Engø Gård’s origins date back to the time of Pihls Pensjonat (Pensjonat means guesthouse). This was one of many summer guesthouses in Tjøme, which had a golden era up until the end of the 1950s. Pihls Pensjonat was run by a number of unique personalities, initially Frithjof Pihl and his sister Daisy, later joined by Frithjof’s English wife, Dorothy (Babs). Babs' arrival at the guesthouse saw the start of a new era. She was a strong, unique character, full of knowledge, imagination, with a quick wit and mind and a sense of authority. She was unmistakeably the incorporation of the "British" way of doing things, bringing a distinctive English flavour to the guesthouse.
One of the first changes she made was to “screen” guests, so that it became somewhat of a privilege to gain access to the guesthouse. Pihls Pensjonat quickly developed into a very special meeting place with a unique ambience. One distinctive feature at the summer guesthouse was respect for privacy. Prominent, distinguished personalities from international and Norwegian society were able to holiday in peace and without disturbance at Engø, protected from the general public by a civilised form of discretion.

The guesthouse made a cautious start, inviting only a few guests, in the mid 1920s. It closed down during the Second World War, but re-opened and continued until the 1960s. After that, the buildings were purchased privately and used as summer holiday homes. Engø was finally taken over by Nina Felling and Harald Andersen in 1983, who opened Engø Gård in the summer of 2000 after a period of comprehensive restoration and modernisation.

The old charm of Engø still remains and the traditional buildings which make up the "village" from the time of Frithjof Pihl are unchanged. The original character of the buildings has also been retained, the different houses all one or two storey and with a wonderful attention to detail in the exterior of both the buildings and the outdoor areas. Despite the restoration and modernisation, people who knew the guesthouse in its former days immediately recognise the “new” Engø.

The mementoes of the former glory of Pihls Pensjonat lend an unmistakeable style and atmosphere of elegant nostalgia.