Where was Seaside Hotel filmed? Answer is – The Danish period drama “Seaside Hotel” (original title: Badehotellet) was filmed primarily in North Jutland, Denmark. The majority of interior scenes were shot in a studio in Copenhagen, where a detailed set of the hotel was constructed. Beach scenes and other outdoor shots took place along the coast of North Jutland to capture the authentic seaside atmosphere.
The Danish period drama “Seaside Hotel” (original title: Badehotellet) has captured audiences with its charming portrayal of life at a fictional seaside resort in the years between the World Wars.
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Set against the backdrop of the picturesque Skagerrak coast in northern Denmark, the show follows the lives of regular guests and the staff who cater to them during their summer vacations.
The idyllic setting is integral to the series, providing a sense of both nostalgia and breezy escapism. Location plays a crucial role in establishing the atmosphere of “Seaside Hotel,” so let’s explore where this beloved show brought its stories to life.
Brief Overview of “Seaside Hotel”
“Seaside Hotel” offers a glimpse into the social dynamics and changing attitudes within Denmark during the 1920s and 1930s, with some storylines continuing into the 1940s.
The primary setting is Andersen’s Badehotel, a family-run establishment catering to a primarily wealthy clientele.
We follow the lives of the Andersen family, particularly Fie, the daughter determined to have a role in running the hotel, along with regular guests like the wealthy Madsen family and the spirited actress Amanda.
Through their experiences, the show explores themes of class, ambition, romance, and the shifting norms of the era.
The Importance of Location
In “Seaside Hotel,” the location is far more than just a backdrop. Here’s why it’s so crucial:
Establishing Historical Authenticity: The series aims for a high degree of historical accuracy in costume design, set decoration, and cultural references. Filming in locations that genuinely reflect the architectural styles and natural beauty of the era reinforces that sense of stepping back in time.
Creating a Sense of Place: Coastal regions have a distinct character – the rhythm of the waves, the ever-present wind, the scent of saltwater. By immersing itself in a real seaside environment, “Seaside Hotel” allows these sensory elements to infuse the atmosphere for the viewer.
Symbolism of the Seaside: The seaside has long held associations with both leisure and revitalization. For the show’s characters, the hotel becomes a place where they shed their city lives and worries, often leading to personal transformations and complicated social entanglements. The location echoes this sense of temporary escape and self-reinvention.
Visual Appeal: The beaches of Denmark, with their distinctive dunes and rugged charm, offer a visual canvas that is both beautiful and evocative. The cinematography of “Seaside Hotel” often capitalizes on the sweeping vistas and dramatic weather to enhance the emotional impact of its scenes.
The Seaside Charm of North Jutland
North Jutland (or Nordjylland in Danish) is the northernmost region of Denmark’s mainland, known for its wild beauty and windswept coastline. It’s here, along the shores of the Skagerrak, that “Seaside Hotel” finds its visual inspiration.
Here’s what sets the region apart:
Dramatic Dunescapes: North Jutland’s coastline features vast stretches of migrating sand dunes. These dynamic landscapes, shaped by shifting winds and tides, create a sense of both openness and ever-present change. They provide a stunning backdrop for those idyllic walks on the beach often featured in the series.
Untamed Beaches: While some locations offer organized beach resorts, there’s a raw quality to North Jutland’s seaside. Wide stretches of sand, punctuated by seagrasses and the occasional piece of driftwood, create an atmosphere that evokes the timelessness of summers spent by the sea.
The Skagerrak’s Power: The Skagerrak is a strait connecting the North Sea with the Kattegat and ultimately the Baltic Sea. Its waters hold a certain power and unpredictability, which echoes with some of the dramatic turns the show takes. Watching the waves crash or shimmer in the sunlight lends a specific visual texture to “Seaside Hotel”.
Charming Fishing Communities: Dotted between the dunes and beaches, one finds cozy villages with colorful houses, remnants of North Jutland’s long fishing traditions. These provide a touch of quaint local life beyond the world of the hotel.
1. Why North Jutland for “Seaside Hotel”?
Beyond its undeniable visual appeal, here’s why North Jutland likely made the cut as a filming location:
Historical Resonance: The upper-class tradition of summering at seaside hotels aligns with the history of North Jutland. Places like Skagen became popular destinations for wealthy 19th and early 20th-century vacationers, fostering the establishment of iconic grand hotels, some of which may have provided inspiration.
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Logistical Advantages: While remote compared to Copenhagen, North Jutland offers existing infrastructure like smaller towns and likely supportive local governments. This makes accommodating a film crew more manageable.
Unique Atmosphere: The specific look and feel of North Jutland set it apart from other Danish coastal regions. Its combination of expansive nature and hints of a rugged past create the perfect balance for the show’s blend of lightheartedness and deeper social commentary.
