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Hamlet’s castle to host first overnight guests in 100 years

One lucky couple will sleep like the fictional Danish prince in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare's death.

Hamlet's castle to host first overnight guests in 100 years
Kronberg Castle in Helsingør. Photo: Fiskfisk/Wikipedia

Shakespeare's 'Hamlet' is not only one of the bard's most popular and oft-performed plays, it has also had an indelible impact on Kronborg Castle in the northern Zealand town of Helsingør. So much so that many people still mistakenly think it's called Elsinore, the name assigned to the magnificent castle in the timeless play.

While they might not get the name right, Shakespeare fans have long flocked to Kronborg. But on Saturday night one lucky couple will have the opportunity to do something that hasn't been done in over a century. 

To commemorate the 400th anniversary of the playwright's death, Kronborg will become Denmark's plushest hotel room for one evening. 

Airbnb, with the backing of Helsingør Municipality and Visit North Zealand, set up the unique opportunity for April 23rd – the day Shakespeare closed his eyes for the last time in 1616. A contest was launched in which those interested in sleeping in the fabled castle had to write a letter to Hamlet.

Hundreds of Shakespeare fans from around the world eagerly took on the challenge and a winner was chosen in “die-hard Shakespeare enthusiast” M.L. Rio from London.

She said she can't wait for the opportunity to be immersed in the world of Shakespeare.

“I wrote a letter to Hamlet in the iambic pentameter, which he would have used in his day. Shakespeare has always been my definitive creative influence and inspiration,” Rio said in a press release.

Rio and her companion will stay in a secret room in the King’s Tower within the castle, and will be the first people to do so in over 100 years.

“It isn’t every day you get a chance to explore the inspiration that formed the basis for his [Shakespeare's] texts”, said Rio.

The couple will be the first to stay at Kronborg in 100 years. Photo: Dr.Splif/Wikipedia

The couple will be the first to stay at Kronborg in 100 years. Photo: Dr.Splif/Wikipedia

Erik Als, Kronborg's manager, said Rio’s application “really got inside Shakespeare’s universe”.

“We hope she will have an unforgettable experience which will remain with her for a long time to come, and hopefully she will be a great ambassador for Kronborg and Hamlet in the future,” he said.

As if being the castle's first overnight guests in a century wasn't enough, Rio and her companion will also enjoy a banquet alongside Danish artists, writers and actors.

The runner-up in the competition, US Ambassador to Denmark Rufus Gifford, said he looks forward to the banquet despite losing out on the opportunity to spend the night. 

“I am sorry that I didn’t win but to celebrate at dinner is a lovely consolation. I will drink a toast that night to so many things I love: Hamlet, Denmark, creativity and new experiences,” said Gifford.

Tickets for the banquet, which includes a gourmet dinner, wine, drinks and entertainment, are still available. If you can’t make it or if the 1,200 kroner price tag is a bit too much, worry not, there will be plenty of other celebrations to commemorate Shakespeare this summer at Kronborg.

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RENTING

Local authorities in France get power to crack down on Airbnb rentals

Authorities in Paris and other French towns will be able to regulate local businesses who wish to rent property on Airbnb, according to a decree published by the French government. 

Local authorities in France get power to crack down on Airbnb rentals
This illustration picture taken on July 24, 2019 in Paris shows the logo of the US online booking homes application Airbnb on the screen of a tablet. (Photo by Martin BUREAU / AFP)

The news was welcomed by authorities in Paris, who have long battled to keep a check on Airbnb and its impact on the rental market. 

On Sunday, the French government published a decree that allows the City of Paris to subject the renting of local businesses to prior authorisation. 

This decree applies to all types of offices, stores or medical offices who may be turned in holiday rentals. 

It aims to allow towns to limit the growth of rentals on Airbnb, “protect the urban environment and preserve the balance between employment, housing, businesses and services on their territory,” says the decree. 

The news was welcomed by authorities in Paris, which has been witnessing “the multiplication of ground floor business premises being transformed into holiday rentals,” said deputy mayor Ian Brossat, who is in charge of housing, in a press release

This decree which comes into effect on July 1st, “will prevent local businesses from being turned into holiday rentals,” Brossat added on Twitter.

The conditions businesses will have to meet in order to get an authorisation still have to be defined said Brossat, according to Le Figaro. But Paris aims to draft these regulations and get them voted by the end of 2021, so they can come into force at the beginning of 2022. 

Other towns allowed to apply the decree are those who have put into effect “the procedure of a registration number for furnished holiday apartments, owners and, subject to contractual stipulations, tenants of local businesses who wish to rent them as furnished holiday apartments.” 

In recent years, Paris city authorities have made tax registration obligatory for apartment owners and have restricted those renting out their primary residence to a maximum of 120 days a year.

Now if owners want to rent a furnished property for less than a year to holidaymakers, they must apply to local authorities for permission to change the registered use of the space.

They are then required to buy a commercial property of an equivalent or bigger size and convert it into housing as compensation. 

Until then, these onerous and time-consuming tasks did not apply to local businesses who only had to fill out a declaration.  

In February, France’s highest court, the Court of Cassation, ruled that regulations introduced to counter the effects of Airbnb and other short-term rental sites on the local property market were “proportionate” and in line with European law.

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