About Eilert Smith Hotel

A historical journey to something elegant and brand new

Between Stavanger’s old wooden houses and modern high-rise buildings you find Eilert Smith Hotel. Our luxury boutique hotel with only 12 rooms is named after architect Eilert Smith, who originally designed the building back in 1937. Functionalist architecture was popular in Stavanger in the 1930’s, and institutions, businesses and private houses were built in this new and international style. Our building in Nordbogata 8 was not designed as a hotel back then, but as a shop and storehouse for the local farmers’ cooperative.

On the ground floor, where RE-NAA has its two star Michelin restaurant today, there used to be a showroom where heaters and freezers would be displayed. On the first floor there was a shop where you could buy parts for your tractor or other farm machinery. The administration and marketing department had their offices on the second floor, and on the third floor there was a large storage space. At the top, where Eilert’s Residence is today, there was a large rooftop terrace.

The building comes to life

Today the modernistic warehouse from 1937 has gained new life as the building has been transformed into a boutique hotel and Michelin-starred restaurant: Eilert Smith Hotel and restaurant RE-NAA. The restoration of the building was done by architect Paal Trodahl at Trodahl Arkitekter. The hotel’s owners Signe Anne and Kristoffer Stensrud had a desire to preserve the building’s historic heritage, renew it and create a vibrant and warm hotel.

Transforming this piece of history into a boutique hotel required a new extension. Trodahl’s challenge was to add two extra floors and at the same time preserve the modernist expression, characterised by its general proportions, curved geometrical shapes, clock tower and the slim horizontal windows.

Inspired by similar Nordic modernistic buildings from the same era, the design solution was to elongate the existing clock tower, keeping the two new floors subordinate. The ground floor of the building was redesigned with the same footprint as the additional floors in order to strengthen the relationship between the base and the top. The existing windows where rearranged and adjusted to serve the new purpose. Rather than making a new extension with a clear division between new and old, the architect’s approach respectfully edits and rearranges the existing building while preserving the essence of the original design.

Classic modernistic materials, such as travertine, brass, marble and wood, were used to enhance the building’s architectural language. Travertine in particular plays a lead role in the project. The stone’s natural appearance from the quarry is recreated; the cloud-like appearance of horizontally cut surfaces serves as flooring whilst the layered appearance of the vertically cut surfaces serves as walls.

The restaurant on the ground floor is organised around an open kitchen, inviting the guests to observe the preparation of the food. The next three floors accommodate different hotel rooms and suites, each one individually designed with custom furniture and their own identity.

The two new top floors serve as Eilert’s Residence, a penthouse suite organised around a 3m diameter spiral staircase. A circular skylight above allows daylight to wash down into the entrance area beneath. The top floor has a panoramic view of the harbour and the roofscape of Stavanger’s historic centre.

Eilert Smith, The Architect

Our hotel is named after the architect Eilert Smith, who originally designed the building in 1937. He was a popular architect and designed several hotels and private houses.

Eilert Smith was born in 1903. He had two children with his wife Aud. They spent a lot of time together at their cabin, where Eilert also enjoyed salmon fishing with his friends. He was more of an artist than a business man. As a person he was very easy going, and he had no trouble connecting with people of different ages and backgrounds.

Eilert Smith is referred to as a kind and gentle person - outgoing, warm, and fun to be with. Exactly as we strive to be here at Eilert Smith Hotel.

“Would you have done anything different with your life?” “No, I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Rooms and suites

You will find 12 individually designed rooms and suites at Eilert Smith Hotel. Our rooms may vary in size and design, but they all invite you to a stay beyond your expectations. We are proud to offer our guests high quality products and amenities, great comfort and exceptional service, and will do our very best to make each visit memorable.