Explore Our Five Rooms: Facilities, Amenities, and More
In the charming, picturesque town of Hakuba in the Nagano mountain region, surrounded by the majestic Japanese Alps, lies Hotel House of Finn Juhl – the first design hotel furnished exclusively with Finn Juhl furniture.
The hotel offers a total of five rooms, each named after the furniture they are decorated with: the Chieftain Room, the Poet Room, the Japan Room, the Pelican Room, and the France Room. Below, you can learn more about the rooms and their facilities.
All five rooms are heated and feature a refrigerator, as well as a bathroom with a shower. The beds are from the Danish brand GETAMA, while the headboards are crafted using Finn Juhl’s Panel System. The Chieftain, Poet, and Japan Rooms are equipped with a queen-size bed, while the Pelican and France Rooms feature two single beds (80 cm). The rooms are furnished with luxurious down duvets from Ringsted Dun, bed linen from Georg Jensen Damask, and a custom-designed cabinet for luggage and wardrobe storage.
The Chieftain Room
The Chieftain Room is dedicated to one of Finn Juhl’s most expressive and iconic pieces of furniture, the Chieftain Chair. The chair was first introduced in 1949, and Finn Juhl himself explained that he initially only had a vague idea of designing a large chair, but the distinctive shapes seemed to appear almost by chance during the 17 hours he spent sketching it.
When the chair was presented at the Cabinetmakers’ Guild Exhibition that same year, the King of Denmark at the time sat in it, prompting a journalist to ask Finn Juhl if it should be named the “King’s Chair.” Finn Juhl found that idea too pretentious and instead named it the Chieftain Chair.
The Chieftain Chair appears grand and impressive, yet it is surprisingly comfortable. Its curved shapes provide a soft embrace to anyone who sits in it, which might explain why it continues to win new admirers around the world.
In addition to the Chieftain Chair, the 22 m2 Chieftain Room is decorated with the 44 Chair, the Egyptian Chair, the Nyhavn Desk, and the Tray Table, which together create an atmospheric and sophisticated setting.
The Poet Room
The Poet Room is centered around the small, refined two-seater sofa, the Poet Sofa, which is the piece of furniture many associate with Finn Juhl. It was designed in 1941 and was originally one of the experiments he designed for his own home.
It got its distinctive name because it closely resembles another Finn Juhl sofa that appeared in a popular Danish comic strip from 1951, Poeten og Lillemor (The Poet and Little Mother). The upholstered body and prominent armrests create an inviting seat for two people, who sit exceptionally comfortably but so close that it’s hard not to smile.
The striking red sofa beautifully contrasts with the otherwise monochrome room, which measures 22 m2. In addition to the Poet Sofa, the room, which is perfect for couples, is also furnished with the 109 Chair, the Nyhavn Desk, and the Eye Table.
The Japan Room
It was only natural that a hotel based on Finn Juhl would have a Japan Room. Not only because of the hotel’s location in the Japanese Alps, but also because Finn Juhl was deeply inspired by Japan throughout his entire career, a country with which he maintained a lifelong connection. Today, a handful of his most intricate wooden frames are produced in a workshop in Yamagata, northern Japan, where skilled craftsmen combine traditional expertise with cutting-edge technology.
The room’s design is defined by the Japan Sofa, which Finn Juhl designed in 1957 for the furniture company France & Son. The prominent crossbar of the backrest, resting on the gently pointed legs, is inspired by traditional Japanese temple gates called torii, and from the back, the frame certainly resembles a torii gate.
The sofa is part of the Japan series, which includes a two-seater sofa, a three-seater sofa, a chair, and a footstool. Compared to Finn Juhl’s other designs, the Japan series has a sublime simplicity and minimalist form that distinctly reflects a Japanese aesthetic, drawing on traditional Japanese design principles and bringing a sense of harmony and tranquility into the room.
In addition to the Japan Sofa, the 22 m2 room is furnished with the 109 Chair, the 500 Coffee Table, and the Nyhavn Desk.
The Pelican Room
The Pelican Room is designed around the Pelican Chair, which, with its distinctive silhouette, resembles a pelican with outstretched wings. It is one of Finn Juhl’s early masterpieces, reflecting his design philosophy in many ways – not only because of its unique form, inspired by abstract art, but also due to its embracing comfort and versatility. When the Pelican Chair was presented in 1940, it was far ahead of its time, but today it stands as one of Finn Juhl’s most popular designs.
Here, the Pelican Chair is upholstered in beautiful, uniform fabric to match the room’s monochrome decor, with the other chairs being black. The subdued atmosphere makes the Pelican Room the perfect space to retreat, get lost in thought, or focus on work.
In addition to the Pelican Chair, the room, measuring 19 m2, is furnished with the Nyhavn Desk and the Armchair.
The France Room
In the France Room, two France Chairs in oak and cognac leather take center stage. The small, elegant armchair was designed in 1956 and is likely one of Finn Juhl’s most overlooked masterpieces – less bold and eye-catching than the Pelican, but with the same light and floating expression that characterizes his wooden furniture. Another refined detail is the paper-knife armrests. In the 1950s, the chair only had a product number, but when it was reintroduced in 2016, it was named after the founder of the furniture manufacturer France & Son, who originally produced it.
The room, measuring m2, is designed to invite a quiet moment of tea and reading. In addition to the two France Chairs, the Eye Table, the Nyhavn Desk, and the 108 Chair help create a space of calm and reflection.
