HISTORY

In 1705, the first source of ferrous water was discovered in what is now known as Ronneby Brunn Park. Its remedial properties were tested on sick seamen and sailors in Karlskrona with very positive results, and as rumors of its curing properties quickly spread, more and more people flocked to the source. The source ran dry, however, but in 1726 a new source was found slightly to the South, now known as “the Old Source”.
No lodgings were available within the Spa area until 1873, so all visitors stayed in the hamlet of Ronneby.
On April 6 1864 a great fire swept through Ronneby, destroying 4/5 of the town. This inevitably caused problems for the visitors to the source as well.
Between 1873 and the turn of the last century, the Spa area of Ronneby was progressively developed, with the addition of several mansions, villas, bath houses and a mineral water factory. Ready-to-assemble (!) villas were shipped on steamers from Gothenburg to Ronneby harbour, where the last stretch up the river was made on barges.
By the turn of the last century, Ronneby Brunn was one of the largest and most visited Spas in the country.
Not only sickly people came; soon, affluent citizens from both Sweden and abroad started arriving, attracted by the Spa’s ability to strengthen both body and soul.
The original Ronneby Brunn Hotel was built between 1894-1897, and was at the time one of Europe’s largest wooden buildings. Consequently, it probably became Europe’s largest burning wood building, as in 1959 it was burnt to the ground. The current hotel was finished in 1961, and stands on the same spot as the original.

The board of directors of the Spa decided in 1902 to erect the first hostel in the immediate vicinity of the source. The building was completed in 1903, and was run by two Danish ladies, Miss Aas and Miss Dagmar Hviid. Hence the name Hviidehus (House of Hviid)
Its stated objective was to provide lodgings for “...young girls who, unaccompanied by a guardian or parents, visit the Spa”.

In 1927 the Andersson family took over from Dagmar Hviid, managing the hostel until 1939, when the well-drinking facilities were closed down. A Swedish travel company, Reso, ran the hostel with little success until 1947, when the building was sold to the women’s chapter of the Farmers’ Union.
Here, overworked housewives could spend a free holiday to relax and recuperate. As the hostel received support from both local and national governments, it became known as “...a very fine hostel”. However, a parliament decree in the 70’s put an end to the free stays. The future did not bode well for the Hviidehus hostel and slowly, business dwindled.
Sodra Skogsenergi, a Swedish timber company, bought the premises in 1986 and initiated a complete and thorough renovation project. No changes to the exterior were allowed, however, as the building forms part of the Ronneby Brunn cultural heritage and is considered to be of great public interest.
The interior of the building was largely preserved in its original layout, albeit somewhat modified to comply with current regulations for fire safety, ventilation, plumbing and heating.
In the summer of 2004, the premises were bought by MY Hotel of Ronneby, (part-) owner/operator of the STF youth hostel, closest neighbour across the road.
The object of the acquisition was to create a hotel combining first class accommodation with fine dining, all in a pleasant, friendly atmosphere where the ambiance of the previous turn of the century still lingers.

Hotel Hviidehus is located in what is known as the Blekan area of SW Ronneby, an area dotted with magnificent old wooden villas from the end of the 19th century. This is particularly true along the West side of the river, where the Nedre Brunnsvägen road boasts scores of these villas, many specifically built to accommodate visitors to the Spa.

Hotel Hviidehus is a prime representative of the Spa architecture: the pointy slope of the roof, the frequent turrets and lanternin all convey a sense of vertical aspiration. The craftsmanship is evident in the stuccoed, traversing lines, giving a three-dimensional effect to the facade. The many balconies and large windows open up invitingly to the bloom and blossom of the garden.