Latest Hotel News from Denmark 2015

Copenhagen’s ever expanding hotel scene welcomed its latest ‘hipster hostel’ earlier this year with the opening of Urban Housein March 2015. Pitched as a cross between a hotel and a hostel it’s located in the trendy Vesterbro area of the city with a large lounge area, bar, funky bike shop, hot dog restaurant and even its very own tattoo parlour. It offers a variety of rooms from a single ‘shoebox’ to larger rooms with private facilities for couples, families and groups of people. There are also lockers to store valuables, a laundry room and a self-service kitchen.

More hostel accommodation can be found in the new Bedwood Hostel which opened recently in an historic seafront warehouse dating back to 1756. Billed as Copenhagen’s ‘cosiest’ hostel, it’s situated in a quiet spot in vibrant Nyhavn and has been renovated by two seasoned hostel travellers, using recycled materials in as many places as possible to create their vision of the perfect hostel for their fellow travellers.

Outside the capital, Denmark’s second city, Aarhus, which is taking up the mantle of European Capital of Culture in 2017, is seeing an astonishing new period of redevelopment with several new hotels and hostels set to open in 2016.

Offering the facilities and level of comfort guests would expect from the city’s 3- and 4-star hotels, the new Wakeup Hotel will offer prices more in keeping with a 2-star establishment when it opens in the autumn of 2016. Perfect for the budget traveller, the Wakeup hotel concept is based on relatively small, yet very well appointed rooms, with furniture from top Danish designers and will offer fabulous views over Aarhus from the top levels of the hotel.

As part of the major regeneration of the harbour side in Aarhus, the city’s main library has moved to its new location at Dokk1 by the harbour allowing the beautiful old library building, in Mølleparken, to be transformed into the Library Hostel, and ready to welcome its first guests in 2016. With 100 rooms and 450 beds, the aim is to create a social space for both locals and travellers with accommodation at affordable prices.

Several of the region’s top hotels have also undergone recent refurbishments, including Copenhagen’s Absalon Hotel, which reopened in May 2015 boasting new upgraded rooms with Designers Guild furnishings, plush bedding, cosy down duvets and refreshing organic Karmameju branded bath and body products. The hotel’s innovative ‘Concept 24’ policy also means guests staying one night can keep their room for 24 hours regardless of their check-in time.

Meanwhile, across the city, Tivoli Hotel has added a new tower to the existing hotel, bringing the hotel to a total of 679 rooms. Perfect for families taking in the amusement park as well as conference delegates. Its new 12th floor penthouse opened on 23rd October 2015 and sits alongside the city’s latest MASH restaurant.  Serving the international chain’s famously juicy American style steaks, there’s space for 90 diners indoors, and when the weather permits, guests can spill out on to the open terrace with its panoramic views of the Copenhagen skyline.

Other hotels set to re-emerge in 2016 include the aptly named Phoenix Copenhagen which is refurbishing the hotel’s 48 executive rooms to offer more modern touches, whilst still preserving the hotel’s elegant style, for which it is known, former Hotel Neptun which reopened as a four-star hotel earlier this month under the name of Skt. Annæ Hotel and the popular Avenue Hotel. Located in the stylish Frederiksberg area and known for its distinctive design, with 12 new rooms and a series of upgrades, Avenue will soon become a four-star boutique hotel.

Outside Copenhagen in the East Jutland town of Randers the historic Hotel Randers is also undergoing a complete refurbishment after part of the 160 year old building was destroyed in a fire. It’s currently being lovingly restored ready to welcome back guests again from early 2016.

For a taste of the Danish countryside the new Comwell Sports Hotel on the edge of the Rebild National Park, just south of Aalborg, is Denmark’s first dedicated sports hotel. It is set in the middle of over 8000 hectares of wild countryside, with two lakes and a network of picturesque forest roads to explore on two wheels. The hotel offers a choice of active holidays with a pool, sauna, gym, free mountain bikes and daily training sessions such as yoga, boxing, water aerobics, running and cycling.

For a spa hotel with royal connections head to the Skodsborg Kurhotel which is situated outside Copenhagen and was the summer residence of King Fredrick VII and his wife, Countess Danner from 1852-1863. In 1898 it was converted into a spa hotel by Dr Carl Ottosen, who recognised the health benefits of physiotherapy and the preventive approach of a spa stay for healthy living. The Villa Rex, where state banquets were originally held, has recently been renovated and The King’s Hall has been restored in line with the original drawings, to enable present day guests to see the villa as it would have been in the 1800s.

Among the new hotel openings last year Hotel SP34, remains one of Copenhagen’s most sought-after places to stay, having scooped a clutch of international awards and recognition in the coveted magazine ‘hot lists’. Luxurious yet relaxed, with simple and elegant Scandinavian architecture, the hotel offers a relaxed and warm atmosphere and has also been particularly praised for its central location in the old Latin Quarter of Copenhagen, which is buzzing thanks to the many nearby restaurants, bars, galleries and vintage stores.

Looking ahead to 2018, Scandic Hotels, the largest hotel operator in the Nordic countries, will be expanding its portfolio with the opening of a newly built hotel in the centre of Copenhagen’s fashionable ‘meatpacking district’, Kødbyen. Adding to its existing portfolio of eight hotels in the Copenhagen area the 370 bedroom property will be designed with the history and urban character of the area in mind and will provide a lively meeting place for both guests and locals alike.