Our Story - Runeborn Continuum | Nordic-Inspired Boutique Hotel

How It All Began

Look, I'm not gonna lie to you - when my great-grandfather Bjorn first came to Whistler back in the '70s, he wasn't planning on starting a hotel. The guy was just a Norwegian mountaineer who fell head over heels for these peaks. Said they reminded him of home, but with better snow and friendlier bears.

He'd camp out here for months, and locals started calling him "the Viking of the mountains." Eventually, he built a small lodge - nothing fancy, just a place where he could share stories and his wife's incredible cloudberry jam with other mountain lovers.

Fast forward to 2019, and here I am, third generation, looking at grandpa's old lodge thinking... what if we could bottle that magic? That feeling of sitting around a fire, hearing old Norse tales, but y'know, with heated floors and a really good cocktail bar.

Our Journey Through Time

1974 - The First Stone

Bjorn builds the original cabin with his bare hands and probably too much stubbornness. Still standing, by the way - it's our library now.

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1989 - Growing Pains

My dad takes over and adds six more rooms. Also adds a sauna because, well, you can't have a Nordic place without one. That's just wrong.

2008 - The Dark Ages

Financial crisis hits. We almost lose everything. Dad says the old gods were testing us. More likely it was just really bad timing and some questionable investments.

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2019 - Rebirth

Complete renovation begins. We keep every beam that mattered, add everything that didn't exist yet. Modern luxury meets old soul - turns out they get along pretty well.

2021 - Opening Day

Runeborn Continuum officially opens. First guest asks if we're a real Viking village. We take it as a compliment. Still do.

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Heritage Without the Stuffiness

We're proud of where we came from, but we're not living in a museum. Old traditions are great when they actually make your stay better, not just when they look good on Instagram.

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Comfort's Not Negotiable

Vikings were tough, sure, but they also knew how to appreciate a good feast and a warm bed. We're definitely more about the warm bed part. And the feast. Especially the feast.

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Mountains Are Therapy

There's something about being up here that just... fixes things. We've seen it happen a thousand times. People arrive wound up tighter than a drum, leave looking like they've remembered how to breathe.

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Stories Over Sales Pitches

We'd rather tell you about the time a bear tried to join our breakfast buffet than recite some script about "elevated experiences." Though to be fair, that bear story IS pretty elevated.

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Local First, Always

Our chef sources from farms within 50 miles. Our spa products? Made by a woman down in Squamish who knows her stuff. Why would we look elsewhere when the good stuff's right here?

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Real Connections Matter

We remember your name, your drink order, whether you like extra pillows. Not because some CRM system told us to, but because it feels wrong not to.

Meet the Keeper of Tales

That's what my business card says, anyway. My accountant thinks it's ridiculous. I'm Freya Thornsen, and I guess you could say I'm the one running this ship these days.

Grew up in these halls, learned to ski before I could properly walk, spent way too many evenings listening to grandpa's stories about the old country. After a stint in Vancouver trying to convince myself I was a city person (spoiler: I'm really not), I came back home in 2017.

Took one look at the old place and thought - we can do better. Not different, just... better. Keep the soul, upgrade everything else. Three years of renovations, one pandemic, several minor crises, and here we are.

If you see me around, I'm probably either in the kitchen arguing with our chef about the menu, or out on the trails with our adventure team. Stop me and say hi - I've got time for a good chat.

What's Next for Us

We're not the type to sit still. Got some plans brewing for 2026 - thinking about adding a proper Viking-style outdoor hot tub experience. The kind where you can watch the northern lights if you're lucky, or at least the stars if you're not.

Also working with some local artists to create a rotating gallery space. Because honestly, the talent around here deserves to be seen by more people than just the regulars at the pub down in the village.

Come Visit Us

The Legend Behind Our Doors