A brief history of the hotel
The hotel's history dates back to 1862 when it was opened by Carl-Erik Hellberg under the name Nya Hotellet. Initially, the business was somewhat modest, and it wasn't until 1880 that the hotel operations truly took off. The hotel was upgraded with 30 new rooms in a newly constructed three-storey stone building.
After a change of ownership and expansion in 1930, the hotel was renamed Grand Hotel. Axel F Lindmarker became the new owner of one of the country's finest provincial hotels, boasting 70 rooms all featuring modern amenities such as radio, telephone, and running hot/cold water. Grand Hotel was actually Sweden's first hotel with hot and cold water in the rooms.
Axel F Lindmarker sought to create a hotel beyond the ordinary and thus created Mohriska Gården. Lustgården became the name of the hotel's new dance and banquet floor, decorated from floor to ceiling with beautiful murals by local artist Jerk Werkmäster. Today, these paintings are officially protected as part of the building's heritage and remain well-preserved for our guests to admire.
In the late 1970s, the hotel section facing Åsgatan was demolished and a new part was built. Concurrently, Lustgården, as well as Blå Salongen and Mohriska Gården, were also added to the heritage protection list. The rest of the original hotel was completely demolished. At that time, Grand belonged to Sara Hotels and became Dalarna's largest hotel with its 183 rooms and 322 beds.
Today, Grand is part of the First Hotels chain and has been named First Hotel Grand since 1993. The hotel has 191 rooms, including three suites. It is owned by Gest Hotels, which operates 13 hotels in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark. The hotel property is owned by Host properties.
Timeline
1862 - Nya Hotellet opens.
1930 - Axel F Lindmarker opens the newly renovated hotel, naming it Grand Hotel. At this time, a single room cost 5-6 kronor. Lustgården, Blå Salongen, and Restaurant Mohriska Gården were completed this year. Lustgården and Blå Salongen were designed by Jerk Werkmäster, one of Dalarna's most renowned contemporary artists.
1973 - For the Ski World Championships, the hotel is extended with an additional 72 rooms. These are facing Trotzgatan.
1980 - The hotel becomes Sara Grand Hotel.
1992 - The hotel chain Sara is acquired by Reso.
1993 - The hotel becomes First Hotel Grand.
2000 - Just in time for the hotel's 70th anniversary, it is renovated.
2015 - For the Ski World Championships, the majority of the hotel's 193 rooms are renovated.
2023 - 51% of the property is purchased by Gelba AB.