Transcription Venabu Manpreet Kaur & Anna Louchet
Simon : Welcome, everyone. for the next edition of Snow Business in
Lillehammer. This week we're going to talk about the Venabu Fjellhotel and our recent
site visit there in the room with me is
Manpreet : Manpreet
Simon : Where are you from?
Manpreet : Somewhere in India but I'm doing my studies in France
Simon : And?
Anna : Anna and I come from France as well
Simon : So clearly I am outnumbered. Uh, so when we went, what was there? When we
came over up the hill, what did we see? as we dropped down?
Anna : Uh, so we see two mountains, right? With, uh like a place in the middle, and here we
find two big hotels—one is more up in the mountain and one in this place between the two
mountains.
Simon : Okay, so Venabu Fjellhotel is on top of the mountain plateau, and as Anna said,
mountains on either side, and in between is this colored plateau, and one hotel is slightly up
and the other one is kind of more in the center. What was immediately behind? What did we
see?
Manpreet : Mountains?
Simon : That was a Ronan National Park, which is the first ever national park in Norway. So
you get this beautiful backdrop in this kind of plateau where it's roughly at the tree line where
you can easily go up onto the mountains on either side, um, skiing. What else was there?
Anna : Uh, the hotel at the top of the mountains is more like a MICE one. It's like it used to
be like for more congrats, uh, conferences, and it's more like upper one, I don't know. And
Yeah, it is not the same as the first in the plateau. It's more like a cozy one.
familial one, and yeah, it's like two kind of different acts, right ?
Manpreet : Yeah
Anna : And ?
Simon : So the one on the mountain in was a venabygdsfjellet, uh, hotel, which is, um, it was
further for us to drive because the road is not open all the way over the mountain plateau
and down into these valleys in the winter, and we went there first, and um, how was the first,
how did it appear to you ?
Manpreet : I think for me, it was kind of like a feeling; it was no traditional hotel for me. That's
what I got. But like when I entered, I could feel the the Nordic like the things.
Simon : So it has that classic wooden façade? But it was the well, the interesting thing that
had done there is that they used all traditional buildings and then they built slowly the hotel
with kind of modifying, slightly these traditional buildings.So you get the sense that you're in
like an old cabin. And when we had a discussion with with people there, there was, um, one
wing of the building was an old barn that that had been attached to the main
building. That is now a bar.
Anna : Yeah, it looks more like luxury, more like fancy, and more like it's for tourists. I mean,
like, just like for attracting people and not really like an authentic one. And I think, yeah, it's
like a difference with the second one. For me, it's more like authentic, more familiar, and the
girl we meet is actually like the daughter, I think, of the woman who built it. So, yeah, it's not
the same kind of hotel.
Manpreet : Yeah
Simon : So spaceburger setup is definitely more kind of slightly upmarket in its
appeal. But what what did they offer there?
Anna : For like the one here, they like a swimming pool. and, yeah, the girls say the woman
we met say, yeah, we have like the big advantage in the other hotel. So she are very proud
of this pool. And, yeah, it's made like only for tourists for me, because they put like a
window in the top of the pool just for like see the star or the northern lights. and use,
like some wood next to this, just for like the cozy and the mood of like the nordic
stuff.
Manpreet : And I don't know if I'm a right or wrong, but like, I kind of feel like it's like a beach
destination, so like because they have like swimming pool there, so they're like, oh, you just
come here and then in the mountains you can do swimming. So, and wellness, like these
kind of things.
Simon : I mean, you're very right, you know, so in many regions of the world, people either
often go to the beach in the summer or they go to the mountains, you know, for the air is
cooler and they're clean and fresh, let's say, uh and there they had that wellness center
loose the whole building was completely wooden for a traditional build, and even they had a
little bridge overpassing swimmingpool, and that again was a traditional build footbridge, and
so I felt that they completely leveraged this kind of kuslik, um or a style that was becoming
vogue with interior design. um from from Denmark and Norway, uh and Sweden. definitely
kind of pushed that app peel out and so they they had a wellness offer, didn't they, really,
around the swim pool and gym. So it was a mountain destination where you could go and
relax and enjoy. And they did one thing that was kind of interesting that the lady pointed out
everywhere you went round the hotel. There were, can you not remember ? I saw there were
large windows.