2. Specific Locations
While the exact beaches used in “Seaside Hotel” are often kept under wraps by production companies, here are some areas in North Jutland that likely served as filming locations:
Svinkløv Badehotel: This historic seaside hotel, though modernized, retains the type of grand architecture that would fit the show’s aesthetic. Its location on the dramatic Slettestrand could have provided a filming backdrop.
Blokhus & Løkken: These popular resort towns feature the blend of beaches, dunes, and local charm that the show might seek.
Skagen: Famous for its artists colony and the meeting point of two seas, Skagen offers picture-perfect visuals, though it might be more bustling than the show’s desired atmosphere.
The Studio-Built Hotel
While the coastal beauty of North Jutland is essential to “Seaside Hotel”, a significant portion of the series unfolds within the walls of the fictional Andersen’s Badehotel.
To achieve the necessary level of detail and control, the production team built a large-scale hotel set within a studio environment, likely in Copenhagen.
1. Constructing the Set
Here’s what that process likely involved:
Historical Research: Set designers would have thoroughly researched the architecture and interior design trends of upscale seaside hotels in the 1920s and 1930s. This includes details like room layouts, furniture styles, textiles, and even the types of fixtures found in bathrooms and kitchens.
Building the Structure: Carpenters, plasterers, and other skilled craftspeople would physically construct the hotel’s spaces. This includes permanent sets for rooms like the dining hall and guest bedrooms, as well as flexible spaces that can be redressed for different purposes.
Set Decoration: A vast array of props and furnishings—from elegant table settings to antique luggage—would be sourced to create the lived-in feel of a functioning hotel. Wallpapers, light fixtures, and even staff uniforms are meticulously chosen to reflect the era.
Consideration of Filming Needs: The set is designed with the camera in mind. Walls might be removable to accommodate specific shots, lighting rigs are installed for optimal illumination, and spaces are created for crew and equipment behind the scenes.
2. Advantages of a Studio Set
Filming interior scenes in a controlled studio environment offers several benefits:
Consistent Lighting and Weather: Studios allow for precise control over lighting, essential for maintaining the proper mood throughout the filming day and matching scenes shot at different times. It also eliminates the unpredictability of outdoor weather affecting shoots.
Logistics and Scheduling: Filming on a set allows for easier crew coordination, more efficient scheduling since no travel between locations is required, and the ability to create the specific atmosphere needed for each scene.
Detailed Storytelling: The studio lets the crew get highly specific. Want a dramatic close-up on a tear falling on an antique brooch? Need to swap out a broken vase between takes seamlessly? The set provides the contained environment where these visual elements can be meticulously executed.
3. The Perfect Blend: Studios and the Outdoors
The success of “Seaside Hotel” lies in how seamlessly it blends its studio-based world with the real locations in North Jutland. Here’s how they work in tandem:
Exterior Shots: Even if the hotel’s facade is partially built on a set, wide shots overlooking the dunes and beach in North Jutland solidify the illusion that this establishment truly sits by the sea.
Transitions: Clever editing allows us to move from a scene in a studio-built bedroom to characters stepping out onto a balcony where the backdrop is the actual North Jutland coast.
Realism and Flexibility: The combination gives the production team the best of both worlds: the ability to manipulate their “hotel” in detail on the studio set, and the authenticity infused by a real coastal environment in select establishing shots and outdoor scenes.
Potential Filming Locations
1. Charming Coastal Towns
North Jutland is peppered with picturesque towns that could easily stand in for places the characters of “Seaside Hotel” might visit on a day trip or have connections to. Consider these:
- Frederikshavn: This port town boasts a mix of maritime heritage and more modern amenities. Its harbor area and older neighborhoods could align with the series’ period feel.
- Hirtshals: A fishing town with a distinct character, Hirtshals offers a glimpse at working-class coastal life, potentially contrasting with the more leisurely atmosphere of the hotel.
- Aalborg: As the region’s largest city, Aalborg likely served as a logistical hub for production. However, its historical streets and architecture might also have been featured for scenes depicting a more urban setting.
2. Historical Estates
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To represent the homes of wealthier characters or excursions into the Danish countryside, the production may have turned to the grand manor houses found throughout Denmark.
- Voergaard Slot: This Renaissance-era castle with its moat and extensive gardens could be a perfect stand-in for a grand family estate.
- Museums & Open Air Villages: Denmark has several historical open-air museums, such as Den Gamle By in Aarhus, which meticulously recreate streetscapes and buildings from the past. These could offer ready-made backdrops for specific scenes.
3. Copenhagen
Although primarily set in Jutland, “Seaside Hotel” likely had some scenes filmed in Copenhagen, the country’s capital.
