The story goes that, when King Christian the 4th had to learn seamanship as a child, he got a miniature war ship with which he crisscrossed the lake Skanderborg Sø. It is not possible to say whether the story is true, but it is certain that Skanderborg Sø is a beautiful spot and that Hotel Skanderborghus, which is situated in the deer park Dyrehaven at the shore of the lake, is indeed a gem near lake and wood.

When the hotel opened in 1961, a cup of coffee cost three Danish kroner, and quickly it became a poplar place to visit and hold parties and celebrations. In 1974, the famous Danish architect Verner Panton was asked to modernize the hotel with new furniture and carpets and especially the famous Pantella lamps, which can still be found in some of the rooms of the hotel. In the end of the 1980s, the hotel was furnished with course facilities, and Hotel Skanderborghus became a popular place to hold parties and also meetings and conferences. At the same time, a large number of guests visited the hotel in order to spend a weekend near Skanderborg Sø.