Inflight Magazine of Brussels Airlines

The Danish inn crowd

Text David Sandhu

Experience the true atmosphere of Denmark by staying at one the country’s many ancient kros, or inns

The Danes have a word that’s hard to explain – and no foreigner can pronounce properly – that’s as Danish as bacon and lager. Hygge roughly translates as a form of cosiness, warmth and contentment that brightens the spirits. If you find it, you’ll know it.

Anyone searching for a sense of hygge during a visit to Denmark is unlikely to find it in a corporate hotel. To best understand the Danish soul, the nation’s country inns (kros) are the only places to rest your head.

Dating back to the 12th century, kros were the original staging posts where coaches stopped to allow weary wayfarers to stretch their legs and enjoy a hearty meal. Their traditional monopoly as distillers and their exclusive licence to serve beer meant they enjoyed a pivotal role in Danish society.

Today, many kros retain their unique innkeeping heritage. In them you’ll find authentic Danish traditions and atmosphere, and chefs who prepare regional cuisine. Fortunately, not everything is old-fashioned in these historic properties – you’re also likely to find power showers and Wi-Fi.

Kros are often slightly off the beaten track, so they provide a chance to see the beautiful Danish countryside. They also offer guests a glimpse into the personality of the innkeepers themselves – usually efficient, often friendly and sometimes eccentric. More than anything, each kro has its own personality, so you can feel confident you’ll be treated as an individual rather than as a room number.

Six of the best

The following kros are within two or three hours’ drive of Copenhagen

Best for gourmet food
Falsled Kro
513 Assensvej, Falsled, Millinge
Tel. , www.falsledkro.dk

The culinary reputation of owner and head chef Jean-Louis Lieffroy at Falsled Kro reaches far beyond Danish borders. With the fresh produce of South Funen (‘the garden of Denmark’) given a French twist, it’s no wonder most of the gourmets who flock to this upmarket retreat (originally a 16th-century smugglers’ inn) are loyal regulars.

“Every season – indeed, every month – has something special to offer us at the dinner table,” says Lieffroy. “As a result, every single day of the year at our inn is a feast day in its own right – all it takes is to follow nature.” From forest game and delicacies from the sea, to fruit and vegetables from the garden, this kro delivers one of the world’s finest dining experiences. Make sure you book well ahead.

Cost: Expensive

Best for a royal welcome
Fredensborg Store Kro
6 Slotsgade, Fredensborg
Tel. , www.storekro.dk

Located next to Fredensborg Castle and Chancellery, the Danish royal summer residence (Margrethe II and her family stay here for about seven months a year), this is a suitably palatial kro.

Built in 1723 for Frederick IV because the castle itself was too modest to accommodate all the royal guests, this upmarket inn has more recently hosted A-list guests such as Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan.

Fredensborg Store Kro’s classical architecture is reflected in its regal bedrooms. Each of the 49 rooms and suites is lovingly and individually decorated. Above all, this is a confident, assured hotel with helpful staff and great attention to detail. The sound of the changing of the guard at the castle every day at noon adds to the ambience.

Cost: Expensive

Best for a walk in the woods
Bregnerød Kro
2 Bregnerød Byvej, Farum
Tel. , www.bregneroed-kro.dk

Found within a dark wooded hamlet, Bregnerød Kro is an authentic Danish roadside inn. The extensive use of light and dark wood throughout the thatched building adds to the aesthetic – here you can imagine yourself in your own period drama.

The original inn was built in 1630 and burnt down by Swedish troops in 1700. However, since being rebuilt five years later, it has continued to thrive. In spite of its proximity to Copenhagen, the inn is situated in idyllic rural surroundings with woods, lakes and open fields. Best of all, Bregnerød Kro has only nine rooms (many of which are taken up by diners at the restaurant, which is consistently popular with locals and visiting Copenhageners), so you’ll feel like a special guest.

Cost: Moderate

Best for relaxing in style
Kryb-i-ly Kro
160 Kolding Landevej, Fredericia
Tel. , www.krybily.dk

This kro, located in the heart of Denmark and handily placed for motorways, is famous for its cuisine. Unsurprisingly, this makes it one of the most popular meeting places in the country – so make sure you book ahead.

The inn first received its royal charter in 1737 and has recently been painstakingly restored and extended. The building is a perfect combination of formality and opulence under a huge thatched roof, with facilities including a mahogany panelled library with log fire, and a luxury sauna/solarium. Rooms are spacious and the staff cheery and helpful. The extensive restaurant menu specialises in fresh fish and game.

Cost: Expensive

Best for historical atmosphere
Bromølle Kro
78 Slagelsevej, Jyderup
Tel. , www.bromoelle-kro.dk

The competition between kros for the title of the oldest property can be fierce. Bromølle Kro is one of the highway inns that proudly claims to be the oldest in Denmark. This popular stop-off apparently dates back to 1198, and the owners are keen to preserve its historical atmosphere.

Situated in idyllic surroundings four miles south of Jyderup, the vivid colours of the bedrooms (pinks, oranges, lime greens) seem incongruous compared with the subdued tones used in the rest of the building. However, the enchanting garden is a major draw, featuring the oldest tree in Denmark – a famous yew.