Neighborhoods like Nyhavn, with its colorful historical houses and canals, provide a picturesque setting that could represent where characters live outside of their summers by the sea.
The Impact of Location on “Seaside Hotel”
The location choices in “Seaside Hotel” play a pivotal role in grounding the show in a specific historical period and social milieu:
Architectural Accuracy: By filming in North Jutland, the show benefits from the genuine seaside architecture of the region. Whether it’s a humble fishing cottage or a remnant of a grander hotel, these structures add layers of visual credibility compared to a fully constructed set.
The Power of Nature: The ever-present sea, the shifting sands, and the particular quality of light in North Jutland all influence the mood and pacing of the show. It’s hard to replicate the feel of a salty wind whipping through your hair, or the subtle changes in the sky across a long summer day on a mere soundstage.
Sense of Community: While the hotel staff and guests are the focus, glimpses of local towns and villages in North Jutland hint at a broader community beyond the hotel’s bubble. This reinforces the notion that the characters are visitors in an existing world, not just isolated on a fictional set.
1. Location as a Storytelling Tool
The settings of “Seaside Hotel” aren’t merely pretty. They become active participants in the show’s narratives:
The Seaside as Symbol: The beach is a liminal space – a place between the everyday world and the open possibilities of vacation. Characters stroll along the water contemplating life choices, secrets are revealed in secluded dunes, and the vastness of the sea echoes the potential for change and upheaval.
The Hotel as Microcosm: The enclosed space of the hotel fosters a unique dynamic. Social hierarchies are observed and sometimes subverted, hidden tensions rise to the surface, and unexpected alliances form within its walls.
Excursions as Plot Points: When characters leave the seaside, it often serves a narrative purpose. A trip into town might expose them to new ideas, a visit to a grand estate might expose class differences, and even a train journey can become a space for intimate encounters.
2. Location and Character Development
The setting in “Seaside Hotel” serves as more than just a backdrop; it actively shapes the characters:
Escape and Transformation: For many guests, the seaside hotel is a place to shed their usual roles and worries. The change in environment often prompts personal reflection, leading to growth or even risky decisions.
Inspiration and Constraint: Characters like Fie, who dream of expanding their roles, draw inspiration from the freedom they feel at the seaside. Yet, the same setting also reveals the social limitations placed upon them, especially women of the era.
Influence of the Untamed: The wildness of the North Jutland coast can mirror the internal turmoil some characters experience. Dramatic weather can heighten emotional scenes, and the ever-changing scenery reflects the shifting fortunes of the hotel and its guests.
The locations featured in “Seaside Hotel” are far more than just a scenic backdrop. From the windswept beauty of North Jutland’s coast to the meticulously constructed hotel set, every location choice contributes to establishing a sense of time, place, and atmosphere that is essential to the show’s success. Here’s a recap of the key takeaways:
- Authenticity Boost: Filming in real coastal locations provides a level of historical and visual realism that a studio alone could never fully replicate.
- Symbology of Place: The seaside and the hotel itself function as symbols of escape, transformation, and the interplay of social expectations.
- Driving the Narrative: Location choices actively drive plot points and mirror the emotional journeys of the characters in “Seaside Hotel”.
- Production Balance: Blending outdoor locations in North Jutland with a detailed studio set provides the show with both flexibility and visual richness.
“Seaside Hotel” proves that location is a powerful storytelling tool. By immersing its audience in a meticulously crafted world, it evokes a nostalgic longing for summers past and offers a compelling window into a specific moment in Danish history.
Here are some frequently asked questions about the filming locations of “Seaside Hotel” along with answers that can further enhance a viewer’s understanding:
Q: Can I visit the real Andersen’s Badehotel?
Unfortunately, the hotel itself is fictional. However, many seaside hotels in Denmark offer a similarly charming atmosphere, and some might have even served as inspiration for the show. Resources like Visit Denmark can help you find accommodations in North Jutland.
Q: Are there behind-the-scenes tours of the “Seaside Hotel” set?
While not a regular occurrence, there might be special events or studio tours organized around major Danish television productions. Keep an eye on fan communities, tourism websites, or even the website of the TV2 channel which airs the show.
Q: Can I find a map of potential filming locations in North Jutland?
While there might not be an official map, dedicated “Seaside Hotel” fan communities online often try to pinpoint specific beaches, towns, or buildings featured in the show. Combining this with image searches for the region can assist you in planning a visit inspired by the series.
Q: Did the cast and crew actually stay in North Jutland during filming?
It’s likely that they had a base in a larger town in the region for the duration of filming, with some cast and crew possibly commuting from Copenhagen if feasible. Local news outlets might have reported on the production’s presence during the filming seasons.
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