Author, Hotelier and Hostess, born Karen Marie Elisabeth Dinesen, attended High School and Askov High school. She then went to England to study English, and later worked as housekeeper at Queen Victoria's family doctor and his family. After her time in England, she travelled to Italy, where she lived for the rest of her life, as an author, hotelier and hostess. She started the hotel business, as a guesthouse when she met some tourists from Scandinavia, who became her first guests, and among them were the Danish artists; Kaj Munk, Anna and Michael Ancher and P.S. Kroyer. After having recovered from typhoid fever, she opened a new pension. Later, in 1913, she opened a hotel in Florence, but it was used to shelter homeless Italians when the First World War broke out. In 1925 she established a branch in Venice. After Mussolini in the 1930s had attacked Abyssinia, later Ethiopia, foreign tourists stayed away from Rome, and the operation had to be the way for Italians, especially artists. In 1938, Mussolini met Dinesen in Via delle Fiamme and told her that the street would be demolished and make way for a new and broader. She had to sack her staff, and her business was almost ruined, but later with help from Danish friends, she opened a former convent in Via Porta Pinciana close to the Borghesepark and Piazza del Popolo, which was converted into a hotel and things were looking promising. Then came the outbreak of the Second World War. This time the hotel was hosts to polish refugees and Russians freed from prison camps. After the war ended her guests then mainly became British, Americans and Scandinavians. She received a Merit in gold and in 1964 she was awarded Knight of Dannebrog.
Author, Hotelier and Hostess, born Karen Marie Elisabeth Dinesen, attended High School and Askov High school. She then went to England to study English, and later worked as housekeeper at Queen Victoria's family doctor and his family. After her time in England, she travelled to Italy, where she lived for the rest of her life, as an author, hotelier and hostess. She started the hotel business, as a guesthouse when she met some tourists from Scandinavia, who became her first guests, and among them were the Danish artists; Kaj Munk, Anna and Michael Ancher and P.S. Kroyer. After having recovered from typhoid fever, she opened a new pension. Later, in 1913, she opened a hotel in Florence, but it was used to shelter homeless Italians when the First World War broke out. In 1925 she established a branch in Venice. After Mussolini in the 1930s had attacked Abyssinia, later Ethiopia, foreign tourists stayed away from Rome, and the operation had to be the way for Italians, especially artists. In 1938, Mussolini met Dinesen in Via delle Fiamme and told her that the street would be demolished and make way for a new and broader. She had to sack her staff, and her business was almost ruined, but later with help from Danish friends, she opened a former convent in Via Porta Pinciana close to the Borghesepark and Piazza del Popolo, which was converted into a hotel and things were looking promising. Then came the outbreak of the Second World War. This time the hotel was hosts to polish refugees and Russians freed from prison camps. After the war ended her guests then mainly became British, Americans and Scandinavians. She received a Merit in gold and in 1964 she was awarded Knight of Dannebrog.
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