Manpreet : Yeah
Anna : Yeah. So they very proud of this actually, because of the view and
they just like relax enjoy it. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Simon : So I thought that was in itself, you know. probably they had to replace the old
windows they had, and modern ones. and they used that opportunity to make every
possibility where you could look at a a lot bigger window and always see I always have a
mountain in view.. So even though it was unl like on the side of the mountain, it wasn't that
particularly steep, so you, no matter what window you looked out of, there was
you saw that you were in the mountains.
Manpreet : And it was beautiful.
Simon : Yeah, and if you would think about it is when you're there, they just allows you to
kind of have that sense of kind of harmony and satisfaction with the with your purchase and
your choice to be there, you get a sense that I I could go out, but I can actually see outside.
yeah? And so that would tell you a little bit about the market of people they're trying to
attract. you know, perhaps it isn't people looking for winter sport activities. Maybe people just
come into to enjoy being in the mountains without being outside in the mountains.
Manpreet : It's perfect for me. Because I'm kind of person, I want to be in the mountains, but
I really don't want to like, like ski stuff and like these kind of activities. So like, I think if I have
to choose, then probably in future, I want to go with that hotel because it's kind of like selling
the dream, like, oh, you come to mountain say you relax and you know, uh just take your
time. And charge your batteries.
Simon : Yeah. It's a place to escape to.., yeah. So, a lot wider marketplace arguably than
people who are interested in solely doing winter sports, which is the kind of
common appeal about going to a mountain plateau in the winter here in Norway.
And they had other products as well. So when we were there, they had a big
conference.
Anna : Yeah, yeah Yeah, it's like a lot of um um yeah, like work stuff. I think they have a lot of
room for like conference congrats, and I think like the restaurant is able to uh welcome a lot
of people as well. and they have a lot of possibilities for the accommodation, uh like
difference one, um for like people to choose where she want to to sleep, it's like a room,
double room, single room because she said she had like one some room with only one
single bed, one with two beds, so yeah, it's like perfect for like work and like yeah,
Manpreet : I think they also plan beds.
Simon : Yeah. And so you're very much like a classic hotel that would have hosts for
weddings, of course. um but in the work conference here in Norway, there are two annual
things that companies tend to do. After summer, they have a kickoff where they go and do
something collectively, and it's not just at work; it's at schools as well. And then also running
in towards Christmas every company or organization or large family will have like a Yulbour,
which is a traditional Christmas evening and um, and both hotels leveraged that pretty
heavily part of the attraction would be because they're on the mountain plateau, they would
get snow early, so it would feel like Christmas, looking out at the large windows, and inside
there would be an open log fire, nice and warm. So That whole appeal that you probably
couldn't get if you went to a city hotel. What was one of the weaknesses she pointed out
about them in the summer? How did they get tourists?
Manpreet : Booking.com.
Simon : And so they what was the so that was who were the kind of people you were using
that ?
Anna : Like very young people, I think. And it's more like for maybe short vacation, right?
Manpreet : So like people who want to like they don't want people who who just want to
come there for one day. So, like some people like who are there just for one day, they would
like point out like they were that that they are disappointed with that hotel or something.
Simon : Okay, so just challenging what you were can remember now. Yeah, so I remember
at Spittburger Hotel that they heavily leverage booking.com for people driving past using the
one of the traditional roads that are that are here as parts of the tourist offer in Norway. So
there's a Rondana road and it goes right past the hotel and they use end up using
booking.com to get a lot of one night's days. like a lot and they they have like available
space and And they seem to be their kind of only real summer strategy outside
weddings and conferences. They didn't offer any activities or had much else
going on. And then, so let's move our attention to the second hotel; this is
Venabu FjellHotel. So what were your first impressions when we went there?
