Location, Location, Location.
If you are planning to get married in the best location in Denmark - Ærøskøbing - then we strongly recommend staying in Ærøskøbing itself. For one thing Ærøskøbing is an amazingly beautiful and romantic little town. We have lost count of how often couples have told us that they simply did not expect it to be so enchanting – well, it is. The joy of just walking around the cobbled streets and peeking through the windows of the old houses, or stopping at the cafes in the square or by the harbour – it is brilliant! And the other thing is that it simply makes it very easy to organise everything, especially if you have guests. Everyone can walk everywhere in the town – there is no need for a car here.
There are of course some lovely places to stay elsewhere on Ærø Island – but think about transport, access to restaurants, and that you will probably end up spending most of your time in Ærøskøbing anyway. Getting married on Ærø is a special experience, but to for the best experience it is not just the ceremony - the accommodation and food are so important as well.
How We Choose Our Recommendations.
We do not take commission – we simply recommend places where we know our couples will be happy, and where we trust the management to be sympathetic to the special needs of our wedding couples. If you like the look of somewhere that we have not recommended, do check with us and we’ll give you an honest assessment; Louise and the DIW team have far and away the best network and local knowledge, and we live and work right here in the centre of town. We have hand-picked places that we recommend, based on years of feedback from our couples and our own experience. Please contact them directly, and be sure to mention that we recommended you, since then they will take extra good care of you! Do be very wary of the big online booking agencies who do not seem to serve Ærø well.
Recommended places to stay:
Elly’s House (self catering). A beautiful little Hansel & Gretel house, newly renovated, right in the historic centre. Can be rented through DIW.
Pension Vestergade 44. A beautiful house, immaculately run, stylishly furnished, and with a stunning garden to sit and enjoy afternoon tea in. This award-winning guesthouse oozes "hygge", and is one of the most romantic places on the island. Rated "Traveller's Choice 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021" on Trip Advisor - one of the top 25 best romantic hotels in Denmark. Under new management in 2021 but standards have been kept high.
Andelen. So cool. An old warehouse, where the island's jazz festival started, and with Denmark's smallest cinema tucked below. It has lovely beamed rooms, and the wedding suite is exceptional. Awards from trip Advisor, Booking.com, and more. Run by Adam.
På Torvet. Smart and minimalist apartment-style newly-renovated rooms, with bathrooms en suite, and an excellent cafè. It overlooks the church & town square opposite the Old Merchants' Court. It closes in January and the winter months but reopens around Easter 2024.
The Monica. The most stylish and expensive boutique hotel on Ærø - everything is immaculate, top quality, and testimony to Monica’s taste. It’s not cheap but for those who really care about design and style it is amazing.
Hotel & Café Aroma. Mainly a café but it has a few modern retro rooms. Good location, near the harbour, with a cool vibe inside and out. It is open in high season only, from April until October.
Arnfeldt Hotel. A lovely small hotel, under the new management of Manja and Ariel since Dec 2022. It’s a little more laid back than before, but has lovely rooms and a great location.
KEFS Guesthouse. Next to the baker, and with a good cafe that opens early. It has 7 simple but nice rooms and is a friendly and well-run place, budget-friendly and perfect if you are a big group that don’t mind shared bathrooms.
Kjøbing Manor (self catering). A beautiful big town house on the main square in Ærøskøbing, with rooms to let. Great location, lovely rooms, and a good option if you want to take over the whole place! Run by Colette.
Voderup 35 (self catering). Our beautiful old farmhouse, on a nature reserve by the cliffs at Voderup, which we also use for weddings. A special place. Book either through the link or direct through DIW.
RECOMMENDED PLACES TO EAT:
Kraut and Koala - new from 2023, run by a lovely Aussie/German duo. It is tiny, right by the tourist office close to the ferry, but the food is exceptional and probably the best on the island right now.
Restaurant Mumm. The traditional favourite restaurant in town. International cuisine, warm atmosphere, very friendly and professional service. Perfect for receptions and parties. A favourite for couples getting married in Denmark. Open all year. Run by Pia.
Arnfeldt Hotel. A different concept under the new team of Ariel and Manja, who have brought in many different guest chefs from all over the world. So you need to check out what the deal is on any particular evening. Lovely restaurant and terrace looking down to the old harbour.
Bangs Mad og Vinbar. Bangs has just (Nov 2023) been refurbished and enlarged after a successful first year, and it’s a great addition to the burgeoning Ærøskøbing food scene. Lars Bang keeps it pretty simple, with a set menu or tapas, but the quality is great and we have really enjoyed eating there. There is nice little courtyard with tables out at the back, too.
Den Gamle Købmandsgaard. Probably the best place for lunch or lunchtime wedding celebration. At the heart of the town in every sense, this historic building has a very special feel. The café is home to locals, wedding couples, and tourists; upstairs is the Wedding Room, and outside in the charming courtyard is the tiny Ærø Whisky distillery and its new microbrewery. The café provides the best wedding cakes and rustic reception lunches, and sells mostly local products. Run by Rikke & Lennart.
Amore Mare (Badehotel Harmonien). It was a good pizzeria but is closed right now, and does not loo likely to open in 2024.
Lendas Grill’er. A famous high-quality burger and sausage booth by the harbour - but Lenda has just (Jan 2024) retired. It is being taken over by Tom, up til now best know for cocktails and rahmen! We’ll let you know what is planning once we find out.
Aroma. Relaxed place by the harbour with excellent upmarket burgers, chicken etc, and sensational homemade ice-cream. It has a great terrace by the harbour. Aroma is usually open April to October. Run by Fie.
Røgeriet. Fresh smoked fish and draught beer right on the harbour. Not fancy, but good quality and great for a lunch watching the boats on a sunny day. Run by Ebbe.
På Torvet. Excellent café in the square, with food too. One of the best places in Denmark to just sit with a beer and watch the world go by. Now run by Gunnar and Lily.
KEFS (formerly Ærø Guesthouse and Cafe). A cool little bar for breakfast or great cocktails in the evening, and they serve snacks. They also have some nice rooms.
Landbogaarden. A really good bar, slightly funky, and we have had some wedding groups have great parties there. They also do a dish of the day.
Cafe KaRo. Only open in summer, it has such a good location, overlooking the marina, next to the minigolf. Ronja serves excellent coffee from 0700, and has good drinks, sandwiches and salads until late.
Pop-ups! A great new development since 2022 has been pop-up food and drink places by the harbour. They are all good - we’ll post when we see what pops up in 2024.