2018: Båtholmen on national TV in Norway.
In an interview on the morning show on national TV2 in Norway, both our Airbnb project and our marine debris campaign were discussed. The interview can be found on our YouTube channel. Please subscribe!
2018: No1 Airbnb in Scandinavia
As our booking calendard was filling up for the summer of 2018, we realized that we are now the most desired Airbnb in Scandinavia and we renewed our Superhost status. Thank you for supporting our projects! The summer of 2018 is now fully booked, but we have some vacancies the rest of the year.
2017: Airbnb Magazine / Airbnbmag.
A two-page spread in the second issue of the new Airbnb Magazine displayed a brand new drone photo of our island. The magazine was distributed throughout USA and Canada on the 15th of September 2017, as well as to subscribers across the world.
2017: Marine Debris
Project startup.
In August 2017 we started the biggest project on Båtholmen so far. Partly financed by the Norwegian authorities, we are collecting plastic waste, garbage, marine debris and old, scrapped boats, to restore the beaches on Båtholmen, and to reduce the marine debris landing in Hvaler. Everyone is invited to participate. Please contact us!
2017: New mooring points.
In July 2017 we applied to the planning authorities for a permit to upgrade our mooring points. The island is surrounded by shallow waters, and upgraded mooring points will make it possible to place a barge east of the island, making the collecting of debris easier. The barge is supplied by a military surplus company.
2017: Marine Debris
Collecting Project.
In 2017 we received funding from the Norwegian Environment Agency to support our Marine Debris collecting project. The project will be running through the autumn and the winter, and we are looking for volunteers. Please read more and sign up!
2017: Celebrity visit.
In July 2017 @thebucketlistfamily visited our island, and made a short film about their experience. Link below.
2017. Topping Airbnb wish list.
Our cabin is the most wanted Airbnb listing in Norway. By far! As of August 1st, we are on 18676 wish lists. The runner-up in Norway is on 4867 lists, and it was time for another interview. Follow the link to read it (in Norwegian).
2016. Planning ahead.
In 2016 our cabin was fully booked again, and we started to consider how to expand the season. A meeting with the local planning authorities was fruitless, but at least we managed to inform on our activities, and brag about some 200 guests from 30 countries the past two years.
2015: Interview in the Norwegian Financial Times.
On new year's eve in 2015, the Norwegian Financial Times published a two pages interview with us, accompanied with colourful photos of our island paradise. The main theme of the interview was sharing economy and how Airbnb changes how people travel.
2015. Airbnb Open in Paris.
In November 2015 we participated in Airbnb Open in Paris, where we met one of Airbnb founders, Nathan Blecharczyk. He promised to visit our island sometime.....Yes, that's our middle son with a funny face in the center of the photo.
2014-2015: Busy summers.
Both 2014 and 2015 were busy years on Båtholmen. The island was fully booked from early May to late August both years, and we received our first "Superhost" status with Airbnb. Our guests left the most flattering reviews, and in between our many Airbnb guests, we were able to arrange a photo shoot with the biggest selling women's magazine in Norway; "Kvinner & Klær". In 2015 the jetty was improved, after the ice had wrecked it during the winter.
2014. Solar power.
The most noticable change on Båtholmen was the introduction of solar power. Now, our guests were able to charge their telephones. Yes; Robinsom Crusoe is an exciting novel, but our guests really wanted to share their experience, and with a small usb socket in the wall; suddenly this was a possibility.
2014. Sharing and improving.
Our first guests arrived in May 2014, after some months of intesive improvements and upgrades on the island. The cabin's exterior was given a brief touch-up, and the interior was subject to a complete do-over. At this time there was no electricity at all, and the outhouse was in a sorry state. During the summer of 2014 we upgraded the outhouse, installed a solar power system and purchased a small boat. It was all financed by renting out the miniature cabin.
2013. Financing and maintenance.
Yes, it was a bargain, but we had to dig deep in our pockets. In January 2013, some six months after the contract was signed, we were able to raise the money and take over the island. The bank did not believe in our project, so we had to increase our mortgage and risk our farm. The cabin had not been in use for a while, and was behind on maintenance.
2012. Purchase.
In 2012 we found a classified ad that would change our lives, and we purchased the "Båtholmen" island on the open market. It was a bargain, but no-one understood it. No-one less us and one of the financial newspapers in Norway, which commented on the purchase with a three-page center spread in full colour under the intro "Look what you can buy, if you can manage without a dish washer!"