Anna : For me, it's like a very more authentic hotel. um it look like very cozy, very like
with the fire in the middle of the place. and yeah, like you say, um like it's the big a
The living room is like old people; they like the common area. um just people play puzzles.
Play a game, just pick it together, enjoy the fire, and take a meal. and yeah, it's more
like for me, more authentic and more like for people who really enjoyed like
the mountains and want to go on vacation and just enjoy the nature, go to cross country
skiing, yeah, or stuff like winter stuff, you know?
Manpreet : For me, like, when I was checking, like before went to the hotel, I checked out
their website, and on the website is written that their moto is kindness and helpfulness. And
when I entered the hotel, I kind of felt that way because in the living room we were we were
there, I was with Anna. It was like old people, they were talking and uh and there was like
someone at the cafe and she was like really kind. And so like you can sometimes you visit a
place, and you can feel the things happen.
Anna : Yeah, and same for the girl we met like the woman, she feel like
very passionated about, like what she say, because it's like a familial stuff, so so
she's like, yeah. I really enjoy my work and I want to like push up like the hotel
to like a good shelf, so, yeah.
Simon : So it definitely was had that. welcoming appeal. Not necessarily the traditional
Nordic kuslik wouldn't inside that the other Spitzsbergger hotel um Spitzsberggerett hotel
managed to um had their appeal and offer appeared. So it was it was more of a traditional
fjel hotel and what we know about the story of these is that in the last 30 years, more and
more Norwegians, rather than staying at these kind of places, have either own a second
home in the form of a cabin or they rent someone else's second home, and so they tend
to stay there. So who was the market for her Venabu Fjellhotel Where did their
Where do customers come from?
Anna : Um, some national people, so people from Norway, they come like in the hotel and
more for like um like the some specific activity. um like the cross-country stuff because it's
like a sport national here. and yeah, in summer, also like the Aust riding, the yogas, the
class, like you say, the course for the photography and stuff like this. And for the local
tradition, because they do a lot of event in the hotel. So people just come and enjoy it, um
yeah. And for like the international, it's more like holiday and people just come for like try and
want to come after because they really enjoy the place and they come more for like um a
first contact with Norway, and I think it's more like for yeah, like enjoy it for the first time,
something like this.
Simon : I got the impression that they used a lot of tour operators for international guests
who came on activity-based winter sport vacations. For instally cross country skiing, of
course it's a national sport here in Norway and Norwegians no doubt went there as well. But
their main strategy, especially outside Christmas winter holidays and Easter was
international guests who come Saturday is Saturday, seven nights, six days activities, one
day turnaround. um and then they had our whole kind of area in the basement of their guide
and ski school, where they rented out a cross country skis and offered lessons to both
individuals, but mainly for these
groups of tour operators. And do you can you remember where some of these
Tour operators were from?
Manpreet : I think it's from...
Simon : One guy was Swiss... And so they had one tour operator from Germany and
another, um from England. Now the main people they they deal with. One's called Gutzy
girls, which is presents itself for women only adventurous product and um 16 weeks they
have of of bookings, like 16 groups so it's that's a lot, you know. um So they would definitely
fill up the whole of their season there. And that was the winter didn't seem to be a problem.
They were busy enough. But what did they do in the spring like like lake spring into early
summer before the winter-summer holidays really get going?
Manpreet : Photography courses and they also have like some yoga.
Anna : Yeah, they have some yoga lesson and there, some other sport stuff, I think.
Manpreet : And you know, they they also offer like uh some games. So if you like group of
five people or more, uh you can like plan a game with them.
Simon : Oh like a roleplay where people can go to the the manor and who done it kind of
game.
Pretty : Yeah !
