“What is essential is the hosting, is how you meet your guests, like having a dinner party. Either you set up the date, you buy the food and serve it, or you take days in preparing how the flowers are going to be, how the music is going to sound. Seeing that whole little journey of senses and touch points. And that for me is completely the same as staging a production in a theater.”
As we celebrate the festivities of the holidays with family and friends, we’re in great company with Alexander Kølpin, Founder, Owner and Creative Director of Kølpin Hotels, a collection of 3 bespoke boutique hotels in and near Copenhagen, Denmark, where he choreographs a musicality amongst his team and his guests while the hotels themselves, with their history, artistry and ambiance serve as the perfect backdrop for their experience.
Helenekilde Badehotel, a historic gem and Tisvildeleje Strandhotel, a romantic gem, are both nestled along the beautiful Danish coastline in Tisvilde, encompassing a rich history filled with charm and elegance at what were once private residences. Hotel Sanders, an award winning, intimate and bespoke luxury hotel, stands with poise and grace in the historic part of Copenhagen.
In this episode, Alexander showcases how his past experience in the performing arts transcended into his passion for staging experiences for his guests, his audience as he sees it, and how each moment of their stay is similar to an act in a show, ending in an anticipatory grand finale.
Top Takeaways
[1:45] Surrounded by creativity from an early age, Alexander Kølpin became infatuated with dancing ballet over playing ball. Given his natural talent, he studied at the Royal Danish Ballet School which transpired into a storied career as classical ballet dancer, theater director, producer & performer, and film & documentary actor & choreographer.
[5:20] How Alexander’s past creative experience in the performing arts transferred across different mediums into the musicality of the hospitality experience he provides today.
[10:00] Why Alexander approaches the design of his hotels with a “high end yet low key” aesthetic and atmosphere - to pay homage to their original intent as homes, inviting people to come as guests and leave as friends.
[12:50] As if writing a ballet, play or movie script, Kølpin Hotels follows a dramaturgical technique when crafting the guest journey following Acts 1, 2 and 3 to build the story.
[17:30] Entering Hotel Sanders is like stepping into a theater. Guests will always remain center stage, but the scenography and carefully curated interiors are the elegant and exquisite backdrop for their experience.
[21:00] A hidden gem in the historic center of Copenhagen neighboring the Royal Theater and Royal Family’s residences, where guests can take a dip in the canal or stroll the neighborhood’s cobbled lanes to find countless quality restaurants, contemporary art galleries, museums, and world class shopping.
[23:00] Coined the “Hampton’s of Copenhagen”, Denmark's coastal and charming town, Tisvilde, is home to Kølpin Hotel’s sister properties in Helenekilde Badehotel and Tisvildeleje Strandhotel.
Notable Mentions
Family Wine collection in collaboration with @CanAxartell in Mallorca
Gløgg, Danish mulled wine
Risalamande, Danish rice pudding
Visit For Yourself
Hotel Sanders Website | @hotelsanders
Helenkilde Badehotel Website | @helenkildebadehotel
Tisvildeleje Strandhotel Website | @tisvildeleje_strandhotel