Cost: Moderate

Best for socialising (and military history)
Menstrup Kro
29 Menstrup Bygade, Næstved
Tel. , www.menstrupkro.dk

The Danes love to party. That’s one of the reasons this vivacious inn is such a lively spot, especially at weekends and on public holidays when its large bars and lounges play host to enthusiastic live music and dancing. Other facilities in the kro include an indoor pool, a sauna and tennis courts. The 79 reasonably priced rooms all have mod cons and the friendly members of staff always seem to have smiles on their faces.

The older part of Menstrup Kro is the most comfortable and cosy, and is renowned throughout Denmark.

In addition, the building is home to an interesting memorial to the Royal Danish Guard Hussar Regiment, including uniforms and weapons.

Cost: Inexpensive

FR L’auberge danoise

La meilleure façon de comprendre l’âme danoise est de séjourner dans l’une des anciennes auberges disséminées dans le pays, appelées aussi kros. Remontant au 12è siècle, ces hôtels étaient à l’origine des relais des postes, où les attelages faisaient une halte pour permettre aux voyageurs exténués de se dégourdir les jambes et de savourer un bon repas. Leur monopole en tant que producteurs d’alcool et leur licence exclusive de distributeur de bière leur a fait jouer un rôle pivot au sein de la société du Danemark.

Aujourd’hui de nombreux kros gardent cet héritage unique de l’époque ancienne, souvent situés loin des centres fréquentés et offrant une vue particulière de la magnifique campagne danoise.

Fredensborg Store Kro (www.storekro.dk) se trouve à côté du château de Fredensborg, la résidence d’été de la famille royale danoise. La plus petite auberge Bregnerød Kro (www.bregneroed-kro.dk) est un établissement authentique en bord de route, situé non loin de Copenhague dans un environnement rural idyllique.

Kryb-i-ly Kro (www.krybily.dk) au cœur du Danemark est réputé dans tout le pays pour sa sublime cuisine. C’est l’un des endroits les plus prisés, assurezvous donc de réserver bien à l’avance. Bromølle Kro (www.bromoelle-kro.dk) serait, selon les dires, la plus ancienne auberge du Danemark, une halte sur la route qui remonterait à 1198. Le charmant jardin de l’auberge constitue une attraction majeure, avec le plus vieil arbre du pays – un if.

La réputation culinaire de Jean-Louis Lieffroy, propriétaire et premier chef à Falsled Kro (www.falsledkro.dk), a dépassé les frontières danoises. Du gibier aux mets délicats de la mer, des fruits aux légumes cultivés dans le domaine, cette auberge se distingue par sa table, l’une des plus savoureuses du monde.

Le dynamique Menstrup Kro (www.menstrupkro.dk) est un lieu animé, particulièrement les weekends et lors des vacances, lorsque ses vastes bars et salons accueillent de la musique live débordante et une piste de danse. Le bâtiment fait également office de lieu de mémoire de la Garde Royale Danoise du Régiment de Hussards.

NL Wat Denemarken al niet herbergt

Wie de Deense ziel wil doorgronden, moet in een van ‘s lands oude herbergen of kros verblijven. Ze stammen uit de 12de eeuw en waren oorspronkelijk uitspanningen waar koetsen stopten om vermoeide reizigers te laten uitrusten en een hapje te laten eten. Door hun monopolie als stokerijen en hun exclusieve licentie om bier te schenken bekleedden ze een belangrijke plaats in de Deense samenleving.

Tot op vandaag hebben veel kros hun unieke herbergtraditie behouden. Ze liggen vaak wat afgelegen en vormen een uitstekende uitvalsbasis voor een kennismaking met het Deense platteland.

Fredensborg Store Kro (www.storekro.dk) ligt vlakbij het kasteel van Fredensborg, het zomerverblijf van de Deense koninklijke familie. De kleinere Bregnerød Kro (www.bregneroed-kro.dk) is een authentieke Deense uitspanning vlakbij Kopenhagen, gelegen in een idyllische landelijke omgeving.

Kryb-i-ly Kro (www.krybily.dk) in hartje Denemarken staat in heel het land bekend voor zijn uitstekende keuken. Het is een van de populairste ontmoetingsplaatsen in Denemarken. Vroeg reserveren is dus de boodschap! Bromølle Kro (www.bromoelle-kro.dk), naar verluidt de oudste herberg van Denemarken, zou dateren uit 1198. In de befaamde, sprookjesachtige tuin staat de oudste boom van Denemarken, een taxus.

De culinaire reputatie van Jean-Louis Lieffroy, eigenaar en chef-kok van Falsled Kro (www.falsledkro.dk), reikt tot ver buiten de Deense grenzen. Zijn wereldvermaarde keuken (van woudwild tot zeelekkernijen) garandeert een unieke restaurantervaring.

De Menstrup Kro (www.menstrupkro.dk) is een bijzonder levendig adres, zeker in het weekend en op feestdagen. Dan wordt er in de grote bars en lounges gedanst en muziek gemaakt. Je vindt er ook een gedenkteken voor het Koninklijke Deense Garderegiment Huzaren.

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