Scan Magazine | Hotel of the Month | Denmark
Hotel of the Month, Denmark
Svendborg’s star of the sea From strict missionary guesthouse to luxury hotel — the former home of Countess Anna Ahlefeldt-Laurvig-Lehn has returned to its former glory as Stella Maris Hotel de Luxe. With its enchanting location, magnificent settings and innovative gastronomy, the hotel is fully worth a visit in its own right. By Signe Hansen | Photos: Stella Maris de Luxe
It was Countess Anna Ahlefeldt-LaurvigLehn who, around 1916, gave the striking white estate facing Svendborg Sund its apt name Stella Maris, meaning ‘the star of the sea’. As the name suggests, both the building and its location are out of the ordinary. And so too is the service of the hotel it houses — so much so, that Stella Maris Hotel de Luxe was this year named by Trivago as the best four-star hotel in Denmark. “We have people visiting just for the experience of staying at the hotel itself — treating themselves to a break from everyday life with a gourmet dinner 96 | Issue 115 | August 2018
and a day in beautiful surroundings,” explains hotel director Vibeke Halse. “But, of course, we also have people who stay for longer, and a lot who choose to celebrate special events here. It doesn’t matter why you are visiting, the hotel is sure to add an extra dimension to the whole experience.” The Stella Maris Hotel de Luxe opened up in 2014. Previously, the building had, for five decades, served as a missionary hotel with daily worship, prayer and a strict no-alcohol policy. Today, however, visitors to the waterfront hotel can enjoy
all aspects of life, including quality food and wine.
Island produce At the tip of the charming town of Svendborg, the archipelago of southern Funen is one of the main attractions within the vicinity of Stella Maris Hotel de Luxe. Part of the archipelago is the Vejrø resort, the sister hotel of Stella Maris Hotel de Luxe. Previously a deserted island, Vejrø has today been transformed into a stylish luxury resort with its own organic farm. The products of this farm also supply Stella Maris Hotel de Luxe’s chef Thomas Skovsmose-Falck. “Right now, during the summer season, we receive a large part of our produce from Vejrø, especially vegetables, but also lamb and pork,” explains Halse. “It makes sense because they have a fairly big organic production.