Ranked one of the world's most romantic hotels. Two years in a row.
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Ranked one of the world's most romantic hotels. Two years in a row
In February 2025, a message ticked in from Washington D.C.. Nermo Hotel had been named one of the world's 25 most romantic hotels by Historic Hotels Worldwide. A year later, it happened again.
How can a small, family-run hotel in Øyer be on the same list as palaces in Florence and castles in France? For those who know Nermo Hotel, it is actually quite logical
What the jury emphasized
Historic Hotels Worldwide rated the candidates on location, service, amenities for couples, architecture, and historical character. Nermo delivered on everything. The location in the middle of Gudbrandsdalen, with Hafjell as its nearest neighbour. Local food from its own farm, made from scratch according to the hotelier's grandmother's philosophy. Hosted by a family that has been welcoming guests for five generations. A building from 1932, which is never quite finished because there is always something new to plaster.
And, not least, the storehouse suites: two storehouses from before 1730, carefully dismantled in Numedal and painstakingly rebuilt in the yard. The result is four suites where 300-year-old timber meets gas fireplaces, underfloor heating and handmade bathtubs. One of the guests summed it up like this: "This is best for couples who want a break from everyday life, where you can sit back and enjoy each other's company." The jury agreed.
More than just suites
But the award is about more than four suites, it's about the whole place. About locally sourced ingredients in our restaurant Nermostuene. About the fireplace in the reception. About the quiet stillness that descends on the farmyard in the evening.
And about the opportunities for those who are planning something special. Do you want to propose? The pilgrim path winds behind the hotel, with several small clearings where the view of the valley takes your breath away. The hotel is happy to help arrange an intimate moment, with candles and bubbly. In the herb garden, on the terrace, or out on the golf course on a summer evening.
Are you getting married? Nermo Hotel welcomes wedding parties of up to 100 guests, with weddings, dinners and accommodation all in the same place. The bride and groom can stay in the storehouse, while guests stay in the main building and the farmhand cabins. Everything is all gathered in one property.
A tradition that is older than you think
There is something fitting about the storehouse becoming a romantic space. During the old days of the farming community, the storehouse loft was the place where unmarried girls moved out in the summer. Suitors would arrive there on Saturday evenings. The tradition was so widespread in Oppland that it even became a subject of public debate in the 1800s.
So, when couples today book the storehouse for a romantic weekend, they are actually following a tradition that is older than the building itself. Only with better mattresses. And with a door that actually locks!
From Washington to Øyer
Nermo Hotel shares the list with hotels including the Grand Hotel Tremezzo on Lake Como, Bernini Palace in Florence and Hôtel Golf Château de Chailly in Burgundy. That is no mean feat for a small, family-run hotel in Hafjell.
But maybe that's exactly why it works. The big city hotels and castles have grand facades and lobbies. Nermo has something else: a farmyard where you can meet your host. A kitchen where the food comes from the farm. And storehouses where the timber still carries the scent of 300 years of history.
Historic Hotels Worldwide was founded to highlight hotels with true historic value. Receiving an award from the organisation two years in a row confirms what Johannes and his family have known for a long time: there is a type of romance that cannot be bought. It must grow. Over generations.