Simon : Okay, And so what I got the impression is in in that kind of shoulder period, they
they facilitate other people to to offer this kind of product, whether it was people doing
photography courses or traditional knitting or yoga, tai chi. And then in the summer, can you
remember what there are activities offer was?
Manpreet : horse riding,
Anna : And hiking,
Manpreet : hiking. Yeah,
Simon : So this very much hit the activities. Again, I their main um strategy was to try and
get people to come for more than one day, so they would offer these activities. Both winter
and summer to try to ensure that they had lengthier stays in the for their tourists, and then
that kind of went on all summer, well into early autumn, and then once you get to
mid-autumn onwards, what they um then they hit that kind of that Christmas Christmas
market again, yeah. So two hotels, two very different strategies, some overlap, but some
certainly not, you know, they kind of Venabu Fjellhotel, very much focus on activities. Often
were facilitator. um but of course, having so much staff in winter and summer, horses, they
rent horses in to the summer. this arguably was quite expensive overheads for this. set a
hotel, I got the impression the wellness, had that, it was more of that mountain escape. and
then tried to survive in the summer by offering booking.com for people driving over the
mountain plateau. Could you see any uh possibilities for them after being to several site
visits now? What else could they do there?
Anna Um, I think for the second hotel, maybe try to find like um I don't know, like a younger
customer. Um, I think a lot of people come, like, in norway for like when you are out of work
and then you have, like, a lot of time to spend. Um, because it's like a week or two weeks of
vacation when you go here. normally. And I think maybe attract some young people with
some kind of activity, more popular for young people,
Manpreet : Yeah, because wi didn’t see young people there.
Anna : Yeah, that's why when you' on living room, it's more like not old, but I think like, um it
was like…
Simon : Middle-aged ?
Anna : Yeah
Manpreet : Is not like young generation.
Anna : Yeah. We are like the youngest, I think. and like not a lot of kids as well, so it's not like
a family trip, I think. um I think They come but more during the vacation like holyday vacation
so yeah maybe attract some young people now.
Simon : Yeah so maybe you find the kind of product for what young people might be
interested in.,
Anna : Maybe.
Manpreet : And for the first hotel, I think they they need to do some more activities, maybe,
like, because they have like pool, but maybe if they like can find something else to do with
like, because they're like so many activities that you can do with pool.
Anna : I'll just have some activity, like from the oldail and not like, because on
the website we see, they have like things to do and when you click on, you have
to like to go to the other hotel. So, maybe it find activity from their own.
Simon : like or any winter sport activity was actually delivered by Venabu Fjellhotel. and links
straight off Spittsburgeretta Hotel was that was the other hotel's activities. They didn't really
offer anything themselves. And perhaps they didn't feel they needed to have
too competing activities providers. because the market was only so big. And
that's one way that's one way as strategy or they're doing it, we must do it, is
sometimes they it' that's a mistake, and maybe they go, okay, they're doing
that, they're doing a great job of that. We can point our customers there, but
also what's our strength? Yes, we're developing the wellness product. We'll
look to they have doubled the amount of warm beds in the hotel and an
apartments and cabins around. So in many ways they can turn around and go,
Yeah, we have a bigger capacity and therefore a larger area for people to meet.
And so we can have bigger conferences and larger weddings. And so again, they
Play to their strength rather than compete directly against the other one.
Manpreet : They don't need to compete because they have like definitely because the first.
They're trying to say that we are different, because we are more into the beach
destination, they don't need to compete, but they can like offer something.
more
Anna : Like a partnership or something.
Simon: Yeah. Okay. So, that was a discussion around aeneousel, a destination that is pretty
common in Norway on the high fjell. Sometimes they often have one little ski lift, but in this
case the ski lift is long Since they stopped, they've had to develop other things. But that's
where we are. Thank you very much for your time, and goodbye.
Manpreet : Thank you; goodbye
Anna: Goodbye and thank you for listening !