes. Party setups come with a separate room, white tablecloths, cloth napkins, and candlesticks, and guests can also set up a cake buffet with their own cakes if they like.